junk bond

junk bond, a bond that involves greater than usual risk as an investment and pays a relatively high rate of interest, typically issued by a company lacking an established earnings history or having a questionable credit history. Junk bonds became a common means for raising business capital in the 1980s, when they were used to help finance the purchase of companies, especially by leveraged buyouts; the sale of junk bonds continued to be used in the 1990s to generate capital. See also Milken, Michael.

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junk bond

Bond paying a high yield but also presenting greater risk than comparable securities. Junk bonds can be identified through the lower grades assigned by rating services (e.g., BBB instead of AAA for the highest quality bonds). Because the possibility of default is great, junk bonds are usually considered too risky for investment by the large institutional investors (savings and loan associations, pension funds, insurance companies, and mutual funds) that provide U.S. corporations with much of their investment capital. Junk bonds are often issued by smaller, newer companies.