Abstract: | The relation between default risk measures and holding-period risk measures for bonds is confusing for bond investors. Past studies show that lower-credit-quality bonds exhibit lower holding-period risk. In this research I develop models to decompose the risk of corporate bonds and specify the conditions necessary for lower credit quality to result in lower holding-period risk measures. Additionally, I offer insight into the seemingly haphazard pattern of holding-period risk as related to credit quality. |