All else equal, unless it possesses some sort of major offsetting advantage that makes the risk of non-payment low, a company with a low - interest coverage ratio will almost assuredly have bad bond ratings, increasing the cost of capital; e.g., its bonds will be classified as junk bonds
rather than investment grade bonds.
Securities rated below investment grade, sometimes called junk bonds, involve a greater degree of risk
than investment grade bonds in return for higher yield potential.
High - yield, high risk bonds, which are rated below investment grade, can involve a substantial risk of loss because they have a greater risk of issuer default and are subject to greater price
volatility than investment grade bonds and may be illiquid.
BUSINESS CREDIT: Corporate bonds received the largest allocation; the majority of that went to high yield and bank loans rather than investment grade bonds
High - yield bonds, also referred to as «junk bonds,» offer higher rates of return, and therefore carry a higher rate of risk,
than investment grade bonds.