An Overview of Equity Swap
Equity swaps are financial derivative instruments used to exchange the returns that one party receives on securities owned by the other party. Equity swaps allow both parties to manage their risk and take advantage of potential opportunities for profit. The equity swap involves two separate legal entities and a common and agreed upon share of stock, or equity security. The equity swap contract agreement specifies the terms under which the exchange of returns will take place, such as the original purchase price of the stock, times, frequency and duration of payment, and the return profile of the securities under consideration.
In this type of instrument, one party agrees to receive the returns of a particular stock, while the other party agrees to receive the return of a different stock. The parties can specify exactly which assets they are exchanging in the equity swap. To execute the swap, two counterparties typically agree on the amount of one partys return, then the other party promises to pay the return of the exchanged security to the first party at a predetermined rate and duration.
Equity swaps can be used to hedge against market or currency risk exposure and to access exposure or liquidity of a certain equity security without actually owning it. For example, a company wishing to benefit from a certain companys stock performance could enter into an equity swap agreement. The company would agree to receive the returns of the target companys stock, while the swap counterparty would agree to transfer the same returns to the first party at an agreed-upon rate. The company does not need to purchase the equity security and can still benefit from the stock performance.
Equity swaps also allow both parties to access leverage to increase returns. Leverage is a strategy employed by investors to benefit from amplified returns on an investment. In the context of an equity swap, leverage refers to an agreement between the parties to improve returns on a swapped equity security by providing additional capital to the respective parties, often for a period that exceeds the duration of the swap agreement.
In addition, equity swaps can be used to reduce risk. For example, two companies may enter into an equity swap agreement in order to reduce the risk of either experiencing a large loss on the same security. In this situation, the companies would agree to exchange the returns of one security with the other to nullify any large losses.
The use of equity swaps is an important risk management tool and is increasingly being used in the capital markets. Equity swaps can be used to mitigate risk, access new investment opportunities, increase returns and leverage, or just diversify a portfolio. While hand advantages, an equity swap exposes the parties to certain risks, such as counterparty risk and mark-to-market risk. Therefore, investors must understand the risks associated with entering into this type of agreement prior to execution.