Brady Bond Primer - Warrants & Guarantees
Article Index
What is a Value Recovery Right or Warrant?
Some countries like Mexico, Venezuela, and Nigeria have attached to their Par and Discount bonds rights or warrants which grant bondholders the right to recover a portion of debt or debt service reduction as stated in the Exchange Agreements, should their debt servicing capacity improve. In effect, some are known as Oil Warrants because they are linked to oil export prices and thus to the oil export receipts.
What do Collateral and Rolling Interest Guarantees mean?
The collateral consists of funds maintained in a cash account usually at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York and typically invested in AA- or better securities, for the purpose of paying the interest should a debtor country not honor an interest payment. A rolling interest guarantee (usually 12 to 18 months or 2 to 3 coupon payments) remains in effect as each successive coupon payment is made and the collateral continues to guarantee the next successive unsecured coupon payment. In the event the collateral is used, there is no obligation to replace it.