Lecture 6-Debt Flashcards

1
Q

What is a bond?

A

-A security that obligates the issuer to make specified payments to the bondholder

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2
Q

What are coupons in relation to bonds?

A

-The regular interest payments made to the bondholder ( in £s)

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3
Q

What is the maturity in relation to bonds?

A

-The length of time (or quoted as a Maturity date) over which payments will be made (in Years)

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4
Q

What is the face value in relation to bonds?

A

-The principal payment at the maturity of the bond (in £s)

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5
Q

What is the coupon rate in relation to bonds?

A

The annual coupon payments as a percentage of the face value (a %)

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6
Q

What are government bonds called?

A

Gilts

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7
Q

Different maturities for government bonds

A

Shorts (< 5 years)

Medium term (5-15 years)

Long term (>15 years)

Undated (perpetuities)

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8
Q

What are domestic bonds?

A

Issued by resident company, in the currency of that country e.g.

Tesco issues bond in the UK denominated in Sterling

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9
Q

What are foreign bonds?

A

Bonds issued in a country, in the currency of that country by a non-resident e.g.

Boeing issues bond in the UK denominated in Sterling

Cadbury issues bond in Japan denominated in Yen

These bonds must obey rules of the country in which they are issued

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10
Q

What are Eurobonds?

A

Bonds issued in a currency different to that of the country they are issued in e.g.

Renault issues a Sterling denominate bond in France

BP issues a US$ denominated bond in the UK

Toyota issues a Euro denominated bond in Japan

With introduction of the Euro, are increasingly referred to as International bonds

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11
Q

What is bond pricing?

A

The price of a bond is simply the PV of all the cash flows generated by the bond (i.e. the coupons and face value payment)

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12
Q

The discount used to find PV for bond pricing

A
  • the required rate of return on debt (𝑟_𝑑)

- We will see later this rate is equivalent to the Yield to Maturity (YTM) on the bond

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13
Q

What to remember with the discount rate (RROR on debt) and coupon rate

A

The coupon rate IS NOT the discount rate (i.e. it is not the required rate of return on debt) used in the present value calculations

The coupon rate merely tells us what cash flows the bond will produce

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14
Q

Different face values for different countries

A
  • In the US the face values are $1000

- Uk face values are £100

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15
Q

How are bonds and annuities linked?

A

Except for the payment of the final face value, bond payments are very similar to an annuity

Fixed payments, every year, starts next year

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16
Q

Semi annnual payments for bonds

A

An 8% bond (face value £100) will pay £4 every 6-months rather than £8 once a year

17
Q

How are bonds traded?

A

Companies issue bonds in the primary markets to raise capital
But bonds can be bought and sold in the secondary market just like shares

The price you buy the bond at (whether in the primary or secondary market) is not the face value, i.e. not £100

Prices of bonds (with face values of £100) tend to range between £90 - £110
But can be much higher/lower

18
Q

What is the current yield?

A

The annual coupon payment divided by the current bond price

-Represents return the investor makes purely from receiving the coupons
Equivalent to dividend yield on a share

19
Q

What is yields to maturity?

A
  • represents the total return you expect to make on the bond, i.e. includes the coupon return and the capital return
  • As the life of the bond gets longer, the YTM seems to increase

Generally longer bonds have higher yields –but this is not always true!

20
Q

Why do bond prices change from day to day?

A

As the bond gets closer to maturity, its price will always approach its face value

As the general level of interest rates change, bond prices will adjust so that the YTM for a new investor always represents a “fair” return

21
Q

Rules about bond prices

A

When the coupon rate is > YTM
Bond price will be always be above £100

As the bond gets closer to maturity

Bond price falls, getting closer to £100

22
Q

What is interest rate risk?

A

When interest rates rise – bond prices fall

When interest rates fall – bond prices rise

-Long term bonds have more interest rate risk than short term bonds

Low coupon bonds have more interest rate risk than high coupon bonds

23
Q

What is the duration of bond meant to measure?

A
  • Interest rate risk
  • Greater duration means a greater interest rate risk
  • Bonds with higher durations will need to have higher YTMs
24
Q

What is default risk in relation to bonds?

A

if someone defaults on paying the coupons and the face value at maturity

25
The risks associated with gilts and corporate bonds
- Gilts practically default risk free | - Company bonds will have some default risk
26
What is the default premium
Difference between the YTM on a corporate bond and an otherwise identical government bond -The riskier the issuer, i.e. the greater the risk of default, the greater the default premium will be: Thus the higher the overall required rate of return on the bond will be
27
How do bond investors estimate risk of default?
Specialist rating agencies will (for a fee) provide a rating, examples are: Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, Fitch Ratings can apply to Governments Companies Specific Bonds
28
AAA credit rating
Highest credit quality, , lowest level of credit risk
29
D credit rating
-Issuers are unlikely pay their dues and default on payment
30
What are investment grade bonds?
-Bonds rated BBB or better Considered to be fairly safe On average less than 0.1% of AAA and 3.5% fof BBB bonds default within 5-10 years
31
What are junk bonds?
- Bonds rated below BBB - Consider to be risky - Can be high rates of default for junk bonds - Nearly a third of B rated bonds and over half of CCC rated bonds default within 5-10 years
32
How big is the default premium?
For AAA rated bonds Default premium fairly steady at 1-1.5% For BBB rated bonds Default premium varies between 1.5-3.5% For Junk bonds Default premium has been very volatile Anything from 2.5% to 10%!
33
How can an investor reduce risk default of a bond?
Secure the bond against assets (Debentures) A fixed charge against specified assets A floating charge against assets in general
34
Bond covenants as a way to reduce bond default risk
Restrict the firm from issuing more debt Set maximum dividend pay-outs Set targets for company performance Restrict sale of assets
35
What are the different types of coupons?
-The majority of bonds offer fixed regular coupons -No coupon payment at all Just the face value (£100) at maturity/ Prices are always below £100 Often called ”Pure Discount Bonds” -Floating rate bonds Coupon rate can change over the life of the bond e.g. may be linked to LIBOR
36
What are the different types of bonds?
Irredeemable bonds - Has no maturity date (like a perpetuity!) - So price is just C/YTM - Some gilts are irredeemable Callable bonds - The company can buy these back before the maturity date if they want to - Usually company has to pay a pay premium to do this -Convertible bonds Holder of the bond can (under predetermined conditions) convert the bonds into shares Example: Company issues 10yr bond in 2014 and states that any time after 5th year bondholders can - Swap if share price has gone up a lot and the 12 shares are worth more than the bond - Keep the bonds if they are worth more than the shares - Because of the extra benefit, the initial return (YTM) will be lower
37
Rules to remember about Bond prices
If CR > YTM then price is > £100 If CR = YTM then price is = £100 If CR < YTM then price is < £100
38
What happens if the interest ate goes up and vice versa for bonds?
-As interest rates go UP, bond prices go DOWN
39
What does the YTM depend on?
The general level of interest rates The interest rate risk The default risk