What most people think about when they hear the term high yield investments is a low-rated bond, known to most as a junk bond. Junk bonds are from companies that have to pay higher when they borrow money. Just like the average consumer that has financial troubles and pays a higher rate on a credit card, the same is true for companies with a bad credit report. When they issue a bond, the company is really applying for a loan with anyone that wants to purchase their bonds. The people that purchase low-rated, high yield bonds are risking their money in the hope of a better return. If the company is in dire financial straights, no matter how high the interest rate, the bonds simply won’t sell well.
The junk bond market can be quite lucrative if you’re educated in the ways of bonds. For instance, most people simply see bonds as a means of making interest. Stock market investors, in particular, find bonds quite boring especially if they love the thrill of the market fluctuations. These investors simply don’t know much about bonds, in particular, junk bonds. Many online investing sites often neglect information on bonds and focus strictly on equity products.
After September 11, 2001, the market crashed. Several industries felt harsh financial effects from the attack on 9/11 and one of them was the airline industry. United Airlines, already feeling financial pain, now had loss of revenue adding to the pinch when the government stopped flights. They were in a precarious position, similar to many other airlines. However, Frontier airline was a cash cow as well as some others.
Bonds go up and down in price depending on their financial rating, length of time to maturity and interest rate. At the time following 9/11/2001, not only did the stocks for major airlines drop, so did the bonds. In some cases, the bonds discounted as much as 50 percent for airlines. This means that if you bought a 50 percent discounted bond with an interest rate of 5 percent, you would receive a 10 percent return at every annual interest interval. If the price of the bond went up, you could also receive a capital gain by selling it. This made investing in high yield bonds from fiscally sound airlines an attractive investment.
As time passed, United did file chapter 11 and US Airways also does, but many of the lower priced bonds for airlines returned to the price adjusted for length of time and interest rate. People that knew the financials of the different airlines fared well, while people that risked their money on United or US Airways lost money. The key is looking at the financials of the company before you buy the bond. High yield returns are risky and even if they’re bonds, you can lose all your money or most of your money.
During good economic times, the price of high yield bonds increase. Bonds that provide a higher interest rate simply are more popular. Even if the company has a lower rating, during times of economic prosperity, most people feel the companies won’t fail.
During times when the economy drops in the cellar, it raises concern over credit ratings of companies. The high yield bonds discount deeply and are often a bargain for the seasoned investor. The person occasionally doing online investing, however, should not use these types of investments. There is a high risk to high yield investments. Just like any other investment vehicle, the higher the yield, the more risk you face.
Alex Roca is the creator, founder and editor of http://smart-personal-finance.com – a popular website that provides free education on personal finance. For more information on money management, investing, budgeting, saving, and retirement visit http://smart-personal-finance.com