income bond
C1Formal, Financial, Technical
Definition
Meaning
A type of debt security where interest payments are made only if the issuer has sufficient earnings.
A bond issued by a company or government entity that promises to pay interest, but only if the issuer generates a specific level of profit or income. Unlike conventional bonds, interest payments are not guaranteed if earnings targets are not met, making them riskier but potentially offering higher yields.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is a compound noun. It refers specifically to a financial instrument and should not be confused with a bond that generates income in general (e.g., 'an income-generating bond'). The term explicitly denotes the conditional nature of the interest payments.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Terminology is identical in both financial markets.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both regions. Slightly more common in UK financial contexts due to historical use by certain building societies and corporations.
Frequency
Low-frequency term outside specialized finance and investment contexts. Comparable frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Entity] issued an income bond.The income bond pays [conditional interest].Investors are wary of [the risks of] income bonds.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this specific term]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in corporate finance reports and investment prospectuses to describe specific debt instruments.
Academic
Found in economics and finance textbooks discussing debt security structures and contingent claims.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would only be used by individual investors discussing portfolio components.
Technical
Standard term in fixed-income analysis, bond trading, and regulatory financial documentation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The company is looking to income-bond its debt restructuring.
- They decided to income-bond the new infrastructure project.
American English
- The municipality may income-bond the development.
- The firm income-bonded its outstanding obligations.
adverb
British English
- [Not typically used as an adverb]
American English
- [Not typically used as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- The income-bond structure was appealing to risk-tolerant investors.
- They offered an income-bond issue last quarter.
American English
- The income-bond market remains niche.
- He specialized in income-bond analysis.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- [This term is not appropriate for A2 level.]
- An income bond is different from a normal bond.
- The interest is not guaranteed with an income bond.
- The corporation issued an income bond to raise capital without the burden of fixed interest payments during lean years.
- Investors attracted to income bonds must carefully analyse the issuer's earnings potential.
- Due to the precarious nature of the startup's cash flow, venture debt was structured as an income bond, with coupons payable only upon achieving EBITDA targets.
- The prospectus clearly delineated the income bond's covenants, stipulating that interest would accrue but not be paid unless net operating income exceeded £2 million.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: INCOME first, BOND second. The bond's interest is dependent on the issuer's INCOME.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PERFORMANCE-BASED LOAN (where repayment is tied to success, like a performance-based salary).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите дословно как 'доходная облигация' – это общий термин для любой облигации, приносящей доход. Точный термин – 'облигация с условием выплаты процентов в зависимости от прибыли' или специальный термин 'контингентная облигация'.
- Не путайте с 'бонд' (англ. bond) в значении 'связь' или 'залог'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'income bond' to refer to any bond that provides income (incorrect; it's specific).
- Confusing it with a 'high-yield bond' (junk bond), which pays high fixed interest but is not conditional on earnings.
- Incorrect plural: 'incomes bond' (should be 'income bonds').
Practice
Quiz
What is the defining characteristic of an income bond?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally, no. Because interest payments are not guaranteed and are tied to the issuer's profitability, they are considered riskier than fixed-coupon bonds. They are suitable for investors with a higher risk tolerance.
They are often issued by companies in cyclical industries, startups, or entities undergoing restructuring, as it eases cash flow pressure during downturns. Historically, some UK building societies also issued them.
Yes, if they are listed on a public exchange. However, they are often less liquid than conventional bonds due to their specialised nature and higher risk profile.
The interest payment is typically skipped for that period. In some structures, the missed interest may accumulate (be deferred) and be paid in future profitable years, but this depends on the specific bond indenture terms.