LevFin Academy · Covenant Optionality

A make-whole changes the exercise profile of an option-like prepayment right.

Move the selected terms to see how a simplified teaching model allocates the call estimate across the make-whole and callable years. The output is not a market price, trading mark or recommendation.

Pre-set structures

Tenor 7yrs
Non-call period 3yrs
Coupon 7.0%

Market

Risk-free rate 3.5%
Credit spread 300bps
Rate volatility σr 100bps
Mean-reversion a 0.10
Spread-tightening scenario 200bps

Assume credit tightens this much by the first call date — the move that makes the borrower’s refinancing option valuable. Most of that value should still sit after first call.

Embedded-call teaching estimate

10.7pts of par

Under the selected assumptions, the prepayment-right teaching estimate is 10.7 points of par, with 100% attributed to the callable years. This is not a market price or trading conclusion.

Redemption-price schedulemake-whole  call schedule

years from issue; price (% of par)

Illustrative teaching model — full methodology here. A Hull-White one-factor short-rate model on a trinomial tree, fitted to the selected initial risk-free curve by construction. Credit is a constant-spread input with an optional tightening scenario. Every numerical output is an assumption-dependent teaching estimate, not a market price or trading mark. The tool ignores default/recovery, call frictions, transaction-specific strategy and the full coupon/calendar conventions.

Go deeper. Request controlled access to the complete Covenants Bible or read the public nine-part LevFin Book condensed edition.

The full framework — why a builder basket is a path-dependent call, an equity cure a knock-in, a make-whole an American call with a stepping strike — is Part VII of the LevFin Book. See also the tool methodology page for the model, variables and worked example.