Fixed Income Flashcards
Expected Loss
Expected Loss = Default Probability x Loss severity given default
Loss Severity = 1 - Recovery Rate
Cross Default Provisions
Events of default such as non-payment of interest on one bond trigger default on all outstanding debt, implies the same default probability for all issues.
Notching
Specific issues assigned different credit ratings for an issue from the same issuer due to a ratings adjustment methodology.
Structural Subordination
Can arise when a corporation with a holding company structure has debt at both its parent holding company and operating subsidiaries.
The Four C’s of Credit
Capacity
Collateral
Covenants
Character
Bond Indenture
The governing legal credit agreement and is typically incorporated by reference in the prospectus.
Return Impact
Return Impact = -Modified Duration x Change in Rate
Return Impact for Larger Rate Changes
Return Impact = (-Modified Duration x Change in Rate) + 1/2Convexity x (Change in in Rate)^2
The Swap Rate
The fixed rate in an Interest Rate Swap
Swap Spread
Swap Spread = Swap Rate - Government yield on a bond with the same maturity
Effectively, the swap spread reflects the risk of the counterparty to the swap failing to satisfy its obligation.
The Four Theories of the Term Structure of Interest Rates
1) Pure Expectations Theory
2) Liquidity Preference Theory
3) Preferred Habitat Theory
4) Market Segmentation Theory
Pure Expectations Theory
Postulates that no systematic favors other than expectations of future interest rates that affect forward rates.
Liquidity Preference Theory
States that investors will hold longer-term maturities if they are offered a long-term rate higher than the average of expected future rates by a risk premium that is positively related to the term maturity.
Preferred Habitat Theory
Adopts the view that the term structure reflects the expectation of the future path of interest rates as well as a risk premium, but rejects the assertion that the risk premium must rise uniformly with maturity.
Percentage Change in Yield
X = 100[Ln(yt/yt-1)]
yt = yield today Yt-1 = yield in previous period
Z-Spread
The spread that when added to all of the spot rates will make the present value of the bond’s cash flow equal to the bond’s market price.
Minimum Value of a Convertible Security
The greater of its conversion value or its value without the conversion option.
Conversion Value = market price of common stock x conversion ratio
Market Conversion Price
Market Conversion Price = market price of convertible security/conversion ratio
Market Conversion Premium Ratio
Market Conversion Premium Ratio = market conversion premium per share/market price of common stock
Premium Payback Period
Premium Payback Period = Market conversion premium per share/favorable income differential per share
Favorable Income Differential Per Share
Favorable Income Differential Per Share = [coupon interest - (conversion ratio x common stock dividend per share)]/conversion ratio
Value of Convertible Security
Value of Convertible Security = Straight Value + value of call option on stock - value of call option on bond