Publications

Find at Harvard

May 2018
Article

U.S. Treasury Premium

By: Wenxin Du, Joanne Im and Jesse Schreger

We quantify the difference in the convenience yield of U.S. Treasuries and government bonds of other developed countries by measuring the deviation from covered interest parity between government bond yields. We call this wedge the “U.S. Treasury Premium.” We document... View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Investment Return; Interest Rates; Financial Crisis

Read Now

29 Jan 2019
Research & Ideas

'Green Bonds' May Be Our Best Bet for Environmental Damage Control

Municipalities have been selling bonds to pay for public works projects—fire stations, parking garages,sewage treatment systems—for 200 years. It’s only in the past decade or so, however, that they’ve been selling them with an extra perk: helping the environment. In... View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Energy; Utilities; Construction; Green Technology; Public Administration

Research Summary

Credit markets

Bond market; Bank lending; Credit markets institutions; Credit ratings View Details

2011
Working Paper

Why Fears about Municipal Credit Are Overblown

Highly publicized predictions of 50-100 municipal defaults have caused anxiety among municipal bond investors. While there is some chance that negative investor sentiment will lead to further spread widening, the probability of the kind of widespread default that would... View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Borrowing and Debt; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Bonds; Investment Return; City

Read Now

12 Nov 2014
News

How to Make Corporate Boards More Effective

January 1994 (Revised July 2000)
Exercise

Walt Disney Company's Sleeping Beauty Bonds--Duration Analysis

By: Carliss Y. Baldwin

Walt Disney Co. issues a 100-year bond. This case describes the terms of the bond and immediate capital market reaction. View Details

Keywords: Capital Markets; Bonds; Valuation; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

July 1994 (Revised September 1995)
Case

Cougars

By: Scott P. Mason and Mihir A. Desai

Provides an introduction to zero coupon bonds and stripping coupon bonds. Concerns the relationship between the spot curve, the strip curve, and the coupon curve. View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Relationships

May 1998 (Revised April 2000)
Case

City of New York, The

By: Paul M. Healy

This case examines the economics of a municipality, and then explores its financial position from the perspective of a bond rating firm. View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Financial Management; Public Sector; City; Financial Statements; Government Administration

13 Apr 2017
News

Bros Don’t Let Bros Lend Money

Feb 02 2017
Testimonial

Advice from Amazing People

February 2012 (Revised December 2012)
Supplement

Sino-Forest (B)

By: David F. Hawkins

Excerpts from a hedge fund's report accusing a Chinese bond company of using fraudulent financial statements. View Details

Keywords: Financial Statements; Crime and Corruption; Accounting Audits; Business Earnings; Financial Services Industry; China

02 Feb 2017
Video

Advice from Amazing People

December 2010 (Revised June 2011)
Case

Boston Properties (A)

By: Ryan D. Taliaferro and Aldo Sesia

Investment manager Eliza Baena confronts an apparent convertible bond arbitrage opportunity when she notices a narrowing spread between two Boston Properties (BXP) bonds, one a convertible bond and the other a straight bond, in the wake of the 2008 Lehman bankruptcy.... View Details

Keywords: Asset Management; Bonds; Investment

January 2017
Case

Nashua River Capital Management

By: Samuel Hanson and Aldo Sesia

Investment manager Eliza Baena confronts an apparent convertible bond arbitrage opportunity when she notices a narrowing spread between two Boston Properties (BXP) bonds, one a convertible bond and the other a straight bond, in the wake of the 2008 Lehman bankruptcy.... View Details

Keywords: Asset Management; Bonds; Investment

30 Jun 2015
First Look

First Look: June 30, 2015

social auditors and for auditing firms. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=49303 Working Papers Monetary Policy Drivers of Bond and Equity Risks By: Campbell, John Y., Carolin E. Pflueger, and Luis M.... View Details

Keywords: Carmen Nobel

October 2012
Case

Winfield Refuse Management, Inc.: Raising Debt vs. Equity

By: W. Carl Kester and Sunru Yong

A small, publicly traded company specializing in non-hazardous waste management considers a major acquisition in the Midwestern U.S. The acquisition can provide entry into the region, help the firm compete in a competitive industry, and improve its cost position. The... View Details

Keywords: United States; Acquisitions; Capital Structure; Equity Capital; Debt Management; Expansion; Leveraged Buyouts; Financial Analysis; Administrative/Support/Waste Management/Remediation Services; Equity; Borrowing and Debt; Service Industry

16 Jun 2021
News

Cruising in Crisis: How Carnival Is Riding Out the COVID-19 Storm

February 2013 (Revised November 2016)
Case

Assured Guaranty

By: Robin Greenwood, Adi Sunderam and Jared Dourdeville

Nate Katz at Yokun Ridge Capital Management is evaluating an investment in Assured Guaranty, a municipal bond insurance company that is trading at a discount to book value. View Details

Keywords: Value Investing; Investments; Valuation; Insurance; Behavioral Finance; Financial Services Industry

January 2011 (Revised June 2011)
Supplement

Fixed Income Arbitrage in a Financial Crisis (B): US Treasuries in December 2008

The B case briefly recounts the action that investment manager James Franey takes in the matter of two U.S. Treasury bonds with identical maturity dates but widely different yields. He must decide what to do next. View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Financial Management; Investment Return; Financial Crisis; Financial Services Industry; United States