Lance Whittingham IV specializes in buying deep discount bonds. These represent bonds that are trading at well below par value. He has his eye on a bond issued by the Leisure Time Corporation. The $1,000 par value bond pays 4 percent annual interest and has 18 years remaining to maturity. The current yield to maturity on similar bonds is 12 percent.
a. What is the current price of the bonds? Use Appendix B and Appendix D for an approximate answer but calculate your final answer using the formula and financial calculator methods.
b. By what percent will the price of the bonds increase between now and maturity?