Article byMadhuri Thakur

Reviewed byDheeraj Vaidya, CFA, FRM

Formula to Calculate Bond Price

The formula for bond pricing is basically the calculation of the present value of the probable future
cash flows, which comprises of the coupon payments and the par value, which is the redemption
amount on maturity. The rate of interest which is used to discount the future cash flows is known as
the yield to maturity (YTM.)

Bond Price = ∑i=1n C/(1+r)n + F/(1+r)n

or

Bond Price = C*  (1-(1+r)-n/r ) + F/(1+r)n

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where C = Periodic coupon payment,

 F = Face / Par value of bond,

 r = Yield to maturity (YTM) and

 n = No. of periods till maturity

On the other, the bond valuation formula for deep discount bonds or zero-coupon bonds can be
computed simply by discounting the par value to the present value, which is mathematically
represented as,

Zero-Coupon Bond Price =  (as the name suggests, there are no coupon payments)

Bond Pricing Calculation (Step by Step)

The formula for Bond Pricing calculation by using the following steps:

1. Firstly, the face value or par value of the bond issuance is determined as per the funding
requirement of the company. The par value is denoted by F.

2. Now, the coupon rate, which is analogous to the interest rate of the bond and the
frequency of the coupon payment, is determined. The coupon payment during a period is
calculated by multiplying the coupon rate and the par value and then dividing the result by
the frequency of the coupon payments in a year. The coupon payment is denoted by C.

C = Coupon rate * F / No. of coupon payments in a year

3. Now, the total number of periods till maturity is computed by multiplying the number of
years till maturity and the frequency of the coupon payments in a year. The number of
periods till maturity is denoted by n.

n = No. of years till maturity * No. of coupon payments in a year

4. Now, the YTM is the discounting factor, and it is determined based on the current market
return from an investment with a similar risk profile. The YTM is denoted by r.

5. Now, the present value of the first, second, third coupon payment and so on so forth along
with the present value of the par value to be redeemed after n periods is derived as,
 6. Finally, adding together the present value of all the coupon payments and the par value
gives the bond price as below,

Practical Examples (with Excel Template)

You can download this Bond Pricing Formula Excel Template here – Bond Pricing Formula Excel
Template

Example #1

Let us take an example of a bond with annual coupon payments. Let us assume a company XYZ Ltd
has issued a bond having a face value of $100,000, carrying an annual coupon rate of 7% and
maturing in 15 years. The prevailing market rate of interest is 9%.

 Given, F = $100,000

 C = 7% * $100,000 = $7,000

 n = 15

 r = 9%

The price of the bond calculation using the above formula as,

 Bond price = $83,878.62

Since the coupon rate is lower than the YTM, the bond price is less than the face value, and as such,
the bond is said to be traded at a discount.

Example #2

Let us take an example of a bond with semi-annual coupon payments. Let us assume a company ABC
Ltd has issued a bond having the face value of $100,000 carrying a coupon rate of 8% to be paid
semi-annually and maturing in 5 years. The prevailing market rate of interest is 7%.

Hence, the price of the bond calculation using the above formula as,
 Bond price = $104,158.30
Since the coupon rate is higher than the YTM, the bond price is higher than the face value, and as
such, the bond is said to be traded at a premium.

Example #3

Let us take the example of a zero-coupon bond. Let us assume a company QPR Ltd has issued a zero-
coupon bond with having a face value of $100,000 and maturing in 4 years. The prevailing market
rate of interest is 10%.

Hence, the price of the bond calculation using the above formula as,

 Bond price = $68,301.35 ~ $68,301

Use and Relevance

The concept of bond pricing is very important because bonds form an indispensable part of the
capital markets, and as such, investors and analysts are required to understand how the different
factors of a bond behave in order to calculate its intrinsic value. Similar to stock valuation, the
pricing of a bond is helpful in understanding whether it is a suitable investment for a portfolio and
consequently forms an integral part of bond investing.