Fixed Income (13%) Flashcards
Yield-to-Maturity (YTM)
Definition: The internal rate of return (IRR) on the bond if held until maturity, assuming all payments are made as scheduled.
Calculation: Solving for 𝑟
r in the present value equation of the bond’s cash flows.
Yield Curves
Definition: A graph showing the YTM of bonds with the same credit quality but different maturities.
Purpose: Helps investors understand the relationship between bond yields and maturities, and assess the risk and return profile of the bonds.
Par Value
The amount of principal on a bond, also known as face value.
asset-backed securities (ABS)
A type of bond issued by a legal entity called a special purpose entity created solely to own assets such as loans, receivables, and mortgages and to distribute cash flows to ABS investors. Generally, ABS backed by mortgages are known as mortgage-backed securities (MBS) while ABS refer to non-mortgage ABS.
Tenor
The remaining time to maturity for a bond or derivative contract. Also called term to maturity.
Perpetual Bonds
Bonds with no stated maturity date.
floating-rate notes
Notes on which interest payments are not fixed but instead vary from period to period depending on the current level of a reference interest rate. Also known as floaters.
market reference rate
A market-determined interest rate used as the underlying in financial instruments and contracts such as variable-rate debt and interest rate swaps. An example is the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), which is an overnight cash borrowing rate collateralized by US Treasuries. Other MRRs include the euro short-term rate (€STR) and the Sterling Overnight Index Average (SONIA).
credit spread
The compensation for the risk of default in a debt security, typically measured by the yield-to-maturity difference between a bond and a comparable government benchmark security.
zero-coupon bonds
Bonds that do not pay interest during their life. They are issued at a discount to par value and redeemed at par. Also called pure discount bond.
Junior debt, or subordinated debt
A class of unsecured debt that ranks below a firm’s senior unsecured obligations.
contingency provision
Clause in a legal document that allows for some action if a specific event or circumstance occurs.
embedded options
Contingency provisions found in a bond’s indenture representing rights that enable their holders to take advantage of interest rate movements. They can be exercised by the issuer, by the bondholder, or automatically depending on the course of interest rates.
Current Yield
The sum of the coupon payments received over the year divided by the flat price. Also called the income, interest yield, or running yield.
Calculate the coupon payment on a 2.5% coupon bond with GBP100,000 par value and a semiannual payment frequency.
The correct answer is GBP1,250.
Bond indenture
A written contract between a lender and borrower that specifies the terms of the loan, such as interest rate, interest payment schedule, or maturity.
Affirmative Covenants
These require the issuer to take certain actions, such as:
Using proceeds for specified purposes.
Providing regular financial statements.
Maintaining insurance on assets.
Ensuring new debt is treated pari passu (on equal footing) with existing debt.
Negative Covenants
These restrict the issuer from taking specific actions that could harm bondholders, such as:
Limiting additional debt issuance.
Restricting dividend payments and share buybacks.
Prohibiting certain asset sales or leasebacks.
Restricting mergers and acquisitions unless conditions are met.
Sources of Repayment:
Sovereign Bonds
National governments can use taxation or currency issuance.
Sources of Repayment:
Municipal Bonds
Local governments may use taxes or revenue from projects like toll roads.
Sources of Repayment:
Corporate Bonds
Issuers use operating cash flows, and sometimes secure bonds with assets.
Sources of Repayment:
Asset-Backed Securities (ABS)
Repayment comes from cash flows of pooled loans or receivables.
bullet bond
A bond whose principal repayment is made entirely at maturity.
amortizing debt
A loan or bond with a payment schedule that calls for periodic payments of interest and repayments of principal.
fully amortizing loan
A loan or bond with a payment schedule that calls for the complete repayment of principal over the instrument’s time to maturity.
balloon payment
A large payment required at maturity to retire a bond’s outstanding principal amount.
partially-amortizing bond
A loan or bond with a payment schedule that calls for the complete repayment of principal over the instrument’s time to maturity.
mortgage-backed securities
Debt obligations that represent claims to the cash flows from pools of mortgage loans, most commonly on residential property.
sinking funds
Provisions that reduce the credit risk of a bond issue by requiring the issuer to retire a portion of the bond’s principal outstanding each year.
waterfall structures
These represent the distribution order for cash flows and risk to different tranches in a financing structure.
Variable Interest Debt
FRN coupon = MRR + Credit spread.
Leveraged Loans
Loans made to a borrower or issuer with relatively lower credit quality and/or higher leverage.