What is a bond ladder?

A bond ladder is a fixed-income investing strategy that involves buying a series of bonds with staggered maturity dates, spread evenly across months or years. This structure helps to create a steady and consistent stream of income for the investor. When a bond matures, the principal is typically then reinvested into a new bond at the end of the ladder. 

Bond ladders are a simple and straightforward strategy to implement that also provides some flexibility on how the ladder is constructed. To build a bond ladder, investors must decide on the following factors:

Number of rungs: The total amount invested in a bond ladder is divided among the rungs, which are typically of equal size. Generally, more rungs are needed for longer time horizons, investors seeking regular and frequent income, and those aiming for greater diversification.

Spacing between rungs: The spacing between the rungs of a bond ladder refers to the time interval between the maturity dates of the bonds in the ladder. This interval, ranging from months to years, determines how often a bond matures and needs reinvestment. The chosen spacing affects the ladder's income frequency and ability to respond to changing interest rates.

Building materials: Typically, bond ladders are constructed using high-quality, noncallable, individual bonds. Common choices include U.S. Treasuries, municipal bonds, corporate bonds, and certificates of deposit. Investors have the flexibility to select the type of bond that aligns best with their specific goals and objectives or can incorporate a mix of different bond types, enhancing diversification.

What are the benefits of a bond ladder?

Due to its straightforward approach, a bond ladder is easy to implement and often doesn't require professional management yet still offers several benefits, making it a popular choice to manage a fixed-income portfolio.

One of the key advantages is the steady and predictable cash flow it provides, as the bonds mature at regular intervals, which can be particularly beneficial for investors seeking consistent income. Additionally, a bond ladder helps manage interest-rate risk by spreading investments across various maturities. As bonds mature, the principal can be reinvested at current market rates, potentially securing higher yields if interest rates are on the rise. 

What are the risks of a bond ladder?

Bond ladder strategies can face several risks and challenges, particularly in a falling interest-rate environment. As interest rates decline, maturing bonds within the ladder are reinvested at lower yields, which can gradually reduce the investor's income stream.

Bond ladders are also limited in their potential to capture total return due to their focus on holding bonds to maturity. While bond prices may increase as yields fall, investors in a bond ladder won't benefit from these potential capital gains, as the price premium disappears by the time the bonds mature.

The fixed structure of a bond ladder can be another drawback. Constrained by the size and spacing of its rungs, bond ladders can restrict an investor's ability to quickly adjust to shifting market conditions or capitalize on new opportunities.

Additionally, certain segments of the bond market, such as securitized assets, 144A securities, or bonds with high minimum denominations, may not be easily accessible to those using a bond ladder strategy. This further narrows the range of available investments, making it more challenging to adapt to evolving market environments.

How can active fixed income potentially outperform a bond ladder?

Unlike the structured and predictable nature of a bond ladder, active management offers greater flexibility and the potential to outperform by dynamically responding to market opportunities. Active managers can tap into a broader range of investments, beyond the high-quality corporate or government bonds typically used in bond ladders. This includes access to specialized areas like 144A securities, which are only available to qualified institutional buyers. These markets are growing, particularly among smaller issuers, and encompass sectors such as agency-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities (MBS), non-agency MBS, and significant portions of the investment-grade corporate market.

Active managers, supported by robust research teams, can also add value by looking beyond credit ratings to identify rising stars and avoid fallen angels. While bond ladder investors might shy away from BBB-rated securities due to perceived risk, not all BBB-rated bonds are the same.

For instance, a BBB-rated bond from a utility company might have a different risk profile than one from a retailer. Similarly, a bond recently upgraded from high yield may have a more favorable outlook than one downgraded from a higher grade. Strong research allows active managers to analyze issuers and select bonds with the potential for strong performance. This broader opportunity set enables active managers to enhance diversification and identify appealing opportunities based on relative value.

Shifting the focus to total return

Active managers take a wider view, shifting the focus from simply providing consistent yield to pursuing both income and total return. By leveraging their expertise, these managers not only seek relative value opportunities but also employ sophisticated strategies to enhance returns. One such strategy is yield curve positioning, where managers adjust the portfolio to benefit from changes in the shape of the yield curve.

In addition, management teams can capitalize on market inefficiencies, identifying mispriced securities or sectors positioned for growth. They can navigate credit cycles and macroeconomic shifts, adjusting the portfolio to align with current market conditions and their projected outlook.

In summary, a proactive approach can boost both income and total return while effectively managing risk, offering a path for investors seeking to optimize their fixed-income investments with the potential to outperform a traditional bond ladder strategy.