Understanding Bond Yield Meaning in Detail
Determining the value of bond yield depends on various factors, such as compounding interest payments and time value. This leads to complex calculations like bond equivalent yield and yield to maturity. Let us look at these two concepts in detail to understand what the meaning of yield and the significance it carries.
What is Yield to Maturity Meaning in Detail
Yield to maturity measures the total return investors achieve if investors carry the bond until maturity.
It includes all possible cash flows of the future while evaluating the YTM.
Suppose a company issues bonds with the following terms:
Face value = Rs. 1,000
Coupon rate = 10%
Periodicity of payments = Once a year
Maturity = 5 years
Date of bond issue = 01 September 2020
Assuming you purchase the bond when it is issued, you are buying it at face value. The bond will pay a coupon of 10% on 01 September 2021.
If the bond sells at a discount to the face value, it implies that the coupon rate is less than the current interest rates. As a result, the bonds became less attractive, which pushed their prices downwards. In this case, the YTM would be higher than the coupon rate. Similarly, if the bond sells at a premium to the face value, it implies that the current rate of interest is less than the coupon rate. This indicates that the coupon rate is higher than the YTM.
Formula and Calculation of Bond Price Yield
The most straightforward method to calculate a bond yield is by dividing the annual coupon payment by the bond's face value. This result is referred to as the coupon rate.
Coupon Rate = Annual Coupon Payment / Bond’s Current Market Price
For instance, if a bond has a face value of $1,000 and pays an annual interest of $100, the coupon rate would be 10%, derived from dividing $100 by $1,000. Bonds function as loans made to issuers, and they are generally perceived as secure investments. Unlike stocks, the value of bonds tends to remain more stable. This stability allows bondholders to receive consistent income throughout the bond's life.
Understanding the bond yield meaning is essential for investors. Generally, a higher bond yield suggests a greater risk associated with the investment, while a lower yield indicates a safer option. Yield to Maturity (YTM) translates to the total anticipated return on a particular bond if it is kept until it matures. This calculation takes into account the bond’s present market price, the interest payments, and the time left until maturity. Understanding YTM is key to assessing a bond's overall profitability, making it a crucial metric for evaluating the bond's price and yield.
Bond Equivalent Yield (BEY)
The bond equivalent yield measures the annual percentage yield on fixed-income securities. While selecting various fixed-income investments, investors can use BEY to compare whether a particular investment is better or worse than other investments.
BEY = [(Face value -Purchase price) / Purchase Price]* (365/d)* 100
Where d denoted the days until maturity.
The Link Between Bond Yield vs Bond Price
Bond yields typically have an inverse relationship with bond prices, i.e. higher bond prices are linked with lower yield and vice versa. Let us understand how.
Suppose your bond has a face value of Rs. 1000 and a coupon rate of 10%. You earn 10% of 1000 as coupon payments, i.e. Rs. 100. |
Scenario I: Bond trades at a discount | Suppose the bond price is Rs. 700 in the secondary market. This implies that the bond trades at a discount of Rs. 300 to its face value.
Yield = coupon rate/bond price, i.e. 100/700 = 14.28% |
Scenario II: Bond trades at a premium | Let us assume the bond price in the secondary market increases from Rs. 700 to Rs. 1300. The bond now trades at a premium to its face value.
Yield = 100/1300 = 7.69% |
Conclusion
Bonds can serve as the ideal financial instruments to diversify your portfolio. However, before you begin investing, understand the basics, such as what is the meaning of bond, factors influencing bond prices, the rise and fall of bond yields, the relationship between bond prices and yields etc., to achieve maximum return on your investments.