Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

The Contrarian Investor Podcast


Sep 6, 2022

This podcast episode was released to premium subscribers on Sept. 1, 2022 without ads or announcements. To become a premium subscriber and take advantage of a host of other benefits including the Daily Contrarian briefing, visit our Substack or Supercast. Prices start around $9/month.

Daniel Partlow, chief risk officer at Advent Capital Management, joins the podcast to discuss convertible bonds. Partlow is a specialist in these securities, having written a book on the subject titled 'Convertible Securities: A Complete Guide to Investment and Corporate Financing Strategies.'

Content Highlights

  • First, the basics: What are convertible bonds and how do they work? The asset class has actually been around for more than three centuries... (3:29);
  • Some of the characteristics of converts include a maturity of about four to five years but with low interest rate sensitivity of much shorter duration bonds (6:42);
  • A typical balanced convert will provide downside protection (via the bond floor) and upside potential through the equity participation (9:18);
  • Converts have done well in inflationary environments, with less volatility than stocks (11:44);
  • The default rate for converts is a fraction of high yield and leveraged loans (20:38);
  • Background on the guest (24:59);
  • The specter of stagflation and how converts can protect against that (27:50);
  • Where might there be particular opportunities in the converts market right now? (33:07);
  • Examples of individual securities that may be of interest (37:52).

More Background on the Guest

Additional Information

The following slides were supplied by Advent Capitaol Management.

benefits of convertible securitiesDefault probabilities of convertible bondsinflation protection of convertible securitiesstagflation protection with convertible securities