Insight

Explore the benefits of laddering

Point of view, looking up ladder sticking through hole in ceiling revealing blue sky
Key takeaways
Defined maturity ETFs can help provide income predictability
1

Investors can use defined maturity ETFs to build bond ladders that can help provide some stability regardless of where rates move.

Bond ladders can also enhance diversification and flexibility
2

Bond ladders with various maturity dates can help boost portfolio diversification and provide flexibility as proceeds at maturity can be reinvested or used to cover an expense.

Bond investors have endured a whipsaw environment in interest rates that has introduced more unwanted volatility to portfolios. And with continued uncertainty over the US Federal Reserve rate policy, inflation, and a recession, fixed-income investors are looking for stability.

Therefore, it’s no surprise we’ve seen interest in defined maturity ETFs and how they can be used to build efficient bond ladders.

Bond ladders for some income predictability

Defined maturity ETFs can be used to build bond ladders designed to help create income stability regardless of the direction of interest rates.

Bond ladders are portfolios of bonds with sequential maturity dates. As bonds reach maturity, the proceeds can be used to fund a specific expense, such as saving for a house or retirement, or reinvested into new bonds with longer maturities.

How bond ladders work: a hypothetical example
How bond ladders work: a hypothetical example

For illustrative purposes only. 

Bond ladders that hold bonds to maturity may be particularly appealing to investors looking for some income predictability in volatile interest rate environments.

First, ladders can be customized to target specific maturity and duration profiles, giving investors more control over the portfolio’s sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Most traditional fixed income mutual funds, including ETFs, typically have a perpetual duration target, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates.

With bond ladders, when interest rates are rising, investors reinvest any proceeds from bonds maturing from the ladder into new bonds with higher rates. Meanwhile, if rates fall, investors can choose to reinvest less of the maturity proceeds into new bonds with lower rates. And when rates are falling, investors may have the benefit of existing bonds that were potentially purchased at higher rates than currently.

Using BulletShares ETFs in bond ladders

BulletShares defined maturity ETFs can help investors build bond ladders more efficiently because they combine the potential benefits of individual bonds and ETFs. BulletShares UCITS ETFs let investors avoid the trading costs, research, and time of building bond ladders with hundreds of individual bonds.

Defined maturity ETFs like BulletShares have termination dates like individual bonds and they also combine the advantages of ETFs such as diversification, liquidity, and transparency. 

Our BulletShares UCITS ETFs provide targeted exposure to USD and EUR investment grade corporate bonds, with maturity ranges from 2026 to 2030.

Whatever you’re looking to accomplish with your bond portfolio, Invesco’s range of BulletShares UCITS ETFs can offer convenient, cost-effective solutions to help meet your potential income goals. 

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