Question

Difficulty: MediumNon-Systematic and Credit Risks

Match each type of non-systematic risk to the scenario or definition that best describes it.

  • Credit (Default) RiskThe likelihood that a corporate debt issuer will fail to make scheduled interest or principal payments.
  • Business RiskThe operational vulnerability of a company to poor management decisions, product obsolescence, or shifts in consumer demand.
  • Liquidity RiskThe inability of an investor to sell a holding quickly in the secondary market without taking a significant price discount.
  • Financial RiskThe heightened earnings volatility resulting from a corporation carrying excessive debt debt obligations in its capital structure.

Answer

Credit Risk matches debt repayment failure; Business Risk matches operational management failure; Liquidity Risk matches difficulty selling quickly without price concessions; Financial Risk matches excessive capital structure debt.
Non-systematic risks are issuer-specific. Credit Risk relates to default on debt obligations; Business Risk reflects operational and management execution; Liquidity Risk addresses the marketability of the asset; Financial Risk reflects capital structure leverage.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze non-systematic risk categories
Identify that non-systematic risks are unique to individual companies or debt securities, unlike systematic market risks.
Distinguishing company-specific risks enables correct mapping to financial operations and trading characteristics.
2
Match each term with its defining operational or market mechanism
Credit Risk = default; Business Risk = operations; Liquidity Risk = secondary market execution; Financial Risk = leverage.
Each risk term addresses a specific point of failure in corporate operations or secondary market trading.

Key Concept

Non-Systematic and Credit Risks
Rate this question