What Is a Bond Discount?
Let me tell you directly: a bond discount happens when a bond's market price drops below its par value, which is usually $1,000 at maturity. As a bondholder, you stand to gain from capital appreciation because the bond will pay out at that higher face value when it matures. In this piece, I'll cover how bonds can trade at either a discount or a premium, zeroing in on critical elements like interest rates and market demand.
Key Takeaways
- A bond discount occurs when a bond's market price is lower than its face value, often due to rising market interest rates.
- Bonds sold at a discount increase in value when they mature, leading to potential capital appreciation.
- The market value of bonds declines when newer bonds offer higher interest rates, making older bonds less attractive.
- A premium bond, in contrast, sells for more than its face value when its coupon rate is higher than prevailing market rates.
- Bonds can trade at a discount for various reasons, including excess supply over demand, lower credit ratings, or increased risk of default.
How Bond Discounts Impact Investors
If a bond sells at par, that means its coupon rate aligns with the current interest rate, and you as an investor earn returns through those regular coupon payments.
Now, consider a premium bond: this is when the market price exceeds the face value. If the bond's stated interest rate beats what's available in the current market, it becomes a solid choice for you.
On the flip side, a bond issued at a discount has a market price below the face value, which sets up capital appreciation at maturity because you'll get paid the higher face value. The bond discount is simply the gap between the market price and the face value.
Take this example: a bond with a $1,000 par value trading at $980 carries a $20 discount. We also talk about the bond discount rate, which is the interest rate used in present value calculations for pricing bonds.
Bonds sell at a discount when the market interest rate tops the coupon rate. At par, the coupon matches the market rate. But if rates rise above the coupon, you're holding a bond with lower payments.
When new bonds come out with better rates, existing ones lose value. If a bond dips below par, it attracts investors like you because you'll get the par value at maturity. To figure out the discount, you calculate the present value of the coupons and the principal.
Calculating a Bond Discount: An Example
Let's walk through an example. Suppose there's a bond with a $1,000 par value maturing in 3 years. It has a 3.5% coupon rate, but market rates are at 5%. Payments are semi-annual, so that's 6 periods total, with a per-period rate of 2.5%.
The present value of the principal at maturity is $1,000 divided by (1.025)^6, which comes to $862.30.
Next, for the coupon payments: the per-period rate is 1.75%, so each payment is $17.50. The present value sums up to $17.07 + $16.66 + $16.25 + $15.85 + $15.47 + $15.09, totaling $96.39.
Add those up for the market price: $862.30 + $96.39 = $958.69. Since that's below par, the discount is $1,000 - $958.69 = $41.31. The discount rate is then $41.31 divided by $1,000, or 4.13%.
Bonds trade below par for reasons like rising market rates, where fixed coupons make them less appealing, so they're discounted to match yields. Discounts also hit when supply outstrips demand, credit ratings drop, or default risk rises. On the other hand, falling rates or better ratings can push bonds to a premium.
Short-term bonds, especially zero-coupon ones, often issue at a discount. In the secondary market, discounts appear when supply exceeds demand.
The Bottom Line
To wrap this up, a bond discount means the market price is below par value, driven by higher market rates or risk factors. This gives you as an investor a shot at capital appreciation—buy low, get paid full par at maturity. You need to grasp how elements like interest rates and credit ratings shift bonds between discount and premium status. Understanding these can guide your bond-buying decisions effectively.
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