Zero Coupon Bonds: Videos & Practice Problems

Zero coupon bonds are a unique type of bond that do not make periodic interest payments. Instead, they are sold at a discount to their face value, which means investors purchase them for less than their maturity value. The appeal of zero coupon bonds lies in their potential for capital appreciation; investors receive the full face value at maturity, but they pay a lower price upfront.

To understand the pricing of zero coupon bonds, it's essential to compare the stated interest rate with the market interest rate. For instance, if a zero coupon bond has a stated interest rate of 0% while the market interest rate is 10%, the bond will be sold at a significant discount. This discount reflects the bond's lack of interest payments compared to other bonds that offer higher returns. In this scenario, the bond's selling price would be less than its face value, making it a discounted bond.

For example, consider a scenario where ABC Company issues $50,000 of zero coupon bonds maturing in five years, with a market interest rate of 8%. Since the stated interest rate is 0%, the bonds will be issued at a discount, specifically at 85% of their face value. This means the bonds will sell for:

Cash Received = Face Value × Selling Price Percentage = $50,000 × 0.85 = $42,500.

Although the company receives $42,500 in cash, the bonds payable account will reflect the full face value of $50,000. This is because the bonds payable account always records the principal amount, regardless of the selling price. The difference between the cash received and the face value represents the discount on bonds payable, which in this case is:

Discount on Bonds Payable = Face Value - Cash Received = $50,000 - $42,500 = $7,500.

In accounting terms, the journal entry for this transaction would include a debit to cash for $42,500, a credit to bonds payable for $50,000, and a debit to discount on bonds payable for $7,500. This reflects the increase in liabilities due to the bonds issued, while also accounting for the discount that represents the cost of borrowing.

As the bond matures, the company will recognize interest expense based on the effective interest rate method, which will take into account the discount amortization over the life of the bond. This method ensures that the interest expense reflects the true cost of borrowing, aligning with the market interest rates.

In accounting, managing bonds payable involves understanding the impact of discounts and the corresponding journal entries over time. When a bond is issued at a discount, the initial carrying value is lower than the face value. For instance, if a bond with a face value of $50,000 is issued at a discount of $7,500, the initial carrying value would be $42,500. Over the life of the bond, the discount is amortized, which means it is gradually expensed as interest expense.

Each period, a journal entry is made to reflect the amortization of the discount. In this case, if the discount is amortized at $1,500 per year, after five years, the total discount of $7,500 would be fully amortized. This results in a carrying value of the bond equal to its face value of $50,000 at maturity, as the discount has been completely eliminated from the balance sheet.

On the maturity date, the company must pay back the full face value of the bond. The journal entry for this transaction involves debiting the bonds payable account to remove the liability from the books and crediting cash to reflect the payment made. The entry would look like this:

Journal Entry:

Debit: Bonds Payable $50,000

Credit: Cash $50,000

This process ensures that the financial statements accurately reflect the company's obligations and the cost of borrowing over time. By amortizing the discount, the company recognizes the true cost of the bond as interest expense, aligning with the matching principle in accounting.

Understanding these concepts is crucial for accurately reporting financial obligations and ensuring compliance with accounting standards.