Accretion: What It Is, How It Works, and Real-Life Examples

Accretion is the process of slow, incremental growth of assets and earnings, often stemming from business expansion, a company’s organic growth, or mergers and acquisitions. It’s also a significant concept in the world of finance, especially in bond investments.

In corporate finance, accretion is the creation of value through organic growth or transactions. This can happen when a company acquires assets at a discount or a cost below their perceived market value. Accretion can also occur when assets are expected to increase in value after a transaction.

In the securities market, purchasing bonds below their face or par value is considered buying at a discount, while buying above face value is buying at a premium. Accretion in finance adjusts the cost basis from the purchase amount (discount) to the anticipated redemption amount at maturity. For example, if a bond is bought for 80% of its face value, the accretion is the remaining 20%.

Accretion plays a crucial role in bond accounting. As interest rates rise, the value of existing bonds decreases, causing bond prices in the market to drop. This decline is a reflection of the increased interest rates. However, since all bonds mature at their face amount, investors recognize additional income when they purchase a bond at a discount. This additional income is realized through accretion.
The rate of accretion is determined by dividing the discount by the number of years until the bond matures. In the case of zero-coupon bonds, interest isn’t compounded. While the bond’s value increases based on the agreed-upon interest rate, it must be held until the agreed-upon term before it can be cashed out.

Let’s take an example: if an investor purchases a $1,000 bond for $860 and the bond matures in 10 years, they need to recognize additional income of $140 over this period. Initially, the $140 is recorded as a discount on the bond. Over the next 10 years, a portion of this $140 is reclassified into the bond income account each year until the full $140 is recognized as income by the maturity date.

Earnings accretion refers to an increase in a company’s earnings per share (EPS) due to an acquisition. The EPS ratio is calculated as earnings available to common shareholders divided by the average common shares outstanding. In the context of a merger or acquisition, accretion signifies the positive impact on EPS due to the addition of new earnings from the acquired company.
For example, if a company generates $2,000,000 in earnings for common shareholders, and there are 1,000,000 shares outstanding, the EPS ratio is $2. Now, if the company issues 200,000 shares to purchase another firm that generates $600,000 in earnings for common shareholders, the combined EPS is calculated by dividing the total earnings of $2,600,000 by the total outstanding shares (1,200,000), resulting in an EPS of $2.17. The additional earnings from the acquisition are referred to as accretion.

Accretion can be observed in various financial scenarios. One such scenario involves the purchase of bonds at a discount. For instance, when a person buys a bond with a face value of $1,000 for the discounted price of $750 and holds it for 10 years, this transaction is considered accretive. The bond pays out the initial investment plus interest. The interest may be paid at regular intervals or as a lump sum upon maturity, depending on the type of bond.
Another example of accretion occurs in corporate finance when one company acquires another. If Corporation X has an earnings per share of $100 and Corporation Y has an EPS of $50, and Corporation X acquires Corporation Y, the combined EPS increases to $150. This is a 50% accretion due to the increase in earnings.

It’s important to note that the accreted value of a security may not always correspond to its market value. Accretion signifies the gradual increase in the value of a discounted instrument as time passes and the maturity date approaches.

Accretion in finance refers to the gradual and incremental growth of assets and earnings, often associated with business expansion, internal growth, or mergers and acquisitions. It’s also relevant in bond investments, where it denotes the additional income an investor expects to receive after purchasing a bond at a discount and holding it until maturity.

The rate of accretion for bonds is calculated by dividing the bond’s discount by the number of years until its maturity. This adjustment accounts for the difference between the purchase price and the anticipated redemption amount at maturity.

Earnings accretion in accounting refers to an increase in a company’s earnings per share (EPS) due to an acquisition. It reflects the positive impact on EPS when a firm acquires another, leading to additional earnings.

Certainly. In a corporate finance context, if Corporation X acquires Corporation Y, and as a result, the combined earnings per share (EPS) of the two companies increase, this is referred to as accretion. For instance, if Corporation X has an EPS of $100, Corporation Y has an EPS of $50, and the combined EPS after the acquisition is $150, it’s considered 50% accretive.