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De Facto Seniority, Credit Risk, and Corporate Bond Prices

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  • Jack Bao
  • Kewei Hou

Abstract

We study the effect of a bond’s place in its issuer’s maturity structure on credit risk. Using a structural model as motivation, we argue that bonds due relatively late in their issuers’ maturity structure have greater credit risk than do bonds due relatively early. Empirically, we find robust evidence that these later bonds have larger yield spreads and greater comovement with equity and that the magnitude of the effects is consistent with model predictions for investment-grade bonds. Our results highlight the importance of bond-specific credit risk for understanding corporate bond prices. Received January 1, 2016; editorial decision June 6, 2017 by Editor Robin Greenwood.

Suggested Citation

  • Jack Bao & Kewei Hou, 2017. "De Facto Seniority, Credit Risk, and Corporate Bond Prices," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 30(11), pages 4038-4080.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rfinst:v:30:y:2017:i:11:p:4038-4080.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/rfs/hhx082
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Aslanidis, Nektarios & Christiansen, Charlotte & Cipollini, Andrea, 2019. "Predicting bond betas using macro-finance variables," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 193-199.
    2. Jing-Zhi Huang & Bibo Liu & Zhan Shi, 2023. "Determinants of Short-Term Corporate Yield Spreads: Evidence from the Commercial Paper Market," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 27(2), pages 539-579.
    3. Cesa-Bianchi, Ambrogio & Eguren-Martin, Fernando, 2021. "Dash for dollars," Bank of England working papers 932, Bank of England.
    4. Kim, Ju Hyun, 2024. "De facto seniority in the primary market for corporate bonds," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PA).
    5. Bao, Jack & O’Hara, Maureen & (Alex) Zhou, Xing, 2018. "The Volcker Rule and corporate bond market making in times of stress," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(1), pages 95-113.
    6. Efraim Benmelech & Nittai Bergman, 2018. "Debt, Information, and Illiquidity," NBER Working Papers 25054, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Bao, Jack & Hou, Kewei & Zhang, Shaojun, 2023. "Systematic default and return predictability in the stock and bond markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(3), pages 349-377.
    8. Davide E Avino & Enrique Salvador, 2024. "Contingent Claims and Hedging of Credit Risk with Equity Options," The Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 310-348.
    9. Stephanie Heck, 2022. "Corporate bond yields and returns: a survey," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 36(2), pages 179-201, June.
    10. Yuanxin Liu & FengYun Li & Xinhua Yu & Jiahai Yuan & Dong Zhou, 2018. "Assessing the Credit Risk of Corporate Bonds Based on Factor Analysis and Logistic Regress Analysis Techniques: Evidence from New Energy Enterprises in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-21, May.
    11. Choi, Jaewon & Kim, Yongjun, 2018. "Anomalies and market (dis)integration," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 16-34.
    12. Zhiguo He & Paymon Khorrami & Zhaogang Song, 2022. "Commonality in Credit Spread Changes: Dealer Inventory and Intermediary Distress," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 35(10), pages 4630-4673.
    13. Michael Schwert, 2020. "Does Borrowing from Banks Cost More than Borrowing from the Market?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(2), pages 905-947, April.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G13 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Contingent Pricing; Futures Pricing
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading

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