When a bond is sold for less than face value, it is known as a discount bond. Bonds that are sold significantly below face value (usually 20% or more), are known as deep-discount bonds. Prices below 100% signify that the bond is selling at a discount to its face value. Since these bonds don’t pay interest, they almost always trade below par value in secondary markets. The most important difference between the face value of a bond and its price is that the face value is fixed, while the price varies. Whatever amount is set for face value remains the same until the bond reaches maturity.

It is the last payment a bond investor will receive if the bond is held to maturity. For instance, you buy a five-year government bond for the price of $10,000 that pays you 10% or $1,000 in interest at the bond’s maturity date. Looking at the Treasury bonds with maturities of two years or greater, you’ll notice the price is relatively similar around $100.

Analyzing Bond Basics

The par value is indicated in writing by the issuing company’s public charter. Par value and face value when referring to bonds are the same thing because the face value is the nominal value written down on the maturity date. Bond investment depends on an investor’s circumstances, goals, and risk tolerance. Low-yield bonds may be better for investors who want a virtually risk-free asset, or one who is hedging a mixed portfolio by keeping a portion of it in a low-risk asset. High-yield bonds may be better suited for investors who are willing to accept a degree of risk in return for a higher return. However, if the coupon payments were made every six months, the semi-annual YTM would be 5.979%.

We’ll also refer to face value as “par value.” Consider the terms interchangeable, with par value coming up more often in relation to bonds. Bonds are a great way to diversify your investment portfolio. As you get started, familiarize yourself with all bond basics, including bond face value which doesn’t change over time. If the bond face value is $1,000, you will receive $1,000 at bond maturity. The sad truth is that some dealers are not the best to build your entire investment portfolio. Some only understand bonds and while this might be a good thing for now, if you choose to invest in stocks later, go to someone else.

As such, the market value of a security, particularly a stock, is of far greater relevance than the par value or face value. The alternative to a discount bond is known as a premium bond. Bonds are sold at a premium (higher price) when they have a higher coupon rate than what is currently available in the market. Investors are willing to pay a premium for these bonds to earn a higher interest rate. Time to maturity also usually influences bond prices; however, the exact effect depends on the shape of the yield curve. A normal yield curve features lower interest rates for short-term bonds and higher interest rates for long-term bonds.

Choose a broker that specializes in the bonds you want

As bonds approach maturity, actual value approaches face value. Finding the present value of each of those six cash flows with an interest rate of 12% will determine what the bond’s current price should be. The concern about Greece’s internal finances and sovereign debt drove investors to drive up the market interest rates of the bonds.

In the case of preferred stock, dividends may be expressed as a percentage of par value. The face value of coins, stamps, or bill is usually its legal value. However, their market value need not bear any relationship to the face value. For example, some rare coins or stamps may be traded at prices considerably above their face value. Coins may also have a salvage value due to more or less valuable metals that they contain. The face value, sometimes called nominal value, is the value of a coin, bond, stamp or paper money as printed on the coin, stamp or bill itself[1] by the issuing authority.

The present value (i.e. the discounted value of a future income stream) is used for better understanding one of several factors an investor may consider before buying the investment. The investor computes the present value of the interest payments and the present value of the principal amount received at maturity. To sell the bond in the secondary market, the price of the bond will have to fall about 1% (extra 0.5% per year x 2 years), so it will be trading at a discount to face value. New bonds issued from firms with similar credit quality are now paying 3.5%.

Tips for Investing in Bonds

Bonds can be quoted with a clean price that excludes the accrued interest or a dirty price that includes the amount owed to reconcile the accrued interest. When bonds are quoted in a system like a Bloomberg or Reuters terminal, the clean price is used. As noted above, there are additional calculations of a bond’s yield.

For example, when interest rates rise, the demand for the lower interest-paying bond will go down. Hence, the issuer will sell the bonds for a discount to make them more attractive. It is the amount of money the bond investor will receive at the maturity date if the bond issuer does not default.

Evaluating bonds

The various terms surrounding bond prices and yields can be confusing to the average investor. A bond represents a loan made by investors to the entity issuing the bond, with the face value being the amount of principal the bond issuer borrows. Face value, also known as the par value, is equal to the dollar amount the issuer pays to the investor at maturity.

A bond’s dollar price represents a percentage of the bond’s principal balance, otherwise known as par value. A bond is simply a loan, after all, and the principal balance, or par value, is the loan amount. So, if a bond is quoted at $98.90 and you were to buy a $100,000 two-year Treasury bond, you would pay ~$98,900. payroll, hr and tax services This information is available free of charge online at If the municipal bond is not filed with MSRB, this could be a red flag. Inflation reduces purchasing power, which is a risk for investors receiving a fixed rate of interest. Like bonds and notes, the price and interest rate are determined at the auction.

Face value and bonds

Wondering where to find advisors that know which stocks trade at rates better than face or market value? Here are some of our recommendations for investment advisors. The graph indicates that interest rates increased substantially from 2010 to 2011. Face value (sometimes referred to as “par value“) is frequently used in the bond market. The face value is the nominal value printed on a bond certificate when issued.

• Three factors that influence a bond’s current price are the credit rating of the issuer, market interest rates, and the time to maturity.
• Bond yields can be derived in different ways, including the coupon yield and current yield.
• Prevailing market interest rates change after a bond is issued, and bond prices must adjust to compensate investors.
• But if the annual coupon payment is divided by the bond’s price, the investor can calculate the current yield and get an estimate of the bond’s true yield.

That is, if a bond was purchased at issuance, it would often be purchased in fixed, “clean” increments like $100 and would receive only coupon rate payments. With common stock, face value is considerably less meaningful to everyday investors. It’s a regulatory requirement in some states where common stock cannot be issued for less than par value. It typically has no correlation with the market price of a stock, which is set by supply and demand. If you invest in this bond, you will not receive coupon payments.

When you purchase a bond from the bond issuer, you are essentially making a loan to the bond issuer. As the bond price is the amount of money investors pay for acquiring the bond, it is one of the most important, if not the most important, metrics in valuing the bond. With regards to bonds, the fluctuation of interest rates in either direction is what impacts the value of the bond. Typically, if the interest rate of the given bond goes up, it will be sold for below face value or below par.

For stocks, the face value is the original cost of the stock, as listed on the certificate. For bonds, it is the amount paid to the holder at maturity, typically in $1,000 denominations. The face value of bonds is often referred to as “par value” or simply “par.” Aside from knowing your bond’s face value, be sure you’re well-versed in its coupon dates. These are the all-important days when you’ll receive interest payments.