West Corp. issued 25-year bonds two years ago at a coupon rate of 5.3 percent. The bonds make semiannual payments. If these bonds currently sell for 105 percent of par value, what is the YTM

YTM is 4.94%

Explanation:

The  yield  to maturity is the return on the bond throughout the bond's tenure and can be computed using rate function in excel as shown below.

=rate(nper,pmt,-pv,fv)

nper is the number of coupons the bond has left to pay(23 years*2)

pmt is the semiannual coupon of the bond=$1000*5.3%*6/12=26.5

pv is the curren price=$1000*105%=$1050

fv is the face value of the bond

=rate(46,26.5,-1050,1000)=2.47%

2.47% is the semiannual yield

annual yield=2.47% *2=4.94%

u = 30

continuing your method

= +

subtract from both sides

= - thus

= -

= ⇒ u = 30