Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Bowie Bonds


David Bowie pioneered the use of intellectual property and royalties as a security.

From the article linked above:
"...Investment bankers helped Bowie raise $55 million by selling royalties from songs and 25 albums, such as "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars." It's a way for the 50-year-old Bowie to raise money upfront and then pay off the bonds with royalties from his music as they come in.

The bonds, which have an average life of 10 years, were priced in February to pay investors 7.9% interest. The benchmark 30-year U.S. Treasury bond on Monday was yielding 6.90%. Prudential Insurance Co. of America, the nation's largest insurance carrier, bought the entire issue."