When companies are in financial trouble, we often hear about investors walking away with hefty sums of money. This seems counterintuitive, but it stems from the fact that investors have purchased the company’s debt, rather than its stock.

This is often referred to as distressed debt investing, and it’s a common practice among hedge funds and many institutional investors.
With distressed debt investing, an investor consciously purchases the debt of a troubled company—often at a discount—and seeks to profit if the company turns around.

In many cases, investors still walk away with payments even if a company goes bankrupt, and in some cases, distressed debt investors actually end up as owners of the troubled company.

Getting Debt on the Cheap

In this case, the discount comes because the borrower is at risk of defaulting. And indeed, investors can lose money if the company goes bankrupt. But if investors believe there can be a turnaround and are ultimately proven right, they can see the value of the debt go up dramatically.

An investor who purchases equity shares of a company instead of debt could make more money than debt investors if a company turns itself around. But, shares could lose their entire value if a company goes bankrupt.

Debt, on the other hand, still retains some value even if a turnaround doesn’t happen.

Gaining Control

When an investor purchases a company’s distressed debt, they are not only making a purchase but will often end up with some control of the business. Entities like hedge funds that buy large quantities of distressed debt will often negotiate terms that allow them to take an active role with the troubled company.

Additionally, distressed debt investors can achieve priority status in being paid back if a company goes bankrupt.



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