A bond selling at premium is trading above its par value. It’s considered premium when it offers a coupon rate higher than its prevailing interest rates
Now that bond calculators have been covered…let’s learn about bond premiums and bond discounts.
What is a bond premium?
A bond selling at premium is a bond that is trading above its par value. A bond is considered to be trading at premium when it offers a coupon rate higher than its prevailing interest rates. This is because investors want a higher yield and will pay more for it.
Oppositely, a bond is selling at a discount when it can be bought for less than its par value.
What is a bond discount?
A bond discount is the amount by which the market price of a bond is lower than its par value (typically $1,000) due at maturity. Bond prices are quoted as a percentage of face value, so a price of 95.00 means that the bond is selling for 95% of its face value of $1,000.00 and the bond discount is 5%.
A bond discount will enhance the yield to maturity of the bond. A bond premium will reduce its yield. The size of the premium will decline as the bond approaches maturity.
Keep in mind that you can’t determine whether or not a bond is a good investment solely based on whether it’s selling at a premium or a discount. Many other factors must be taken into account. To learn more about bonds, check out the free course on Investing in Different Markets!
The Best Stock Newsletters as of January 3, 2025
Ranking of Top Stock Newsletters Based on Last 3 Years of Stock Picks
We are paid subscribers to dozens of stock and option newsletters. We actively track every recommendation from all of these services, calculate performance, and share our results of the top performing stock newsletters whose subscriptions fees are under $500. The main metric to look for is "Excess Return" which is their return above that of the S&P500. So, based on January 3, 2025 prices:
| Rank | Stock Newsletter | Stock Picks | Average Return | S&P500 Return | Excess Return | Percent Profitable | Max % Return | Min % Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  Alpha Picks | 64 | 71.7% | 23.9% | 47.8% | 77% | 969% | -47% |
| Summary: 2 picks/month based on Seeking Alpha's Quant Rating; Retail Price is $499/yr. See details in our Alpha Picks Review. | APRIL PROMOTION: Save $50 | |||||||
| 2. |  Value Investor | 39 | 26.8% | 13.9% | 12.8% | 51% | 494% | -41% |
| Summary: 10-25 stock picks per year based on Zacks' Quant Rating; Retail Price is $495/yr. Read our Zacks Review. | APRIL PROMOTION:$1, then $495/yr | |||||||
| 3. | Top 10 | 33 | 21.2% | 8.4% | 12.8% | 52% | 170% | -56% |
| Summary: 10 stock picks released on January 1st of each year based on Zacks' Quant Rating & maybe 1 or 2 changes a year; Retail Price is $495/yr. Read our Zacks Review. | APRIL PROMOTION:$1, then $495/yr | |||||||
| 4. |  Moby.co | 311 | 42.1% | 31.4% | 10.7% | 74% | 1030% | -95% |
| Summary: 60-150 stock picks per year, segmented by industry; Retail Price is $199/yr. Read our Moby Review. | APRIL PROMOTION:Get 1 pick free! | |||||||
| 5. |  Stock Advisor Canada | 36 | 31.8% | 25.3% | 6.5% | 81% | 216% | -68% |
| Summary: 1 pick/month from the Toronto stock exchange; Retail Price is CD$199/yr. Read our Motley Fool Canada Stock Advisor Review. | APRIL Promotion: Get $100 Coupon | |||||||
| 6. | Hidden Gems | 76 | 38.1% | 32.9% | 5.2% | 71% | 258% | -100% |
| Summary: Sold as part of Epic service that includes Hidden Gems, Stock Advisor, Rule Breakers; 5 picks/month; Retail Price is $499/yr. Read our Epic Review. | APRIL Promotion: Get $200 Coupon | |||||||
| 7. |  Action Alerts Plus | 378 | 20.8% | 16.7% | 4.1% | 56% | 220% | -77% |
| Summary: 2100-150 trades per year, lots of buying and selling and short term trades. Read our Jim Cramer Review. | Current Promotion: None | |||||||
| 8. |  TipRanks SmartInvestor | 124 | 10.3% | 7.2% | 3.1% | 60% | 269% | -48% |
| Summary: About 1 pick/week focusing on short term trades; Lifetime average return of 355% vs S&P500's 149% since 2015. Retail Price is $379/yr. Read our TipRanks Review. | Current Promotion: Save $180 | |||||||
| 9. | Rule Breakers | 66 | 36.2% | 35.4% | 0.8% | 65% | 344% | -81% |
| Summary: 2 picks/month focusing on disruptive technology and business models; Lifetime average return of 355% vs S&P500's 149% since 2005; Now part of Motley Fool Epic. Read our Motley Fool Epic Review. | Current Promotion: Save $200 | |||||||
| 10. | Stock Advisor Canada | 71 | 25.2% | 24.8% | 0.5% | 73% | 216% | -93% |
| Summary: 2 pick/month from the TSX and U.S. markets; Retail Price is CD$199/yr. Read our Motley Fool Canada Stock Advisor Review. | APRIL Promotion: Get $100 Coupon | |||||||
| Top Ranking Stock Newsletters based on their 2024, 2023, 2022 stock picks' performance as compared to S&P500. S&P500's return is based on average return of S&P500 from date each stock pick is released. NOTE: To get these results you must buy equal dollar amounts of each pick on the date the stock pick is released. Investor Business Daily Top 50 based on performance of FFTY ETF. Performance as of January 3, 2025. | ||||||||
Build your wealth faster with best stock picks: See our current ranking of the BEST STOCK NEWSLETTERS.