Understanding Corporate Bonds | PIMCO (2024)

Past performance is not a guarantee or a reliable indicator of future results.

The credit quality of a particular security or group of securities does not ensure the stability or safety of an overall portfolio. The quality ratings of individual issues/issuers are provided to indicate the credit-worthiness of such issues/issuer and generally range from AAA, Aaa, or AAA (highest) to D, C, or D (lowest) for S&P, Moody’s, and Fitch respectively.

A word about risk: Investing in the bond market is subject to risks, including market, interest rate, issuer, credit, inflation risk, and liquidity risk. The value of most bonds and bond strategies are impacted by changes in interest rates. Bonds and bond strategies with longer durations tend to be more sensitive and volatile than those with shorter durations; bond prices generally fall as interest rates rise, and the current low interest rate environment increases this risk. Current reductions in bond counterparty capacity may contribute to decreased market liquidity and increased price volatility. Bond investments may be worth more or less than the original cost when redeemed. Corporate debt securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligation and may also be subject to price volatility due to factors such as interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity. Certain U.S. government securities are backed by the full faith of the government. Obligations of U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees but are generally not backed by the full faith of the U.S. government. Portfolios that invest in such securities are not guaranteed and will fluctuate in value. Floating rate loans are not traded on an exchange and are subject to significant credit, valuation and liquidity risk. Equities may decline in value due to both real and perceived general market, economic and industry conditions. Diversification does not ensure against loss.

There is no guarantee that these investment strategies will work under all market conditions or are suitable for all investors and each investor should evaluate their ability to invest long-term, especially during periods of downturn in the market.

It is not possible to invest directly in an unmanaged index.

This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Investors should consult their investment professional prior to making an investment decision. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed.

PIMCO provides services only to qualified institutions and investors. This is not an offer to any person in any jurisdiction where unlawful or unauthorized. | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC, 650 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660 is regulated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. | PIMCO Investments LLC, U.S. distributor, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY, 10019 is a company of PIMCO. | PIMCO Europe Ltd (Company No. 2604517), PIMCO Europe, Ltd Amsterdam Branch (Company No. 24319743), and PIMCO Europe Ltd - Italy (Company No. 07533910969) are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (25 The North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HS) in the U.K. The Amsterdam and Italy branches are additionally regulated by the AFM and CONSOB in accordance with Article 27 of the Italian Consolidated Financial Act, respectively. PIMCO Europe Ltd services and products are available only to professional clients as defined in the Financial Conduct Authority’s Handbook and are not available to individual investors, who should not rely on this communication. | PIMCO Deutschland GmbH (Company No. 192083, Seidlstr. 24-24a, 80335 Munich, Germany) is authorised and regulated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) (Marie-Curie-Str. 24-28, 60439 Frankfurt am Main) in Germany in accordance with Section 32 of the German Banking Act (KWG). The services and products provided by PIMCO Deutschland GmbH are available only to professional clients as defined in Section 31a para. 2 German Securities Trading Act (WpHG). They are not available to individual investors, who should not rely on this communication. | PIMCO (Schweiz) GmbH (registered in Switzerland, Company No. CH-020.4.038.582-2), Brandschenkestrasse 41, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland, Tel: + 41 44 512 49 10. The services and products provided by PIMCO Switzerland GmbH are not available to individual investors, who should not rely on this communication but contact their financial adviser. | PIMCO Asia Pte Ltd (501 Orchard Road #09-03, Wheelock Place, Singapore 238880, Registration No. 199804652K) is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore as a holder of a capital markets services licence and an exempt financial adviser. The asset management services and investment products are not available to persons where provision of such services and products is unauthorised. | PIMCO Asia Limited (Suite 2201, 22nd Floor, Two International Finance Centre, No. 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong) is licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission for Types 1, 4 and 9 regulated activities under the Securities and Futures Ordinance. The asset management services and investment products are not available to persons where provision of such services and products is unauthorised. | PIMCO Australia Pty Ltd ABN 54 084 280 508, AFSL 246862 (PIMCO Australia) offers products and services to both wholesale and retail clients as defined in the Corporations Act 2001 (limited to general financial product advice in the case of retail clients). This communication is provided for general information only without taking into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular investors. | PIMCO Japan Ltd (Toranomon Towers Office 18F, 4-1-28, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan 105-0001) Financial Instruments Business Registration Number is Director of Kanto Local Finance Bureau (Financial Instruments Firm) No. 382. PIMCO Japan Ltd is a member of Japan Investment Advisers Association and The Investment Trusts Association, Japan. Investment management products and services offered by PIMCO Japan Ltd are offered only to persons within its respective jurisdiction, and are not available to persons where provision of such products or services is unauthorized. Valuations of assets will fluctuate based upon prices of securities and values of derivative transactions in the portfolio, market conditions, interest rates and credit risk, among others. Investments in foreign currency denominated assets will be affected by foreign exchange rates. There is no guarantee that the principal amount of the investment will be preserved, or that a certain return will be realized; the investment could suffer a loss. All profits and losses incur to the investor. 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CMR2016-0803-202847

Understanding Corporate Bonds | PIMCO (2024)

FAQs

How to analyze corporate bonds? ›

An investor can use cumulative interest to calculate a bond's performance by summing the interest paid over a set period. However, there are other more comprehensive methods, such as effective annual yield. Bonds' interest rates, also known as the coupon rate, can be fixed, floating, or only payable at maturity.

What is the best way to understand bonds? ›

Understanding bond market prices

The easiest way to understand bond prices is to add a zero to the price quoted in the market. For example, if a bond is quoted at 99 in the market, the price is $990 for every $1,000 of face value and the bond is said to be trading at a discount.

What are corporate bonds for dummies? ›

Unlike equities, ownership of corporate bonds does not signify an ownership interest in the company that has issued the bond. Instead, the company pays the investor a rate of interest over a period of time and repays the principal at the maturity date established at the time of the bond's issue.

What are the pros and cons of corporate bonds? ›

Corporate bonds aren't backed by the government, so they aren't as safe as Treasurys, but that means they'll typically offer higher yields. The interest rate available will depend on the financial strength of the company doing the borrowing.

How do you profit from corporate bonds? ›

They are debt obligations, meaning that the investor loans a sum of money (the principal) to a company or a government for a set period of time, and in return receives a series of interest payments (the yield).

What is the average return on corporate bonds? ›

Basic Info. Moody's Seasoned Aaa Corporate Bond Yield is at 5.39%, compared to 5.45% the previous market day and 4.53% last year. This is lower than the long term average of 6.46%. The Moody's Seasoned Aaa Corporate Bond Yield measures the yield on corporate bonds that are rated Aaa.

How to evaluate bonds? ›

Bond valuation, in effect, is calculating the present value of a bond's expected future coupon payments. The theoretical fair value of a bond is calculated by discounting the future value of its coupon payments by an appropriate discount rate.

How much is a $1000 savings bond worth after 30 years? ›

How to get the most value from your savings bonds
Face ValuePurchase Amount30-Year Value (Purchased May 1990)
$50 Bond$100$207.36
$100 Bond$200$414.72
$500 Bond$400$1,036.80
$1,000 Bond$800$2,073.60

How to read bond information? ›

Bonds are quoted as a percentage of their $1,000 or $100 face value. 7 For example, a quote of 95 means the bond is trading at 95% of its initial face value. Face value quotes allow you to easily calculate the bond's dollar price by multiplying the quote by the face value.

Why would someone buy a corporate bond? ›

Investors considering fixed-income investments might want to consider corporate bonds, which some have described as the last safe investment. Investment-quality corporate bonds can provide a steady income and allow the investor to avoid, or at least offset, the turmoil of the stock market.

Why do people invest in corporate bonds? ›

Corporate bonds can add diversification to an equity portfolio as well as diversify a fixed income portfolio of government bonds or other fixed income securities. Income: Corporates have the potential to provide attractive income. Most corporate bonds pay on a fixed semiannual schedule.

Are corporate bonds safer than stocks? ›

Given the numerous reasons a company's business can decline, stocks are typically riskier than bonds. However, with that higher risk can come higher returns. The market's average annual return is about 10%, not accounting for inflation.

What is the best corporate bond to buy? ›

Here are the best Corporate Bond funds
  • SPDR® Portfolio Interm Term Corp Bd ETF.
  • iShares Broad USD Invm Grd Corp Bd ETF.
  • SPDR® Portfolio Corporate Bond ETF.
  • iShares 5-10 Year invmt Grd Corp Bd ETF.
  • Goldman Sachs Acss Invmt Grd Corp Bd ETF.
  • iShares ESG USD Corporate Bond ETF.
  • iShares iBoxx $ Invmt Grade Corp Bd ETF.

Can corporate bonds lose value? ›

What causes bond prices to fall? Bond prices move in inverse fashion to interest rates, reflecting an important bond investing consideration known as interest rate risk. If bond yields decline, the value of bonds already on the market move higher. If bond yields rise, existing bonds lose value.

What happens when a corporate bond matures? ›

A bond's term to maturity is the length of time during which the owner will receive interest payments on the investment. When the bond reaches maturity the principal is repaid.

What is the best rating for corporate bonds? ›

The AAA-rated bonds are rated as the highest Safety Bonds. AAA denotes the highest credit rating assigned by a credit rating agency.

How to tell if a bond is overvalued or undervalued? ›

When a security's current market price is approximately equal to its value estimate, the security is considered to be fairly valued. Conversely, when the market price exceeds the value estimate, the security is overvalued, and so the security is undervalued when the market price is lower than its estimated value.

How to hedge corporate bonds? ›

Money managers can hedge that duration risk by shorting bonds or using futures — options and other derivatives to target a lower duration than what the portfolio currently has. The downside to hedging is that the yield from the hedged portfolio could be slightly less because of the costs of the hedge.

How do you read corporate bond quotes? ›

Bonds are quoted as a percentage of their $1,000 or $100 face value. 7 For example, a quote of 95 means the bond is trading at 95% of its initial face value. Face value quotes allow you to easily calculate the bond's dollar price by multiplying the quote by the face value.

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