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Understanding How At Par Works, With Examples

Written by admin. Posted in A, Financial Terms Dictionary

Understanding How At Par Works, With Examples

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What Is at Par?

The term “at par” means at face value. A bond, preferred stock, or other debt instrument may trade at par, below par, or above par.

Par value is static, unlike market value, which fluctuates with credit ratings, time to maturity, and interest rate fluctuations. The par value is assigned at the time the security is issued. When securities were issued in paper form, the par value was printed on the face of the security, hence the term “face value.”

Key Takeaways

  • Par value is the price at which a bond was issued, also known as its face value.
  • A bond’s price will then fluctuate based on prevailing interest rates, time to maturity, and credit ratings, causing the bond to trade either at above par or below par.
  • “At par” will always refer to the original price that a bond was issued at.
  • The owner of a bond will receive its par value at its maturity date.

Understanding at Par

Due to the constant fluctuations of interest rates, bonds and other financial instruments almost never trade exactly at par. A bond will not trade at par if current interest rates are above or below the bond’s coupon rate, which is the interest rate that it yields.

A bond that was trading at par would be quoted at 100, meaning that it traded at 100% of its par value. A quote of 99 would mean that it is trading at 99% of its face value.

Par value for common stock exists in an anachronistic form. In its charter, the company promises not to sell its stock at lower than par value. The shares are then issued with a par value of one penny. This has no effect on the stock’s actual value in the markets.

A New Bond

If, when a company issues a new bond, it receives the face value of the security, the bond is said to have been issued at par. If the issuer receives less than the face value for the security, it is issued at a discount. If the issuer receives more than the face value for the security, it is issued at a premium.

The yield for bonds and the dividend rate for preferred stocks have a material effect on whether new issues of these securities are issued at par, at a discount, or at a premium.

A bond that trades at par has a yield equal to its coupon. Investors expect a return equal to the coupon for the risk of lending to the bond issuer.

Example of at Par

If a company issues a bond with a 5% coupon, but prevailing yields for similar bonds are 10%, investors will pay less than par for the bond to compensate for the difference in rates. The bond’s value at its maturity plus its yield up to that time must be at least 10% to attract a buyer.

If prevailing yields are lower, say 3%, an investor is willing to pay more than par for that 5% bond. The investor will receive the coupon but have to pay more for it due to the lower prevailing yields.

What Is a Bond’s Par Value?

A bond’s par value is its face value, the price that it was issued at. Most bonds are issued with a par value of $1,000 or $100. Over time, the bond’s price will change, due to changes in interest rates, credit ratings, and time to maturity. When this happens, a bond’s price will either be above its par value (above par) or below its par value (below par).

Are Bonds Always Issued at Par Value?

No, bonds are not always issued at par value. They can be issued at a premium (price is higher than the par value) or at a discount (price is below the par value). The reason for a bond being issued at a price that is different than its par value has to do with current market interest rates. For example, if a bond’s yield is higher than market rates, then a bond will trade at a premium. Conversely, if a bond’s yield is below market rates, then it will trade at a discount to make it more attractive.

What Is a Bond’s Coupon Rate?

The coupon rate of a bond is the stated amount of interest that the bond will pay an investor at the time of its issue. A bond’s coupon rate is different from a bond’s yield. A bond’s yield is its effective rate of return when the bond’s price changes. A bond’s yield is calculated as coupon rate / current bond price.

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What Is the Accounting Equation, and How Do You Calculate It?

Written by admin. Posted in A, Financial Terms Dictionary

What Is the Accounting Equation, and How Do You Calculate It?

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What Is the Accounting Equation?

The accounting equation states that a company’s total assets are equal to the sum of its liabilities and its shareholders’ equity.

This straightforward relationship between assets, liabilities, and equity is considered to be the foundation of the double-entry accounting system. The accounting equation ensures that the balance sheet remains balanced. That is, each entry made on the debit side has a corresponding entry (or coverage) on the credit side.

The accounting equation is also called the basic accounting equation or the balance sheet equation.

Key Takeaways

  • The accounting equation is considered to be the foundation of the double-entry accounting system.
  • The accounting equation shows on a company’s balance that a company’s total assets are equal to the sum of the company’s liabilities and shareholders’ equity.
  • Assets represent the valuable resources controlled by the company. The liabilities represent their obligations.
  • Both liabilities and shareholders’ equity represent how the assets of a company are financed.
  • Financing through debt shows as a liability, while financing through issuing equity shares appears in shareholders’ equity.

Understanding the Accounting Equation

The financial position of any business, large or small, is based on two key components of the balance sheet: assets and liabilities. Owners’ equity, or shareholders’ equity, is the third section of the balance sheet.

The accounting equation is a representation of how these three important components are associated with each other.

Assets represent the valuable resources controlled by the company, while liabilities represent its obligations. Both liabilities and shareholders’ equity represent how the assets of a company are financed. If it’s financed through debt, it’ll show as a liability, but if it’s financed through issuing equity shares to investors, it’ll show in shareholders’ equity.

The accounting equation helps to assess whether the business transactions carried out by the company are being accurately reflected in its books and accounts. Below are examples of items listed on the balance sheet.

Assets

Assets include cash and cash equivalents or liquid assets, which may include Treasury bills and certificates of deposit.

Accounts receivables list the amounts of money owed to the company by its customers for the sale of its products. Inventory is also considered an asset.

The major and often largest value asset of most companies be that company’s machinery, buildings, and property. These are fixed assets that are usually held for many years.

Liabilities

Liabilities are debts that a company owes and costs that it needs to pay in order to keep the company running.

Debt is a liability, whether it is a long-term loan or a bill that is due to be paid.

Costs include rent, taxes, utilities, salaries, wages, and dividends payable.

Shareholders’ Equity

The shareholders’ equity number is a company’s total assets minus its total liabilities. 

It can be defined as the total number of dollars that a company would have left if it liquidated all of its assets and paid off all of its liabilities. This would then be distributed to the shareholders.

Retained earnings are part of shareholders’ equity. This number is the sum of total earnings that were not paid to shareholders as dividends.

Think of retained earnings as savings, since it represents the total profits that have been saved and put aside (or “retained”) for future use.

Accounting Equation Formula and Calculation


Assets = ( Liabilities + Owner’s Equity ) \text{Assets}=(\text{Liabilities}+\text{Owner’s Equity})
Assets=(Liabilities+Owner’s Equity)

The balance sheet holds the elements that contribute to the accounting equation:

  1. Locate the company’s total assets on the balance sheet for the period.
  2. Total all liabilities, which should be a separate listing on the balance sheet.
  3. Locate total shareholder’s equity and add the number to total liabilities.
  4. Total assets will equal the sum of liabilities and total equity.

As an example, say the leading retailer XYZ Corporation reported the following on its balance sheet for its latest full fiscal year:

  • Total assets: $170 billion
  • Total liabilities: $120 billion
  • Total shareholders’ equity: $50 billion

If we calculate the right-hand side of the accounting equation (equity + liabilities), we arrive at ($50 billion + $120 billion) = $170 billion, which matches the value of the assets reported by the company.

About the Double-Entry System

The accounting equation is a concise expression of the complex, expanded, and multi-item display of a balance sheet. 

Essentially, the representation equates all uses of capital (assets) to all sources of capital, where debt capital leads to liabilities and equity capital leads to shareholders’ equity.

For a company keeping accurate accounts, every business transaction will be represented in at least two of its accounts. For instance, if a business takes a loan from a bank, the borrowed money will be reflected in its balance sheet as both an increase in the company’s assets and an increase in its loan liability.

If a business buys raw materials and pays in cash, it will result in an increase in the company’s inventory (an asset) while reducing cash capital (another asset). Because there are two or more accounts affected by every transaction carried out by a company, the accounting system is referred to as double-entry accounting.

The double-entry practice ensures that the accounting equation always remains balanced, meaning that the left side value of the equation will always match the right side value.

In other words, the total amount of all assets will always equal the sum of liabilities and shareholders’ equity.

The global adherence to the double-entry accounting system makes the account keeping and tallying processes more standardized and more fool-proof.

The accounting equation ensures that all entries in the books and records are vetted, and a verifiable relationship exists between each liability (or expense) and its corresponding source; or between each item of income (or asset) and its source.

Limits of the Accounting Equation

Although the balance sheet always balances out, the accounting equation can’t tell investors how well a company is performing. Investors must interpret the numbers and decide for themselves whether the company has too many or too few liabilities, not enough assets, or perhaps too many assets, or whether its financing is sufficient to ensure its long-term growth.

Real-World Example

Below is a portion of Exxon Mobil Corporation’s (XOM) balance sheet in millions as of Dec. 31, 2019:

  • Total assets were $362,597
  • Total liabilities were $163,659
  • Total equity was $198,938

The accounting equation is calculated as follows:

  • Accounting equation = $163,659 (total liabilities) + $198,938 (equity) equals $362,597, (which equals the total assets for the period)
Image by Sabrina Jiang © Investopedia 2020

Why Is the Accounting Equation Important?

The accounting equation captures the relationship between the three components of a balance sheet: assets, liabilities, and equity. All else being equal, a company’s equity will increase when its assets increase, and vice-versa. Adding liabilities will decrease equity while reducing liabilities—such as by paying off debt—will increase equity. These basic concepts are essential to modern accounting methods.

What Are the 3 Elements of the Accounting Equation?

The three elements of the accounting equation are assets, liabilities, and shareholders’ equity. The formula is straightforward: A company’s total assets are equal to its liabilities plus its shareholders’ equity. The double-entry bookkeeping system, which has been adopted globally, is designed to accurately reflect a company’s total assets.

What Is an Asset in the Accounting Equation?

An asset is anything with economic value that a company controls that can be used to benefit the business now or in the future. They include fixed assets such as machinery and buildings. They may include financial assets, such as investments in stocks and bonds. They also may be intangible assets like patents, trademarks, and goodwill.

What Is a Liability in the Accounting Equation?

A company’s liabilities include every debt it has incurred. These may include loans, accounts payable, mortgages, deferred revenues, bond issues, warranties, and accrued expenses.

What Is Shareholders’ Equity in the Accounting Equation?

Shareholders’ equity is the total value of the company expressed in dollars. Put another way, it is the amount that would remain if the company liquidated all of its assets and paid off all of its debts. The remainder is the shareholders’ equity, which would be returned to them.

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100% Equities Strategy

Written by admin. Posted in #, Financial Terms Dictionary

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What Is a 100% Equities Strategy?

A 100% equities strategy is a strategy commonly adopted by pooled funds, such as a mutual fund, that allocates all investable cash solely to stocks. Only equity securities are considered for investment, whether they be listed stocks, over-the-counter stocks, or private equity shares.

Key Takeaways

  • A 100% equities strategy involves only long positions in stocks.
  • Such a strategy is common among mutual funds that allocate all investable cash solely to stocks, forgoing higher-risk instruments such as derivatives or riskier strategies such as short selling.
  • With 100% equity strategies, a portfolio’s style can be further subdivided into capital appreciation, aggressive growth, growth, value, capitalization, and income, among others.

Understanding a 100% Equities Strategy

100% equities strategies represent portfolios that only select investments from the equities (i.e., stocks) universe. 100% equity strategies are predominant in the market and encompass a large majority of offerings.

Generally, very few funds would be able to deploy all available capital to equity market investments without holding some cash and cash equivalents for transactions and operating activities.

In practice, many 100% equity strategies will have an investment objective or mandate to invest at least 80% in equities. The 80% threshold is a formality used in regulatory or registration documentation for the majority of equity funds in the marketplace, with many funds deploying anywhere from 90% to 100% to equities.

100% equity means that there will be no bonds or other asset classes. Furthermore, it implies that the portfolio would not make use of related products like equity derivatives, or employ riskier strategies such as short selling or buying on margin. Instead, 100% equities implies a more focused, traditional approach to equity investment.

Special Considerations

Equities are generally considered a riskier asset class over alternatives such as bonds, money market funds, and cash.

A well-diversified portfolio of all stocks can protect against individual company risk, or even sector risk, but market risks will still persist that can affect the equities asset class. Thus, both systemic and idiosyncratic risks are important considerations for aggressive equity investors. As a result, most financial advice recommends a portfolio that includes both equity and fixed-income (bond) components.

100% Equities Strategy Types

In the 100% equity strategy category, an investor will find a wide range of sub-classes to choose from, including those that focus on one (or a combination of) labels like capital appreciation, aggressive growth, growth, value, and income. Outlined below are some of the characteristics investors can expect from some of the most prominent 100% equity strategies.

Growth

Growth investing is a style used by many aggressive equity investors who are comfortable with higher-risk investments and seek to take advantage of growing companies. The Russell 3000 Growth Index is a broad market index that helps to represent the growth category.

Growth companies offer emerging technologies, new innovations, or a significant sector advantage that gives them above average expectations for revenue and earnings growth.

Value

Value stocks are often known as long term core holdings for an investor’s portfolio. These equity funds will rely on fundamental analysis to identify stocks that are undervalued in comparison to their fundamental value.

Investment metrics for value investing often include price-to-earnings, price-to-book, and free cash flow.

Income

Income investing is also a top category for core long-term holdings in a portfolio. Income funds will invest in equities with a focus on current income. Income from equity investments is primarily focused on mature companies paying steady dividend rates.

In the income category, real estate investment trusts and master limited partnerships are two publicly traded stock categories with unique incorporation structures that require them to pay high levels of income to equity investors.

Market Capitalization

Capitalization is a popular investing strategy for all equity portfolios. Generally, capitalization is broken down by large cap, mid cap, and small cap.

Large-cap companies can offer the lowest volatility as they have established businesses and steady earnings that pay dividends. Small-cap companies, on the other hand, are usually considered to have the highest risk since they are typically in the early stages of their development.

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China A-Shares: Definition, History, Vs. B-Shares

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China A-Shares: Definition, History, Vs. B-Shares

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What Are China A-Shares?

China A-shares are the stock shares of mainland China-based companies that trade on the two Chinese stock exchanges, the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE). Historically, China A-shares were only available for purchase by mainland citizens due to China’s restrictions on foreign investment.

However, since 2003, select foreign institutions have been able to purchase these shares through the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) system. Established in 2002, the QFII program allows specified licensed international investors to buy and sell on mainland China’s stock exchanges.

A-shares are also known as domestic shares because they use the Chinese renminbi (RMB) for valuation.

Key Takeaways

  • China A-shares are the stock shares of mainland China-based companies that trade on the two Chinese stock exchanges, the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE).
  • Historically, China A-shares were only available for purchase by mainland citizens due to China’s restrictions on foreign investment.
  • China A-shares are different from B-shares; A-shares are only quoted in RMB, while B-shares are quoted in foreign currencies, such as the U.S. dollar, and are more widely available to foreign investors.

China A-Shares vs. B-Shares

China A-shares are different from B-shares. A-shares are only quoted in RMB, while B-shares are quoted in foreign currencies, such as the U.S. dollar, and are more widely available to foreign investors. Foreign investors may have difficulty accessing A-shares because of Chinese government regulations, and Chinese investors may have difficulty accessing B shares most notably for currency-exchange reasons. Some companies opt to have their stock listed on both the A-shares and B-shares market.

Due to the limited access of Chinese investors to B-shares, the stock of the same company often trades at much higher valuations on the A-shares market than on the B-shares market. Although foreign investors may now invest in A-shares, there is a monthly 20% limit on repatriation of funds to foreign countries.

The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) publishes the key performance index for A-shares, known as the SSE 180 Index. In composing the index, the exchange selects 180 stocks listed on the SSE. The selection is diversified between sector, size, and liquidity to ensure adequate representation. Thus, the index’s performance benchmark reflects the overall situation and operation of the Shanghai securities market.

History of China A-Shares

Since its inception in 1990, including a major reform in 2002, the index has seen great fluctuations. However, it has grown along with the Chinese economy. The years 2015 to 2016 were a particularly difficult period, with a 52-week performance of -21.55% as of July 20, 2016.

As China grows from an emerging market to an advanced economy, there is substantial demand for Chinese equity. Stock exchange regulators continue efforts to make A-shares more broadly available to foreign investors and have them recognized by the global investing community.

In June 2017, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index announced a two-phase plan in which it would gradually add 222 China A large-cap stocks. In May 2018, the index began to partially include China large-cap A shares, which make up 5% of the index. Full inclusion would make up 40% of the index.

It is important for countries such as China to open their markets to global investors to stay competitive and thrive economically. China A-shares provide an alternative investment for those interested in trading in Chinese securities.

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