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Today, I just wanted to remind you about an investment idea that I think everyone should be using. I hope that you’ve already seen the attractions – but I’d like to press it home. I think we’ll have some great opportunities in this area of the market in 2012 and I’d like you to be ready to act on them.
At the moment many investors don’t know where to turn. The equity market has been all over the place these last few months. At the same time, income on cash has hit rock bottom. But the area of the market I’m talking about today remains very interesting indeed. It’s just that most private investors completely miss it.
I'm talking about bonds.
Why bonds could be better than stocks in difficult markets
Now, I wrote about bonds in part two of my asset allocation series: Why I’m fanatical about bonds. But I want to remind you about two of my favourite retail bond ideas.
It’s in such difficult market conditions as we are experiencing that bonds come into their own. Unlike equities – where, largely speaking, holders are totally unprotected – bonds can provide you with more security. You can buy them just as easily as shares and many of them can be held in an ISA, too. And don’t forget, with a bond, as well as getting your interest payments, you should get your money back at maturity.
So today I want to show you what I think are two cracking deals in the bond market. If you've got a portion of cash you want to earn you an income, I think these are two investments you really need to look at.
First up then, is the Enterprise Inns 6.5% December 2018 (ISIN: XS0163019143). I wrote about this here: The bond that could pay you 12% a year. But here’s a reminder…
Raise a glass to a 12% annualised return from Enterprise Inns
Enterprise Inns (ETI) is the largest pub landlord in Britain. Right now, its 6.5% December 2018 bond will cost you 69p to buy. That means instead of getting just 6.5% on your money, it'll be nearer 9.4%.
But it gets better.
At the end of 2018, you're promised £1 back for every 69p you shell out on a bond today. That gives you a capital profit of 31p for every 69p you put up. If you add that return to the running yield on the bond, you'll find that your annualised return is 14.4%. That’s even better than the 12% on offer when I first wrote about this.
If you look at ETI’s stock valuation you will see that it’s not highly regarded by the market. On a forecast p/e of less than two, investors are clearly sceptical.
It’s also true that the pub game hasn't been easy over recent years. ETI has used many of its pubs as security as it’s loaded up on debt.
But that is of scant concern to you and me. We’re not interested in buying the shares: we’re interested in the bonds, which is where the income is.
In fact, it’s precisely because of the generous terms extended to bondholders that the equities are looking dodgy.
I said up top that the main benefit of a bond over equities was that it offers greater security. The point with this particular bond is that it's secured against a ring-fenced portfolio of pubs.
The bond itself has been issued at a value of £600 million. But it’s backed by a pub estate valued at £1 billion. From ETI's figures it looks like the value of the estate would have to fall by a massive 40% before we started to worry.
What’s more, these pubs are currently generating revenue that covers the bond's interest twice-over.
Risks to consider
Of course, as with every investment, there are risks to consider. First of all, the yield (and security) we're getting tells us that some investors are worried. We shouldn't ignore that. That's why I'd only advise putting a proportion of your capital into a bond like this.
There is also a possibility that the valuation on the pub estate could go down. If pub revenues fall, then the valuation on the pubs will likely follow.
Another risk is that if ETI can't afford to pay bondholders back and things get messy, there are bound to be costs involved to realise the value of its assets.
Of course, as bondholders we don't want to become pub landlords. But I think the high current value of ETI’s assets coupled with its strong revenue provides us with pretty firm security - on the equivalent of 14% a year for nearly seven years.
So that’s the Enterprise Inns 6.5% December 2018.
My second bond tip for you is equally compelling: the Legal and General 5.865% 2099 bond. I first wrote about it here: The bond that delivers 7.5% a year.
Let me lay out the key points again…
Forget pensions: here’s how you could REALLY make money from L&G
We know that being a customer of pension providers such as L&G doesn’t pay very well at the moment. An annuity pays around 6% on your savings and if you want it inflation linked, all you’ll get is 3%. That’s why you may consider buying shares in L&G instead.
But shares can be risky. The best bet to me is to become the ‘banker’ to the pension provider...
What if I told you that you can currently lend money to L&G and get a return of 7.2%?
Better still, you don’t have to wait until you retire to get this income stream. You can start straight away. And just like the shares, you can hold it in an ISA.
There’s no denying it, the Legal and General 2099 has taken a pasting over the last few months. But timing is everything, and now it’s starting to look pretty interesting.
The interest rate offered on the bond when it was launched in 2004 was 5.875%. But because you can now pick up the bond for 82p, in effect you’re getting an interest rate of 7.2%. With interest rates stuck at practically zero, 7.2% is a great return.
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Risks to consider
You should be aware that the L&G is a subordinate bond. This means that it is debt that ranks after other debts should the company fall into receivership or bankruptcy.
You should also note that there is a reset in place on the bond. The interest rate will be reset in 2019, and then every five years after that. The new rate will be the yield on a five-year gilt plus 2.33%.
Now I don’t know where gilt yields will be in five years’ time, but at least with this bond, you’re set to get nearly 2.5% over the five-year gilt.
Unlike the annuities that normal L&G customers receive, this pay-out isn’t limited to just you. Should you die, it’ll pass to your heirs. And in 2099, they’ll get £100 back for every £77 you invest today (of course, this is subject to all the normal inheritance tax laws).
To my mind this is one of the better opportunities available in a tricky investment climate - 7.2% from one of the UK’s oldest insurance companies is a great return. The bond is traded on the London Stock Exchange, so you should be able to buy it easily through your traditional stockbroker.
Making the most of bonds
These are two great ways to avoid the risks of equities and gain exposure to great value bonds. But I want to be clear. I don't think these are plays on which you should go 'all-in'.
My point is that you shouldn't ignore bonds. They can be a great way to make your money work, especially when interest rates are near zero and stock markets are shaky.
What I'd do is build a diversified portfolio of bonds covering different maturities and different sectors of the market. That’s the bond ladder idea I talked about here. That way, you spread your risk. The ETI and L&G bonds look to me like good ones to start with.
Just a couple of tips on buying bonds. Not all stockbrokers allow you to trade retail bonds. If yours doesn't, check out our broker comparison page to find one that will.
Oh, and as with most of these retail bonds, you can only buy these two in multiples of 1,000 with a minimum investment of £1,000. You can get more information on the bond by visiting the London Stock Exchange's website.
Action to take
BUY Enterprise Inns 6.5% December 2018 bond
ISIN: XS0163019143
Currency: UK sterling
Current price: 69p
Minimum investment:£1,000
Further details: London Stock Exchange
Five-year performance: 2006 -3.66% | 2007 -2.12% | 2008 -29.08% | 2009 +10.08% | 2010 +6.35% | 2011 -21.77%
BUY Legal & General 5.875% 2099 bond
ISIN: XS0189013823
Currency: UK sterling
Current price: 82p
Minimum investment: £1,000
Further details: London Stock Exchange
Five-year performance: 2006-6.78% | 2007 -5.48% | 2008 -26.77% | 2009 +13.96% | 2010 +9.72% | 2011 -9.42%
• This article is taken from the free investment email The Right side. Sign up to The Right Side here.
Important Information
Your capital is at risk when you invest in shares - you can lose some or all of your money, so never risk more than you can afford to lose. Always seek personal advice if you are unsure about the suitability of any investment. Past performance and forecasts are not reliable indicators of future results. Commissions, fees and other charges can reduce returns from investments. Profits from share dealing are a form of income and subject to taxation. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. Please note that there will be no follow up to recommendations in The Right Side.
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