There are two primary reasons a bond might be worth less than its listed face value. A savings bond, for example, is sold at a discount to its face value and steadily appreciates in price as the bond approaches its maturity date. Upon maturity, the bond is redeemed for the full face value. Other types of tradeable bonds are sold on the secondary market, and their valuations depend on the relationship between yields and interest rates, among other factors.
All bonds are redeemed at face value when they reach maturity unless there is a default by the issuer. Many bonds pay interest to the bondholder at specific intervals between the date of purchase and the date of maturity. However, certain bonds do not provide the owner with periodic interest payments. Instead, these bonds are sold at a discount to their face values, and they become more and more valuable until they reach maturity.
Not all bondholders hold onto their bonds until maturity. In the secondary market, bond prices can fluctuate dramatically. Bonds compete with all other interest-bearing investments. The market price of a bond is influenced by investor demand, the timing of interest payments, the quality of the bond issuer, and any differences between the bond's current yield and other returns in the market.
An Example of Fluctuating Bond Price
For instance, consider a $1,000 bond that has a 5% coupon. Its current yield is 5%, or $50 / $1000. If the market interest rate paid on other comparable investments is 6%, no one is going to purchase the bond at $1,000 and earn a lower return for their money. The price of the bond then drops on the open market. Given a 6% market interest rate, the bond ends up being priced at $833.33. The coupon is still $50, but the yield for the bond is 6% ($50 / $833.33).
FAQs
There are two primary reasons a bond might be worth less than its listed face value. A savings bond, for example, is sold at a discount to its face value and steadily appreciates in price as the bond approaches its maturity date. Upon maturity, the bond is redeemed for the full face value.
Why is my bond worth less than face value? ›
The price for a bond or a note may be the face value (also called par value) or may be more or less than the face value. The price depends on the yield to maturity and the interest rate. The "yield to maturity" is the annual rate of return on the security. In both examples, the yield is higher than the interest rate.
Can bond price be less than face value? ›
The price of a bond can fluctuate in the market by changes in interest rates while the face value remains fixed. Some bonds, like zero-coupon bonds, are issued at a discount to par value so the price is lower than the par value at issue.
Why do some bonds sell below face value? ›
If interest rates go up, it results in a decline in the value of the bond. The bond must, therefore, sell at a discount. Hence the name, discount bond. The discount takes into account the risk of the bond and the creditworthiness of the bond issuer.
Why would a bond sell at a different price than the face amount? ›
Similar to stocks, bond and CD prices can be higher or lower than the face value of the security because of the current economic environment and the financial health of the issuer.
What happens if a bond sells for less than face value? ›
The amount a bond sells for below face value is a discount. A difference between face value and issue price exists whenever the market rate of interest for similar bonds differs from the contract rate of interest on the bonds.
How much is a $50 EE bond worth after 30 years? ›
How to get the most value from your savings bonds
| Face Value | Purchase Amount | 30-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 |
May 7, 2024
A discount bond may be a bond that's issued at a cheaper price than its face value or a bond that's commerce within the secondary market at a price that's below the face value. It's just like a zero-coupon bond, solely that the latter doesn't pay interest till maturity.
What are bonds that sell at less than face value? ›
Bonds that trade at a value of less than face value would be considered a discount bond. For example, a bond with a $1,000 face value that's currently selling for $95 would be a discounted bond.
What is the difference between bond value and face value? ›
Face value is the amount of money promised to the bondholder upon the bond's maturity. By contrast, a bond's market value is how much someone will pay for the bond on the free market. Face value is predetermined when the bond is sold; market value takes into account multiple outside factors.
Change in Interest Rates
A bond may trade below par when interest rates change in the market. There is an inverse relationship that exists between bond prices and interest rates. If prevailing interest rates rise in the economy, the value or price of a bond will decrease.
What bonds sell for more than face value? ›
A premium bond is a bond trading above its face value or costs more than the face amount on the bond. A bond might trade at a premium because its interest rate is higher than the current market interest rates.
Can a bond lose value if held to maturity? ›
Holding bonds vs. trading bonds
After bonds are initially issued, their worth will fluctuate like a stock's would. If you're holding the bond to maturity, the fluctuations won't matter—your interest payments and face value won't change.
What if bond price is lower than face value? ›
There are two primary reasons a bond might be worth less than its listed face value. A savings bond, for example, is sold at a discount to its face value and steadily appreciates in price as the bond approaches its maturity date. Upon maturity, the bond is redeemed for the full face value.
Should you buy bonds when interest rates are high? ›
Should I only buy bonds when interest rates are high? There are advantages to purchasing bonds after interest rates have risen. Along with generating a larger income stream, such bonds may be subject to less interest rate risk, as there may be a reduced chance of rates moving significantly higher from current levels.
What is the formula for bond pricing? ›
The bond valuation formula can be represented as: Price = ( Coupon × 1 − ( 1 + r ) − n r ) + Par Value ( 1 + r ) n . The bond value formula can be broken into two parts for better understanding. The first part is the present value of the coupons, and the second part is the discounted value of the par value.
What happens when the current price of a bond is less than its face value? ›
Similarly, if the market price is $1010, the bond is trading at a price of 101. When the bond price is higher than its face value, it's described as trading at a premium to par. On the other hand, when the bond price is lower than its face value, it is said to be trading at a discount to par.
How long until a bond is worth face value? ›
You are guaranteed that your bond will be worth at least face value at 17 years. If the interest rates have been too low for your bond to accrue enough interest to be worth face value at 17 years, Treasury will make a one-time adjustment to increase the redemption value to face value at that time.
Does the price of a bond always match its face value? ›
Bonds are not always issued at their par value because they can be issued with either a premium or a discount. This varies based on the interest rates that tend to increase or decrease with what's happening in the economy as a whole.
