What is Credit Risk?

Fixed Income: Bonds and Portfolio Management · 3:15

Listen on 93

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
When you lend your money out, there's a chance you won't get paid
That's the risk that lenders face in every deal they've made
Credit risk is lurking there, in bonds and loans alike
Understanding how it works will keep your portfolio right

[Chorus]
P-D times L-G-D equals E-L, that's the key
Probability of Default times Loss Given Default, can't you see
Expected Loss is what you'll face when borrowers can't repay
Recovery Rate saves the day, it's what comes back your way

[Verse 2]
Default probability tells you the chance they'll fail to pay
Measured as a percentage over one year's time today
If a company looks shaky with their debt piled up so high
The default probability will be reaching for the sky

[Chorus]
P-D times L-G-D equals E-L, that's the key
Probability of Default times Loss Given Default, can't you see
Expected Loss is what you'll face when borrowers can't repay
Recovery Rate saves the day, it's what comes back your way

[Verse 3]
Loss Given Default shows you how much you'll lose if they default
Usually a percentage of the total loan amount
Senior debt gets paid first when companies go down
Subordinated debt holders might not get a single pound

[Bridge]
Recovery Rate is one minus Loss Given Default
If you lose sixty percent, forty comes back to you
Add these pieces all together and you'll see the bigger view
Credit risk in numbers clear, that's what analysts do

[Chorus]
P-D times L-G-D equals E-L, that's the key
Probability of Default times Loss Given Default, can't you see
Expected Loss is what you'll face when borrowers can't repay
Recovery Rate saves the day, it's what comes back your way

[Outro]
From corporate bonds to mortgage loans, credit risk is everywhere
Calculate Expected Loss and you'll be ready to prepare
P-D, L-G-D, E-L, and Recovery Rate
These four pillars of credit risk will make your knowledge great

← Term Structure Theories: Expectations | Rating Migration and Changes →