What is Weighted Average Life ?

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The weighted average life (WAL) is the average length of time that each dollar of unpaid principal on a loan, a mortgage, or an amortizing bond remains outstanding. Calculating WAL shows an investor, an analyst, or a portfolio manager how many years it will take to receive roughly half of the amount of the outstanding principal. The formula is useful in measuring the credit risk associated with fixed-income securities.

Definition

Weighted Average Life (WAL) refers to the average remaining time for each dollar of unpaid principal on a loan, mortgage, or amortizing bond. It indicates how many years it will take to recover approximately half of the unpaid principal, serving as a crucial tool for assessing credit risk associated with fixed-income securities.

Origin

The concept of Weighted Average Life originated in the fixed-income market, particularly in the analysis of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and asset-backed securities (ABS). As these markets evolved, investors needed a method to evaluate the risk and return of different securities, leading to the widespread adoption of WAL.

Categories and Features

Weighted Average Life is primarily used to assess the risk of amortizing bonds and loans. Its key feature is that it considers the timing and amount of principal repayments, making it a more accurate reflection of actual risk than simple maturity dates. A shorter WAL implies that investors can recover their principal more quickly, indicating lower risk; conversely, a longer WAL suggests higher risk.

Case Studies

Case Study 1: During the 2008 financial crisis, many mortgage-backed securities had their WALs reassessed as the market gained a new understanding of the risks associated with these securities. Investors found that many securities had longer WALs than expected, leading to higher risk exposure. Case Study 2: A company issued a series of amortizing bonds, and investors used WAL to evaluate the risk and return of these bonds. The results showed that shorter WALs made these bonds more attractive in the market, as investors could recover their principal more quickly.

Common Issues

Common issues investors face when using WAL include misunderstanding its difference from maturity and overlooking the impact of market interest rate changes on WAL. WAL is not equivalent to maturity; it focuses more on the speed of principal recovery. Additionally, changes in interest rates can affect borrowers' repayment behavior, thereby altering the WAL.

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