Overview
These interactive scenarios demonstrate common credit analysis workflows. Each example uses live API calls you can run directly in the docs using the Try It panel on the right.
Click “Try It” on any example to run the API call with your own API key. Modify parameters to explore different results.
Scenario 1: Bond Screener
Question: Find high-yield secured bonds backed by physical assets
Use Case
Yield hunting with downside protection. Physical collateral (equipment, real estate, vehicles) provides tangible recovery value if the company defaults. Senior secured bonds with asset backing typically have higher recovery rates than unsecured debt.
API Call
Minimum yield to maturity (%). Set higher for more yield, lower for more results.
seniority
string
default:"senior_secured"
Debt priority. Options: senior_secured, senior_unsecured, subordinated
Only return bonds with current pricing data.
fields
string
default:"name,ticker,pricing,collateral,maturity_date"
Fields to return. Use collateral to see asset backing details.
curl "https://api.debtstack.ai/v1/bonds?min_ytm=8.0&seniority=senior_secured&has_pricing=true&fields=name,ticker,pricing,collateral,maturity_date&sort=-pricing.ytm&limit=10" \
-H "X-API-Key: ds_xxxxx"
Example Response
{
"data": [
{
"name": "11.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2027",
"ticker": "RIG",
"maturity_date": "2027-09-15",
"pricing": {
"last_price": 98.50,
"ytm": 11.42,
"spread": 820,
"staleness_days": 0
},
"collateral": {
"type": "equipment",
"description": "First-priority lien on drilling rigs",
"assets": ["Deepwater Titan", "Deepwater Atlas"]
}
},
{
"name": "8.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2030",
"ticker": "VAL",
"maturity_date": "2030-04-01",
"pricing": {
"last_price": 92.25,
"ytm": 10.15,
"spread": 695,
"staleness_days": 1
},
"collateral": {
"type": "equipment",
"description": "First-lien on offshore drilling units",
"assets": ["Valaris DS-11", "Valaris DS-12"]
}
}
],
"meta": {
"total": 47,
"limit": 10,
"offset": 0
}
}
What to Look For
- YTM > 8% indicates higher risk/reward
- Collateral type:
equipment, real_estate, vehicles offer tangible recovery
- Staleness days: Lower is better for accurate pricing
Scenario 2: Corporate Structure
Question: Who guarantees this bond?
Use Case
Understanding structural subordination. When analyzing a bond, you need to know:
- Which entities sit above/below the issuer in the corporate structure?
- Who backs the debt with a guarantee?
- Is the guarantee from the parent (holdco) or just operating subsidiaries?
This matters because in bankruptcy, debt at the holdco level typically has worse recovery than debt at operating companies with real assets.
API Call
Starting point for traversal.{"type": "company", "ticker": "CHTR"}
relationships
array
default:"[\"parent_of\", \"guarantees\"]"
Relationships to traverse. Use parent_of for ownership, guarantees for debt backing.
How many levels deep to traverse (1-10).
curl -X POST "https://api.debtstack.ai/v1/entities/traverse" \
-H "X-API-Key: ds_xxxxx" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"start": {"type": "company", "ticker": "CHTR"},
"relationships": ["parent_of", "guarantees"],
"depth": 2,
"fields": ["name", "entity_type", "jurisdiction", "is_guarantor", "debt_at_entity"]
}'
Example Response
{
"data": {
"start": {
"type": "company",
"ticker": "CHTR",
"name": "Charter Communications, Inc."
},
"traversal": {
"relationships": ["parent_of", "guarantees"],
"direction": "outbound",
"depth": 2,
"entities": [
{
"id": "uuid-1",
"name": "CCO Holdings, LLC",
"entity_type": "holdco",
"jurisdiction": "Delaware",
"is_guarantor": true,
"debt_at_entity": {
"count": 12,
"total": 4850000000000
},
"level": 1
},
{
"id": "uuid-2",
"name": "CCO Holdings Capital Corp.",
"entity_type": "finco",
"jurisdiction": "Delaware",
"is_guarantor": false,
"debt_at_entity": {
"count": 8,
"total": 1920000000000
},
"level": 1
},
{
"id": "uuid-3",
"name": "Charter Communications Operating, LLC",
"entity_type": "opco",
"jurisdiction": "Delaware",
"is_guarantor": true,
"debt_at_entity": {
"count": 0,
"total": 0
},
"level": 2
}
]
},
"summary": {
"total_entities": 3,
"max_depth": 2,
"total_guarantors": 2
}
}
}
What to Look For
- entity_type:
holdco (holding company), opco (operating company), finco (financing vehicle)
- is_guarantor: Does this entity back the debt?
- debt_at_entity: Where is debt actually issued? Higher in the structure = more structural subordination risk
Scenario 3: Document Search
Question: What triggers a change of control?
Use Case
Deep dive into covenant language. Credit agreements and indentures contain critical provisions that affect bondholders:
- Change of control puts (can you get your money back if the company is acquired?)
- Restricted payments (how much cash can leak to equity?)
- Asset sale covenants (what happens when they sell assets?)
This API searches across thousands of SEC filings so you don’t have to read 400-page indentures.
API Call
q
string
default:"change of control"
Search query. Supports phrases and boolean operators.
Company ticker to search within.
section_type
string
default:"indenture"
Document section type: indenture, credit_agreement, risk_factors, mda
Number of results to return.
curl "https://api.debtstack.ai/v1/documents/search?q=change+of+control&ticker=CHTR§ion_type=indenture&limit=5" \
-H "X-API-Key: ds_xxxxx"
Example Response
{
"data": [
{
"document": {
"id": "doc-uuid-1",
"title": "Indenture - 4.750% Senior Notes due 2032",
"form_type": "8-K",
"filed_date": "2024-03-15",
"sec_url": "https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/..."
},
"section": {
"title": "Change of Control",
"page": 45
},
"snippet": "Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, each Holder will have the right to require the Company to repurchase all or any part of such Holder's Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount...",
"relevance_score": 0.94
},
{
"document": {
"id": "doc-uuid-2",
"title": "Indenture - 5.125% Senior Notes due 2030",
"form_type": "8-K",
"filed_date": "2023-09-22",
"sec_url": "https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/..."
},
"section": {
"title": "Definitions",
"page": 12
},
"snippet": "\"Change of Control\" means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company...",
"relevance_score": 0.89
}
],
"meta": {
"total": 23,
"query": "change of control",
"ticker": "CHTR",
"section_type": "indenture"
}
}
What to Look For
- 101% put: Standard change of control provision requires company to offer to buy back bonds at 101% of par
- Triggering events: What actually counts as “change of control”? Often requires both ownership change AND rating downgrade
- Carve-outs: Are there exceptions for certain types of transactions?
Try More Queries
Here are other document searches to try:
| Query | What it finds |
|---|
restricted payments | Limits on dividends and buybacks |
asset sale | What happens when company sells assets |
negative pledge | Restrictions on granting liens |
cross default | When default on one debt triggers others |
EBITDA definition | How leverage is calculated |
Next Steps
