Municipal BondsBA 561 – Supply Chain ManagementApril 30, 2012Chip Ullstad
Overview
What is a municipal bond?
Who sells municipal bonds & why?
Who buys municipal bonds & why?
Bond ratings, risks and regulation
Summary & Questions
What is a municipal bond?
Fixed debt instruments
Tax secured bonds
Revenue secured bonds
Terms and volume
Who sells municipal bonds?
State and local governments
School districts
Service districts
Public utilities
Self-funding infrastructure
Why sell a municipal bond?
Fund capital improvements
Tax leveraged financing
Align revenue and debt streams
Short term financing
Stagger principal repayment
How are municipal bonds sold?
Structure (serial bonds)
Competitively bid
Audit report
Legal opinion
Voter approval
What is a serial bond?
Bond funded facilities
$3,700 B$361 B$20 B
1945 1980 2010
Reliance on municipal bonds
Who buys municipal bonds?MUNICIPAL BOND INVESTORS, 09/2011
Why buy a municipal bond?
Tax exempt earnings
Federal (almost all)
State (depends)
Advantages vary with AGI
Local (depends)
Tax Equivalent Rates (Federal)
States with income tax
Example Frances, AGI = $250,000
Example Charlie, AGI = $20,000
Bond Rating Agencies
Bond rating agencies
Moody’s (major)
Standard & Poors (major)
Ratings protect bond buyers
Fitch (minor)
Bond ratings and risks
Bond rating criteria
Economy
Financial health
Regulation
Demographics
Risk comparison
Summary
Muni’s fund capital improvements
Two general types of bonds & security Individual & institutional investors
Like all investments, carry risk
Can shelter earned & investment income
Questions
References1. Bond rating criteria, http://www.munibondadvisor.com/rating.htm2. Municipal bond regulation, http://www.sec.gov/info/municipal.shtml3. Municipal bond debt history,
http://www.sec.gov/spotlight/municipalsecurities.shtml4. Definition of municipal bonds, http://www.investinginbonds.com/learnmore.asp?
catid=8&subcatid=53&id=2315. Data for municipal bond holder graph,
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yo8EgQgF3K4/UCuqUb1NpHI/AAAAAAAABbM/oMiAnED24JE/s400/6a01348793456c970c0163064
6. Serial bond table (munis vs. corporate, http://www.investinganswers.com/images/definition%20--%20serial%20bond.gif
7. Map, state income tax rates, http://taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/income_rates_large.png
8. Municipal bond rating criteria, http://www.munibondadvisor.com/rating.htm