A city (labeled C for convenience) is trying to sell municipal bonds to support improvements in recreational

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A city (labeled C for convenience) is trying to sell municipal bonds to support improvements in recreational facilities and highways. The face values (in thousands of dollars) of the bonds and the due dates (years from now) at which principal comes due are listed in the file P14_104.xlsx. An underwriting company (U) wants to underwrite C's bonds. A proposal to C for underwriting this issue consists of the following: (1) an interest rate, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, or 7%, for each bond, where coupons are paid annually, and (2) an up-front premium paid by U to C. U has determined the set of fair prices (in thousands of dollars) for the bonds listed in the same file. For example, if U underwrites bond 2 maturing two years from now at 5%, it will charge C $444,000 for that bond. U is constrained to use at most three different interest rates. U wants to make a profit of at least $46,000, where its profit is equal to the sale price of the bonds minus the face value of the bonds minus the premium U pays to C. To maximize the chance that U will get C's business, U wants to minimize the total cost of the bond issue to C, which is equal to the total interest on the bonds minus the premium paid by U. For example, if bond 1 is issued at a 4% rate, then C must pay two years of coupon interest: 2(0.04) ($700,000) = $56,000. What assignment of interest rates to each bond and up-front premiums ensure that U will make the desired profit (assuming it gets the contract) and maximize the chance of U getting C's business? To maximize this chance, you can assume that U minimizes the net cost to C, that is, the cost of its coupon payments minus the premium from U to C.

Coupon
A coupon or coupon payment is the annual interest rate paid on a bond, expressed as a percentage of the face value and paid from issue date until maturity. Coupons are usually referred to in terms of the coupon rate (the sum of coupons paid in a...
Face Value
Face value is a financial term used to describe the nominal or dollar value of a security, as stated by its issuer. 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...
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Business Analytics Data Analysis And Decision Making

ISBN: 1209

6th Edition

Authors: S. Christian Albright, Wayne L. Winston

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