Purchase of Own Debentures in the Open Market

Let's carefully examine redemption through acquiring one's debentures for prompt cancellation. One can redeem debentures similarly by being bought on the open market when redeemed before their maturity date without giving the debenture-holders the required notice. Except as otherwise provided in the conditions of the issuance, a firm is not prohibited by law from acquiring its debentures.

There are several reasons to buy debentures on the market, including the location of the Purchase of debentures for cancellation and while buying debentures as an investment.

What is a Debenture?

A bond or other financial instrument secured by collateral is referred to as a debenture. Debentures must rely on the issuer's trustworthiness and reputation for support because they lack a collateral backstop. Debentures are commonly issued by both businesses and governments to obtain cash or money. Debentures are financial instruments that typically have terms longer than ten years and are not secured by any kind of security. Only the issuer's creditworthiness and reputation are used to support debentures. Debentures are commonly issued by both businesses and governments to obtain cash or money. While some debentures have the option to convert to equity shares, others do not.

Debenture Meaning

When Debentures are Purchased for Investment

When its Own Debentures Are Purchased by the company for Investment from the open market, the company may choose to keep its debentures as an investment for as long as it deems appropriate. Therefore, the own debentures account is a balance sheet asset carried over from year to year.

When a company invests in its debentures, the total debentures outstanding will also include its acquired debentures. The customary practice is to disregard interest on such debentures and hold the claim due to third parties liable when the company develops its debentures for cancellation. Debentures held by the company as outsiders are retained until they are cancelled, at which point interest is due on the entire amount of the debt.

When Should we Purchases Debenture

Cum-Interest and Ex-Interest

The issue of interest can be disregarded if a Company buys its debentures in the market soon after the interest on such debentures has been paid. Instead, the interest will be paid to the seller, the previous holder of the debentures, when the debentures are bought on the day the interest is due.

A company can buy its debentures before the day on which the interest is due. In this scenario, the seller is qualified to receive interest for the time he owned the debentures. Now, whether interest is included in the purchase price of debentures made during the interest period arises.

When the price includes interest (cum-interest), the acquiring business is entitled to the accumulated interest, and the accrued interest will not be paid to the seller. In contrast, if the price is ex-interest, the price is excluded from the claim, meaning that the seller is entitled to collect the accumulated interest rather than the purchasing firm.

Cum-Interest and Ex-Interest

Redemption by Purchase of Own Debentures for Immediate Cancellation

If there is, one should move no sinking fund, the profit on debenture redemption to the capital reserve account because it is a capital profit. However, if there is one, the abovementioned earnings should be paid to the Sinking Fund Account. On the other hand, the loss on the redemption of debentures is a capital loss and should, as a result, be offset against either Capital Profit or Securities Premium Account.

From profits, the company shall transfer a sum equivalent to the nominal value of the cancelled debentures to the general reserve.

Treatment of Purchase of Debentures and its Cancellation

"Own Debenture Account" (or Investment in Own Debenture Account) shall be debited against cash paid for it when Company's debentures are acquired. Purchase own debenture should be handled similarly to other assets in accounts. The paid-up value of the debenture acquisitions should be deducted as and when the Company cancels the investments in its Own Debenture Account. When the Company promptly cancels its debentures following the acquisition, the remaining debentures are decreased by the cancellation amount. As a result, the Company won't have to continue paying interest on these debentures after the redemption. The Profit and Loss on redemption of the Debenture Account should be credited or debited with the gain or loss on debenture redemption.

Accounting Treatment of Purchase of Debenture

Debentures: Are They Risky Investments?

Debentures are debt securities, making them less risky than purchasing ordinary stock or preferred shares of the same corporation. In the event of bankruptcy, holders of debentures would likewise be regarded as more senior and have priority over those other sorts of investments.

Are Debentures Risky to Purchase?

However, these loans are intrinsically riskier than secured debts because any collateral does not support them. As a result, they may have comparatively higher interest rates than other comparable, collateral-backed bonds from the same issuer.

In actuality, debentures include both U.S. Treasury bonds and U.S. Treasury bills. Even though they lack collateral, they are regarded as risk-free assets.

Journal Entry for Purchase of Own Debentures in the Open Market

Solved Example with Journal Entry

Question: Mr. A bought twenty 12% debentures at Rs. 98 per unit on April 1, 2007 (cum-interest). Interest on debentures is due every six months, on June 30 and December 31. The fiscal year is always considered closed as of December 31. Write journal entries for the same.

Solution:

Working Notes:

Here's how you figure out the price and interest:

1. Timeframe (in months):

January 1, 2007, to March 31, 2007. This is a three-month timeframe.

2. Total Interest Accrued:

Rs. 2,000 x 3/12 x 12% = Rs. 60

3. Cost:

Rs. 98 x 20 = Rs. 1,960 – Rs. 60 = Rs. 1,900

Conclusion

A corporation must meet a unique requirement to redeem by purchasing in the open market. The Articles of Association provide the corporation with the right to buy its debentures on the open market. This technique is used by the corporation mainly when they are prepared to purchase their own Company's debentures at a discount on the stock market. Additionally, they could desire to buy it to avoid paying the interest that would have been due on these debentures. The Companies Act states that a corporation may redeem its debentures by purchasing on the open market if its articles of association permit it.