Understanding Bond Pricing
A bond's price is simply the Present Value of all its future cash flows. This includes every semi-annual coupon payment plus the final repayment of the face value. If the bond's "Coupon Rate" is higher than the current "Market Yield," the bond will sell for a **Premium** (more than $1,000). If it's lower, it sells at a **Discount**.
Current Yield vs. YTM
- Coupon Rate: The fixed percentage of the face value paid annually. (e.g., a 5% coupon on $1,000 always pays $50).
- Current Yield: The annual coupon divided by the *current price*. If you bought the bond for $900, your current yield is $50 / $900 = 5.56%.
- Yield to Maturity (YTM): A more complex calculation that accounts for the fact that you will also make a $100 profit ($1,000 face - $900 price) when the bond matures.
Zero-Coupon Bonds
Some bonds do not pay regular interest. Instead, they are issued at a deep discount to their face value. For example, you might buy a 10-year zero-coupon bond for $600 today, and the government pays you $1,000 in 10 years. The "Interest" is effectively the growth from $600 to $1,000.
Bond Risk Factors:
- • Interest Rate Risk: The risk that rising rates will crash the market price of your bond.
- • Credit Risk: The risk that the borrower will go bankrupt and fail to pay the face value.
- • Inflation Risk: The risk that the fixed $50 coupon will buy much less food and fuel in 10 years than it does today.
Bond Duration
Advanced investors look at **Duration**. This is a measure of how sensitive a bond's price is to interest rate changes. A bond with a duration of 10 years will fall roughly 10% in price for every 1% rise in interest rates. Long-term bonds have much higher duration than short-term bonds.
How to Use This Tool
Enter the "Face Value" (usually 1000) and the "Coupon Rate." Set the "Required Yield" to the current interest rate for similar bonds in the market. The calculator will instantly show the Fair Market Price. Use the Sensitivity Analysis to see exactly how much you stand to lose (or gain) if the Federal Reserve changes interest rates by 1%.