A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T
Finding the “Fair Value” of a Bond
First, we list the key features of the bond as “model inputs”:
Value of bond = $1,000.00
and enter the cell with the value for r (B37), then Click OK to complete the
operation and get the table.
Sam Strother and Shawna Tibbs are vice-presidents of Mutual of Seattle Insurance Company and co-directors of the
company’s pension fund management division. A major new client, the Northwestern Municipal Alliance, has
requested that Mutual of Seattle present an investment seminar to the mayors of the represented cities, and Strother
and Tibbs, who will make the actual presentation, have asked you to help them by answering the following questions.
Because the Boeing Company operates in one of the league’s cities, you are to work Boeing into the presentation.
a. What are the key features of a bond? Answer: See Mini Case Show
c. How is the value of any asset whose value is based on expected future cash flows determined? Answer: See Mini
Case Show
d. How is the value of a bond determined? What is the value of a 10-year, $1,000 par value bond with a 10 percent
annual coupon if its required rate of return is 10 percent?
The easiest way to solve this problem is to use Excel’s PV function. Click fx, then financial, then PV. Then fill in the
menu items as shown in our snapshot in the screen shown just below.
Thus, this bond sells at its par value. That situation always exists if the going rate is
equal to the coupon rate.
The PV function can only be used if the payments are constant, but that is normally the case for bonds.
b. What are call provisions and sinking fund provisions? Do these provisions make bonds more or less risky?
e. (1.) What would be the value of the bond described in Part d if, just after it had been issued, the expected inflation
rate rose by 3 percentage points, causing investors to require a 13 percent return? Would we now have a discount or
a premium bond?
We could simply go to the input data section shown above, change the value for r from 10% to 13%. You can set up a
data table to show the bond’s value at a range of rates, i.e., to show the bond’s sensitivity to changes in interest
rates. This is done below.
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Call Provisions and Sinking Funds
A call provision that allows the issuer to redeem the bond at a specified time before the maturity date. If interest
rates fall, the issuer can refund the bonds and issue new bonds at a lower rate. Because of this, borrowers are
willing to pay more and lenders require more on callable bonds.
In a sinking fund provision, the issuer pays off the loan over its life rather than all at the maturity date. A sinking fund
reduces the risk to the investor and shortens the maturity. This is not good for investors if rates fall after issuance.