portfolio B. The durations of the two portfolios are almost the same, so B is only marginally
riskier.
d. Portfolio A costs $1,777; portfolio B costs $3,570. After the change in interest rates, the
prices of the bonds are as follows:
Portfolio A (zero coupon bonds)
Portfolio B (term bonds)
Portfolio is now worth $1,276, a decline of 28.2 percent; portfolio B is worth $2,554, a
e. While portfolio B appears to be riskier than a, the difference is marginal once the duration
14-25. This problem raises the question of the return realized by different investors with
different expectations. Investor A expects the bond to be called and would be willing to pay
up to $1,122. Investor B does not expect the bond to be called and will be outstanding until
Both valuations are based on a yield of 6 percent. The price differences are the result of
different termination dates (five years for A and ten years for B).
At 6 percent: $80(7.360) + 1,000(.558) = $1,147, so at a price of $1,122, the return has to be
higher. The determination of the actual return, 6.32 percent, requires the use of a financial
Investor B was willing to pay up to $1,147 but purchased the bond for less. Since the $1,147
price would yield 6 percent if the bond were held to maturity, buying the bond for a lower
14-26. In the previous problems, the valuation of the bond uses the same interest rate to
discount each payment. That procedure is appropriate if the yield curve is flat. This problem
and the material in the appendix to the chapter consider the impact on valuation if the yield
curve is positively sloped and the different rates are used to discount each payment.
a. The price of each bond based on the five-year yield (10%):