A simple model of deferred callability in defaultable debt

Banks and other financial institutions issue hybrid capital as part of their risk capital. Hybrid capital has no maturity, but, similarly to most corporate debt, includes an embedded issuer’s call option. To obtain acceptance as risk capital, the first possible exercise date of the embedded call is contractually deferred by several years, generating a protection period. We value the call feature as a European option on perpetual defaultable debt. We do this by first modifying the underlying asset process to incorporate a time-dependent bankruptcy level before the expiration of the embedded option. We identify a call option on debt as a fixed number of put options on a modified asset, which is lognormally distributed, as opposed to the market value of debt. To include the possibility of default before the expiration of the option we apply barrier options results. The formulas are quite general and may be used for valuing both embedded and third-party options. All formulas are developed in the seminal and standard Black–Scholes–Merton model and, thus, standard analytical tools such as ‘the greeks’, are immediately available.     

A Simple Novel Approach to Valuing Risky Zero Coupon Bond in a Markov Regime Switching Economy

We have addressed the problem of pricing risky zero coupon bond in the framework of Longstaff and Schwartz structural type model by pricing it as a Down-and-Out European Barrier Call option on the company’s asset-debt ratio assuming Markov regime switching economy. The growth rate and the volatility of the stochastic asset debt ratio is driven by a continuous time Markov chain which signifies state of the economy. Regime Switching renders market incomplete and selection of a Equivalent martingale measure (EMM) becomes a subtle issue. We price the zero coupon risky bond utilizing the powerful technique of Risk Minimizing hedging of the underlying Barrier option under the so called “Risk Minimal” martingale measure via computing the bond default probability.     

Game Options Analysis of the Information Role of Call Policies in Convertible Bonds

Abstract

In debt financing, existence of information asymmetry on the firm quality between the firm management and bond investors may lead to significant adverse selection costs. We develop the two-stage sequential dynamic two-person game option models to analyse the market signalling role of the callable feature in convertible bonds. We show that firms with positive private information on earning potential may signal their type to investors via the callable feature in a convertible bond. We present the variational inequalities formulation with respect to various equilibrium strategies in the two-person game option models via characterization of the optimal stopping rules adopted by the bond issuer and bondholders. The bondholders’ belief system on the firm quality may be revealed with the passage of time when the issuer follows his optimal strategy of declaring call or bankruptcy. Under separating equilibrium, the quality status of the firm is revealed so the information asymmetry game becomes a new game under complete information. To analyse pooling equilibrium, the corresponding incentive compatibility constraint is derived. We manage to deduce the sufficient conditions for the existence of signalling equilibrium of our game option model under information asymmetry. We analyse how the callable feature may lower the adverse selection costs in convertible bond financing. We show how a low-quality firm may benefit from information asymmetry and vice versa, underpricing of the value of debt issued by a high-quality firm.     

Perpetual Options on Multiple Underlyings

Abstract

We study three classes of perpetual option with multiple uncertainties and American-style exercise boundaries, using a partial differential equation-based approach. A combination of accurate numerical techniques and asymptotic analyses is implemented, with each approach informing and confirming the other. The first two examples we study are a put basket option and a call basket option, both involving two stochastic underlying assets, whilst the third is a (novel) class of real option linked to stochastic demand and costs (the details of the modelling for this are described in the paper). The Appendix addresses the issue of pricing American-style perpetual options involving (just) one stochastic underlying, but in which the volatility is also modelled stochastically, using the Heston (1993) framework.     

Two extensions to barrier option valuation

We first present a brief but essentially complete survey of the literature on barrier option pricing. We then present two extensions of European up-and-out call option valuation. The first allows for an initial protection period during which the option cannot be knocked out. The second considers an option which is only knocked out if a second asset touches an upper barrier. Closed form solutions, detailed derivations, and the economic rationale for both types of options are provided.     

Predicting the event and time horizon of bankruptcy using financial ratios and the maturity schedule of long-term debt

We study the problem of simultaneous and coherent assessment the probability of a firm’s bankruptcy at various time horizons in future. In contrast with usual (one-period) formulations of the problem, such multi-period formulation better matches the nature of bankruptcy process (bankruptcy occurs in time) and allows an easier and more natural incorporation of bankruptcy (default) prognoses in valuation of risky debt and equity, optimization of corporate capital structure etc. The study uses a new mathematical apparatus—multi-alternative decision rules of statistical decision theory. We investigate a new type of predictive variables that can be extracted from the maturity schedule of a firm’s long-term debt. The study develops Bayesian-type forecasting rules that use both maturity schedule factors and traditional financial ratios. These rules noticeably enhance bankruptcy prediction (compared with the familiar one-period Z-score rules of Altman) for bankruptcy within the first 1, 2 or 3 years. Predictive factors derived from schedule information enhance bankruptcy prediction at distant time horizons.     

Pricing Options Under a Generalized Markov-Modulated Jump-Diffusion Model

Abstract

We consider the pricing of options when the dynamics of the risky underlying asset are driven by a Markov-modulated jump-diffusion model. We suppose that the market interest rate, the drift and the volatility of the underlying risky asset switch over time according to the state of an economy, which is modelled by a continuous-time Markov chain. The measure process is defined to be a generalized mixture of Poisson random measure and encompasses a general class of processes, for example, a generalized gamma process, which includes the weighted gamma process and the inverse Gaussian process. Another interesting feature of the measure process is that jump times and jump sizes can be correlated in general. The model considered here can provide market practitioners with flexibility in modelling the dynamics of the underlying risky asset. We employ the generalized regime-switching Esscher transform to determine an equivalent martingale measure in the incomplete market setting. A system of coupled partial-differential-integral equations satisfied by the European option prices is derived. We also derive a decomposition result for an American put option into its European counterpart and early exercise premium. Simulation results of the model have been presented and discussed.     

Valuation of sinking-fund bonds in the Vasicek and CIR frameworks∗Financial support from Murst Fondo 40% on ‘Modelli di struttura a termine dei tassi d'interesse’ is gratefully acknowledged.

In a sinking-fund bond, the issuer is required to retire portions of the bond prior to maturity, with the option of doing so either by calling the bonds by lottery, or by buying them back at their market value. This paper discusses the valuation of a default-free sinking-fund bond issue in the Vasicek (1977) and, alternatively, the Cox, Ingersoll and Ross (CIR) (1985) frameworks. We show in particular that, calling the bond issue without the delivery option ‘corresponding serial’, and the one without the prepayment feature ‘corresponding coupon’, under no-arbitrage a sinking-fund bond can be priced either in terms of the corresponding coupon bond and a bond call option, or in terms of the corresponding serial and a bond put option. We also present a detailed comparative-statics analysis of our valuation model, where we show that a sinking-fund bond has a stochastic duration intermediate between the ones of the corresponding serial and coupon bonds. We argue that such a feature gives a further rational for the presence of the delivery option. Moreover, we compare our results with the ones of Ho (1985), who has previously discussed the valuation problem under scrutiny.     

Pricing Parisian down-and-in options

In this paper, we price American-style Parisian down-and-in call options under the Black–Scholes framework. Usually, pricing an American-style option is much more difficult than pricing its European-style counterpart because of the appearance of the optimal exercise boundary in the former. Fortunately, the optimal exercise boundary associated with an American-style Parisian knock-in option only appears implicitly in its pricing partial differential equation (PDE) systems, instead of explicitly as in the case of an American-style Parisian knock-out option. We also recognize that the “moving window” technique developed by Zhu and Chen (2013) for pricing European-style Parisian up-and-out call options can be adopted to price American-style Parisian knock-in options as well. In particular, we obtain a simple analytical solution for American-style Parisian down-and-in call options and our new formula is written in terms of four double integrals, which can be easily computed numerically.     

Analytical pricing of defaultable discrete coupon bonds in unified two-factor model of structural and reduced form models

Pricing formulae for defaultable corporate bonds with discrete coupons (under consideration of the government taxes) in the united two-factor model of structural and reduced form models are provided. The aim of this paper is to generalize the two-factor structural model for defaultable corporate discrete coupon bonds (considered in [1]) into the unified model of structural and reduced form models. In our model the bond holders receive the stochastic coupon (which is the discounted value of a predetermined value at the maturity) at predetermined coupon dates and the face value (debt) and the coupon at the maturity as well as the effect of government taxes which are paid on the proceeds of an investment in bonds is considered. The expected default event occurs when the equity value is not sufficient to pay coupon or debt at the coupon dates or maturity and the unexpected default event can occur at the first jump time of a Poisson process with the given default intensity provided by a step function of time variable. We provide the model and pricing formula for equity value and using it calculate expected default barrier. Then we provide pricing model and formula for defaultable corporate bonds with discrete coupons and consider its duration.     

Pricing American currency options in an exponential Lévy model

In this article the problem of the American option valuation in a Lévy process setting is analysed. The perpetual case is first considered. Without possible discontinuities (i.e. with negative jumps in the call case), known results concerning the currency option value as well as the exercise boundary are obtained with a martingale approach. With possible discontinuities of the underlying process at the exercise boundary (i.e. with positive jumps in the call case), original results are derived by relying on first passage time and overshoot associated with a Lévy process. For finite life American currency calls, the formula derived by Bates or Zhang, in the context of a negative jump size, is tested. It is basically an extension of the one developed by Mac Millan and extended by Barone‐Adesi and Whaley. It is shown that Bates' model generates pretty good results only when the process is continuous at the exercise boundary.     

国内外利率为随机的双币种重置型期权定价

双币种重置期权的特征是指在终端期T时的收益依赖于预先设定的t<,0>时刻标的资产的价格与执行价K>0(事先给定)的大小关系重新设置期权的执行价从而给出其定价,这种期权是投资于外国资产的一种合约,其风险不仅依赖外国资产价格的变化,还受外国货币的汇率以及国内外两种利率波动的影响,所以在实际应用方面十分广泛.本文首先就标的资...     

A hidden Markov regime-switching model for option valuation

We investigate two approaches, namely, the Esscher transform and the extended Girsanov’s principle, for option valuation in a discrete-time hidden Markov regime-switching Gaussian model. The model’s parameters including the interest rate, the appreciation rate and the volatility of a risky asset are governed by a discrete-time, finite-state, hidden Markov chain whose states represent the hidden states of an economy. We give a recursive filter for the hidden Markov chain and estimates of model parameters using a filter-based EM algorithm. We also derive predictors for the hidden Markov chain and some related quantities. These quantities are used to estimate the price of a standard European call option. Numerical examples based on real financial data are provided to illustrate the implementation of the proposed method.     

Option pricing under a normal mixture distribution derived from the Markov tree model

We examine a Markov tree (MT) model for option pricing in which the dynamics of the underlying asset are modeled by a non-IID process. We show that the discrete probability mass function of log returns generated by the tree is closely approximated by a continuous mixture of two normal distributions. Using this normal mixture distribution and risk-neutral pricing, we derive a closed-form expression for European call option prices. We also suggest a regression tree-based method for estimating three volatility parameters σ, σ⁺, and σ⁻ required to apply the MT model. We apply the MT model to price call options on 89 non-dividend paying stocks from the S&P 500 index. For each stock symbol on a given day, we use the same parameters to price options across all strikes and expires. Comparing against the Black–Scholes model, we find that the MT model’s prices are closer to market prices.     

基于权益再融资与策略性债务支付的公司财务困境纾解研究

为了应对公司财务困境问题,在兼顾股东与债权人利益的基础上,采用激励相容理论,构建了基于权益再融资和策略性债务支付的公司定价模型,厘清了权益再融资、债务重组、财务困境及其伴生的再谈判之间的关系,据此提出了一种公司财务困境纾解方案。特别地,给出了策略性债务支付下进行权益再融资的可行性依据,并辅以再谈判手段及股东、债权人双方利益最大化目标,确定了最优重组边界及最优减记息票。分析结果表明:①将策略性债务支付置于财务困境之后、兼容权益再融资的综合方案,可在一定程度上避免策略性债务支付行为的投机性所导致的对公司定价的高估,产生了在一定条件下增加债务价值、放缓信用价差增长速度的效果;②权益再融资成本与信用价差之间呈现倒U型关系;③基于纳什均衡博弈的策略性债务支付减记息票不受流动性及权益再融资的影响,并可保证其处于公司的支付能力之内。     

Patent-investment games under asymmetric information

This paper analyzes preemptive patenting in a two-stage real options game where an incumbent firm competes with a potential entrant firm for the patent of a substitute product in a product market with profit flow uncertainty. The incumbent suffers loss of monopoly in the product market if the entrant acquires the patent of a substitute product and later commercializes the product. Our patent-investment game model assumes that the entrant has complete information on the incumbent’s commercialization cost while the incumbent only knows the distribution of the entrant’s cost. We investigate the impact of information asymmetry on the preemption strategies adopted by the two competing firms on patenting the substitute product by comparing the optimal preemption strategies and the real option value functions of the two competing firms under complete information and information asymmetry. Our analysis reveals that the informationally disadvantaged incumbent always suffers from loss in its real option value of investment since it tends to act more aggressively in competing for the patent. On the other hand, the real option value of investment of the informationally advantaged entrant may be undermined or enhanced. The incumbent’s aggressive response under information asymmetry may lead to reversal of winner in the patent race. We also examine how information asymmetry may affect the occurrence of sleeping patent and the corresponding expected duration between the two stages of patenting and product commercialization.     

Investment under duality risk measure

One index satisfies the duality axiom if one agent, who is uniformly more risk-averse than another, accepts a gamble, the latter accepts any less risky gamble under the index. Aumann and Serrano (2008) show that only one index defined for so-called gambles satisfies the duality and positive homogeneity axioms. We call it a duality index. This paper extends the definition of duality index to all outcomes including all gambles, and considers a portfolio selection problem in a complete market, in which the agent’s target is to minimize the index of the utility of the relative investment outcome. By linking this problem to a series of Merton’s optimum consumption-like problems, the optimal solution is explicitly derived. It is shown that if the prior benchmark level is too high (which can be verified), then the investment risk will be beyond any agent’s risk tolerance. If the benchmark level is reasonable, then the optimal solution will be the same as that of one of the Merton’s series problems, but with a particular value of absolute risk aversion, which is given by an explicit algebraic equation as a part of the optimal solution. According to our result, it is riskier to achieve the same surplus profit in a stable market than in a less-stable market, which is consistent with the common financial intuition.     

随机利率下奇异期权的定价公式

在随机利率条件下,借助于测度变换获得了复合看涨期权的一般的定价公式,同时利用鞅理论和Girsanov定理,在利率服从于扩展的Vasicek利率模型时,得到了复合看涨期权精确的定价公式.用同样的方法,考虑了预设日期的重置看涨期权的定价问题,在利率服从同样的利率模型时,获得了重置看涨期权的定价公式.数值化的结果进一步说明了当利率遵循扩展的Vasicek利率模型时,B-S看涨期权的价格关于标的资产的价格是严格单调递增的,复合看涨期权的Geske公式是可以推广到随机利率的情况.     

A spectral-collocation method for pricing perpetual American puts with stochastic volatility

Based on the Legendre pseudospectral method, we propose a numerical treatment for pricing perpetual American put option with stochastic volatility. In this simple approach, a nonlinear algebraic equation system is first derived, and then solved by the Gauss-Newton algorithm. The convergence of the current scheme is ensured by constructing a test example similar to the original problem, and comparing the numerical option prices with those produced by the classical Projected SOR (PSOR) method. The results of our numerical experiments suggest that the proposed scheme is both accurate and efficient, since the spectral accuracy can be easily achieved within a small number of iterations. Moreover, based on the numerical results, we also discuss the impact of stochastic volatility term on the prices of perpetual American puts.     

Portfolio problems stopping at first hitting time with application to default risk

In this paper a portfolio problem is considered where trading in the risky asset is stopped if a state process hits a predefined barrier. This state process need not to be perfectly correlated with the risky asset. We give a representation result for the value function and provide a verification theorem. As an application, we explicitly solve the problem by assuming that the state process is an arithmetic Brownian motion. Then the result is used as a starting point to solve and analyze a portfolio problem with default risk modeled by the Black-Cox approach. Finally, we discuss how our results can be applied to a portfolio problem with stochastic interest rates and default risk modeled by the approach of Briys and de Varenne.