A bond is a security that is sold to investors that provides a return over a certain period of time. It is a debt instrument that combines the features and benefits of a loan and security. Its most distinguishing feature is that it represents a fixed payment in exchange for the agreement of the bond issuer to pay the holder on the specified maturity date.
Bonds are debt instruments issued by corporations, state governments, and municipalities to raise capital for major investment projects and the payback of debt. Bond investors, such as banks and other institutional investors, receive the bond issuer’s interest payments and the principal when the bond matures.
Bonds: How do they work?
Bonds are debt securities that a company issues. These securities are not like stock shares, which you buy and sell. Instead, bonds are just a form of debt. You are the debtor, and the company that issued the bond is the creditor—you owe them money. A bond is an IOU, sort of like an IOU from the government. That is why bonds are called bonds.
The best way to understand bonds is to imagine them as an investment. When you deposit money in a bank account, the bank gives you money that is free to spend or invest in whatever you want. Your money is at risk, but that risk is limited: If the bank gets into trouble, the government will step in to guarantee your money and bail it out. In the case of bonds, you are the bank. You have a pool of money you can use to make investments, and your investment returns and losses are your bank’s profits and losses. Though the idea of holding bonds may seem a little old-fashioned, they have a number of advantages.
Bond Features That You Consider
Bonding, which is the process of investing in a company, is a popular way to diversify your portfolio, and dozens of companies offer bonds that are suitable for this purpose. There are many features to consider when choosing the right bonds. This includes the following:
- Maturity – When you are in the market to buy a bond, you are likely to pay special attention to the maturity date. This is because the closer the maturity date gets, the more expensive a bond will be. But you may be wondering, why is maturity so important? The answer is that if you own the bond until maturity, you will receive a higher interest rate than if you own the bond for a shorter period of time.
- Unsecured/secured – If you are considering a bond, it is worth knowing what type of security it is. A bond is a series of interest-bearing bonds, or bonds that have a final payment. A company issues the bonds in the hope that the return on their investment will be more than the interest paid on the bonds.
- Coupon – The interest rates offered on the bonds you hold are determined by their maturity date and coupon rate. Most bonds have coupons that are paid out on a regular basis, usually quarterly (or semi-annually), and usually with a monthly payment.
- Callability refers to the ability of the bondholder to force the issuer to redeem the bond for its cash value by cashing the bond.
- Tax status – One of the important features to look for when considering a bond is tax status. When you buy a bond, you want to make sure the IRS will treat your payment in full and on time.
- Liquidation preference – One of the key factors to consider when purchasing a bond is the company’s liquidation preference, the term you see on the bond certificate and in your account every month. It refers to how the bond issuer pays its bondholders if the company is liquidated, and all its assets are sold.
Buying a bond is like buying an insurance policy for your portfolio. The goal is to get your money back at a future date, and bonds generally pay a fixed rate of interest until the bond matures. A bond’s price, or yield, is a measure of how much interest you will receive, and it ultimately depends on the credit quality of the bond issuer. The higher the grade of the bond’s issuer, the lower the yield you can expect to receive.
