The debut book publication by the New York Society of Security Analysts, a not-for-profit professional society dedicated to professional excellence and ethics in financial markets, High Yield, Future Tense: Cracking the Code of Speculative Debt presents the outlook for high yield bonds and predicts profound changes in the marketplace. Its four sections contain 18 contributions by 29 experts from finance and academe. PART 1: Market Dynamics Three contributions explore whether a crisis will follow today’s low default rates and narrow yield spreads. Four others examine whether high yield spreads over-compensate for risk, uphold classic criticisms of underwriting practices, analyze market liquidity, and detail leveraged loans’ evolution in a bond-like direction. PART 2: Active Management This section sheds light on non-standard leading indicators of high yield performance; the relationship between high yield and equity returns and distressed debt managers’ response to the current, unusual credit cycle. PART 3: Analytical Innovation Successful high yield investing depends on accurate estimation of risks other than default probability. New methodologies that address them include: systematic scoring of the quality of covenant packages of new issues and a monthly index of covenant quality; solutions to problems in measuring performance, quality, and valuation that may lead to investment errors and quantification of issue-level liquidity, enabling investors to make explicit tradeoffs between spread and liquidity. PART 4: Benchmarking This section’s chapters address intrinsic flaws in market indices. The authors predict further specialization of subindices to accommodate specialized strategies, address challenges of high yield index construction from the portfolio manager’s perspective, and show the advantages of non-market-cap-weighted indices. Contains 168 exhibits, including 111 charts and graphs and 57 tables, plus 31 mathematical formulae.

Examine the high yield market for a clear understanding of this evolving asset class

High Yield Debt is the one-stop resource for wealth advisors seeking an in-depth understanding of this misunderstood asset class. The high yield market provides a diverse opportunity set, including fixed and floating rate debt, high and low quality debt issues and both short- and long-term duration; but many fail to understand that not all high yield exposure is the same, and that different market segments and strategies work best at different points in the economic cycle. This guide addresses the confusion surrounding high yield debt. You’ll find the information you need to decide whether or not to buy in to a high yield fund, and how to evaluate the opportunities and risks without getting lost in the jargon.

The U.S. corporate high yield market is worth $2.4 trillion—more than the stock markets of most developed countries. Market growth has increased the number of funds with high yield exposure, as well as the types of debt products available for investment. This book breaks it down into concrete terms, providing the answers advisors need to effectively evaluate the opportunities on offer.

Understand the high yield asset class Learn the debt structures, performance and defaults Evaluate risk and investment opportunities Penetrate the jargon to make sense of high yield investment

Over 300 publicly traded funds provide exposure to U.S. high yield, but despite it’s size and ubiquity, understanding of the asset class as a whole remains somewhat of a rarity—even among participants. A lack of transparency is partially to blame, but the market’s evolution over the past fifteen years is the larger issue. High Yield Debt explains the modern high yield market in real terms, providing a much-needed resource for the savvy investor.

“Rajay Bagaria has written the first book that captures a 360 degree view of the high yield debt market. Whether you are an investor, investment banker, corporate lawyer, CFO or layperson simply trying to gain insights into the fundamentals of high yield debt, this book translates financial and legal concepts, trends and structures of high yield bonds and leveraged loans into a simple, understandable format. Mr. Bagaria’s book is a valuable resource for anyone involved in the new issue or secondary leveraged finance markets.”
—Frank J. Lopez, Co-Head Global Capital Markets, Proskauer

“Bagaria does a great service for both high yield professionals and beginners by providing an accessible, well-written, insightful market primer.”
—Steven Miller, Managing Director, S&P Capital IQ, Leveraged Commentary & Data

“High-Yield Debt – An Insider’s Guide to the Marketplace is a comprehensive book that provides an in-depth understanding of the history, growth, basics and details of high-debt and the high-yield market. The author gives insights that only an experienced professional can provide. The book will be invaluable to readers both starting out and knowledgeable about an important segment of corporate finance, dealing with concepts, structures and performance.”
—Arthur Kaufman, Retired Partner, Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP / Member of Adjunct Faculty, Columbia Law School