When investing in corporate bonds, investors should remember that multiple risk factors can impact short- and long-term returns. Understanding these risks is an important first step towards managing them.
Credit and default risk
Corporate bonds are subject to credit risk. It’s important to pay attention to changes in the credit quality of the issuer, as less creditworthy issuers may be more likely to default on interest payments or principal repayment. If a bond issuer fails to make either a coupon or principal payment when they are due, or fails to meet some other provision of the bond indenture, it is said to be in default. One way to manage this risk is to diversify across different issuers and industry sectors.
Market risk
Price volatility of corporate bonds increases with the length of the maturity and decreases as the size of the coupon increases. Changes in credit rating can also affect prices. If one of the major rating services lowers its credit rating for a particular issue, the price of that security usually declines.
Event risk
A bond’s payments are dependent on the issuer’s ability to generate cash flow. Unforeseen events could impact their ability to meet those commitments.
Call risk
Many corporate bonds may have call provisions, which means they can be redeemed or paid off at the issuer’s discretion prior to maturity. Typically an issuer will call a bond when interest rates fall, potentially leaving investors with a capital loss or loss in income and less favorable reinvestment options. Prior to purchasing a corporate bond, determine whether call provisions exist.
Make-whole calls
Some bonds give the issuer the right to call a bond, but stipulate that redemptions occur at par plus a premium. This feature is referred to as a make-whole call. The amount of the premium is determined by the yield of a comparable mature Treasury security, plus additional basis points. Because the cost to the issuer can often be significant, make-whole calls are rarely invoked.
Step-up coupon
If your Corporate Note has a step-up coupon schedule, the interest rate of your Corporate Note may be higher or lower than prevailing market rates. Generally, a step-up Corporate Note pays a below-market interest rate for an initial defined period (often one year). After the expiration of that initial period, the coupon rate generally increases, and the Corporate Note will pay this interest rate until the next step, at which time it changes again, and so on through the maturity date. Holders bear the risk that the step-up coupon rate might be below future prevailing market interest rates. Because step-up Corporate Notes typically include call provisions, holders also bear the risks associated with callable bonds. In this regard, it is important to understand that if your Corporate Note is called, you will not benefit from the interest payment(s) of the later step(s). The initial rate on a step-up Corporate Note is not the yield to maturity. You receive the yield to maturity (YTM) only if you hold the Corporate Note until maturity (i.e. it is not sold or called). Please review the step-up schedule and call information found in the coupon and attribute columns of the search results page or in the Statutory Prospectus.
Sector risk
Corporate bond issuers fall into four main sectors: industrial, financial, utilities, and transportation. Bonds in these economic sectors can be affected by a range of factors, including corporate events, consumer demand, changes in the economic cycle, changes in regulation, interest rate and commodity volatility, changes in overseas economic conditions, and currency fluctuations. Understanding the degree to which each sector can be influenced by these factors is the first step toward building a diversified bond portfolio.
Interest rate risk
If interest rates rise, the price of existing bonds usually declines. That’s because new bonds are likely to be issued with higher yields as interest rates increase, making the old or outstanding bonds less attractive. If interest rates decline, however, bond prices usually increase, which means an investor can sometimes sell a bond for more than face value, since other investors are willing to pay a premium for a bond with a higher interest payment. The longer a bond’s maturity, the greater the impact a change in interest rates can have on its price. If you’re holding a bond until maturity, interest rate risk is not a concern.
Inflation risk
Like all bonds, corporate bonds are subject to inflation risk. Inflation may diminish the purchasing power of a bond’s interest and principal.
Foreign risk
In addition to the risks mentioned above, there are additional considerations for bonds issued by foreign governments and corporations. These bonds can experience greater volatility, due to increased political, regulatory, market, or economic risks. These risks are usually more pronounced in emerging markets, which may be subject to greater social, economic, regulatory, and political uncertainties.
