WEB APPENDIX 07A—ZERO COUPON BONDS
1. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
If interest rates increase, a 10-year zero coupon bond’s price will drop by a greater percentage than will a 10–
year, 8% coupon bond.
One nice thing about zero coupon bonds is that individual investors do not have to pay any taxes on a zero
coupon bond until it matures, even if they are not holding the bonds as part of a tax-deferred account.
If a bond with a sinking fund provision has a yield to maturity greater than its coupon rate, the issuing
company would prefer to comply with the sinking fund by calling the bonds in at par rather than buying the
bonds back in the open market.
Because of the IRS’s tax treatment of zero coupon bonds, pension funds and other tax-exempt entities rarely, if
ever, invest in zero coupon bonds.
Interest must be paid on a zero coupon bond‘s accrued value, but while the first year’s interest is taxable at the
ordinary income tax rate, subsequent years are taxed at the long-term capital gains rate (since they are received
after more than a year).
before any gain is realized, it is pension funds and other tax-exempt entities that are the most
likely holders. Statement e is false because all interest payments on accrued value are taxed at
the ordinary income tax rate.
FOFM.BRIG.16.07.07A – Zero Coupon Bonds
United States – BUSPROG.FOFM.BRIG.16.03 – Analytic skills
United States – OH – DISC.FOFM.BRIG.16.01 – Stocks and bonds
Zero coupon bond concepts
Multiple Choice: Conceptual
2. Consider each of the following bonds:
8-year maturity with a 7% annual coupon.
10-year maturity with a 9% annual coupon.
12-year maturity with a zero coupon.
Each bond has a face value of $1,000 and a yield to maturity of 8%. Which of the following statements is NOT correct?
Bond A sells at a discount, while Bond B sells at a premium.
If the yield to maturity on each bond falls to 7%, Bond C will have the largest percentage increase in its price.
Bond C has the most reinvestment risk.
Bond C has the most price risk.
If the yield to maturity is constant, the price of Bond A will continue to increase over its life until it finally
sells at par.