Question

Chamberlain Co. wants to issue new 17-year bonds for some much-needed expansion projects. The company currently has 12.2 percent coupon bonds on the market that sell for $1,434.96, make semiannual payments, and mature in 17 years. What coupon rate should the company set on its new bonds if it wants them to sell at par

Answer 1

Answer:

The company should set the coupon rate on its new bonds at current yield to maturity of 4.81% if it wants them to sell at par.

Explanation:

There is a need to first calculate the yield to maturity (YTM) using the following RATE function in Excel:

YTM = RATE(nper,pmt,-pv,fv) * Number of semiannuals in a year =  RATE(nper,pmt,-pv,fv)*2 .............(1)

Where;

YTM = yield to maturity = ?

nper = number of periods = number of years to maturity * number of semiannuals in a year = 17 * 2 = 14

pmt = semiannual coupon payment = face value * (annual coupon rate / number of semiannuals in a year) = 1000 * (12.2% / 2) = 61

pv = present value = current bond price = 1434.96

fv = face value of the bond = 1000

Substituting the values into equation (1), we have:

YTM = RATE(14,61,-1434.96,1000)*2

Inputting =RATE(14,61,-1434.96,1000)*2 into excel (Note: as done in the attached excel file), the YTM is obtained as 4.81%.

Therefore, the company should set the coupon rate on its new bonds at current yield to maturity of 4.81% if it wants them to sell at par.

Download xlsx