---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Junk bonds prove there's nothing magical…"
description: "\"Junk bonds prove there's nothing magical in a Aaa bond rating.\" — Merton Miller"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/merton-miller-24401_customer_junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical_1622064.jpg"
---

#  Junk bonds prove there's nothing magical in a Aaa bond…

![“Junk bonds prove there's nothing magical in a Aaa bond rating.” quote by Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/merton-miller-24401_customer_junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical_1622064.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/merton-miller-24401_customer_junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical_1622064.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/merton-miller-24401_customer_junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical_1622064.jpg)

> “Junk bonds prove there's nothing magical in a Aaa bond rating.”

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Junk bonds demonstrate that a top credit rating does not guarantee safety.

**In simple terms:** High ratings don’t ensure safety.

Key Takeaway

Assess risk beyond ratings.

Themes

finance risk credit

Mood

analytical cautious

Type

financial educational

When to use this quote

- investment decisions
- portfolio diversification
- risk management
- financial education

Key Concepts

bond markets rating agencies

Questions to Reflect On

- What other metrics should investors consider?
- How do ratings influence market behavior?

A Different Perspective

Ratings still provide useful signals.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Aaa Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aaa-bond-285887/) [Bond Rating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bond-rating-285888/) [Bonds Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonds-prove-285889/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Junk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/junk/) [Junk Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/junk-bonds-285886/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Rating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rating/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/)

## Related quotes

> [We're only one of a few states that have maintained our Triple-A bond rating from the major rating agencies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-holden/we-re-only-one-of-a-few-states-that-have-maintained-our-triple-a-bond/)

[Bob Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-holden/)

> [We can't go fully monty in Bond, Because we can't get the rating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-craig/we-can-t-go-fully-monty-in-bond-because-we-can-t-get-the-rating/)

[Daniel Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-craig/)

> [Junk bonds are the Holy Grail for hostile takeovers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-miller/junk-bonds-are-the-holy-grail-for-hostile-takeovers/)

[Roger Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-miller/)

> [One way to ease liquidity for banks is that the government can buy all highly rated securities held by the banks. Every single bank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-aziz-al-ghurair/one-way-to-ease-liquidity-for-banks-is-that-the-government-can-buy/)

[Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-aziz-al-ghurair/)

> [If you are prepared for some risk, junk bonds pay about 5%, but they tend to get whacked when interest rates rise. Same with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/if-you-are-prepared-for-some-risk-junk-bonds-pay-about-5-but-they/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [The credit quality of junk bonds varies widely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/the-credit-quality-of-junk-bonds-varies-widely/)

[Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/)

> [At first glance, Martha Stewart, queen of artfully distressed home furnishings, might not seem to have much in common with Michael R. Milken, one-time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/at-first-glance-martha-stewart-queen-of-artfully-distressed-home/)

[Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/)

> [For my own part, I did not see and did not appreciate what the risks were with securitization, the credit ratings agencies, the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/for-my-own-part-i-did-not-see-and-did-not-appreciate-what-the-risks/)

[Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/)

> [I've had it-the agencies, the winking, the networks, the ratings. Anyone who thinks TV is an art medium is crazy-it's an advertising medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/i-ve-had-it-the-agencies-the-winking-the-networks-the-ratings-anyone/)

[Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/)

> [I - it's simply not for me to evaluate an independent rating agency's processes. But I will say that there was reason to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/i-it-s-simply-not-for-me-to-evaluate-an-independent-rating-agency-s/)

[Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/)

> [I do have very strong, very conflicted feelings about rating systems and social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-do-have-very-strong-very-conflicted-feelings-about-rating-systems/)

[Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/)

> [People have no morals, I swear to God. The things that people do for ratings! It's unforgivable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/people-have-no-morals-i-swear-to-god-the-things-that-people-do-for/)

[Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/)

> [If a man is pictured chopping off a woman's breast, it only gets an R rating; but if, God forbid, a man is pictured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-struthers/if-a-man-is-pictured-chopping-off-a-woman-s-breast-it-only-gets-an-r/)

[Sally Struthers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-struthers/)

> [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [While opponents label (Howard) Dean a throwback liberal, The New York Times recently noted that as governor, Dean cut income taxes, reformed welfare and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/while-opponents-label-howard-dean-a-throwback-liberal-the-new-york/)

[Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/)

## More by Merton Miller

> [... Any pension fund manager who doesn't have the vast majority-and I mean 70% or 80% of his or her portfolio-in passive investments is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/any-pension-fund-manager-who-doesn-t-have-the-vast-majority-and-i/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [My main interest, however, was in economics, not law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/my-main-interest-however-was-in-economics-not-law/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [I should mention that I am a member of the board of directors of Dimensional Fund Advisors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/i-should-mention-that-i-am-a-member-of-the-board-of-directors-of/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [My expertise was in public finance, particularly corporate taxation, since I had worked at the US Treasury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/my-expertise-was-in-public-finance-particularly-corporate-taxation/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [What counts is what you do with your money, not where it came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/what-counts-is-what-you-do-with-your-money-not-where-it-came-from/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [Diversification is your buddy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/diversification-is-your-buddy/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [I can't speak for them, of course, but I believe that most economists would accept the view that, while you sometimes can make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/i-can-t-speak-for-them-of-course-but-i-believe-that-most-economists/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [Everyone recognizes that's a joke because obviously the number and shape of the pieces doesn't affect the size of the pizza. And similarly, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/everyone-recognizes-that-s-a-joke-because-obviously-the-number-and/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [Most people might just as well buy a share of the whole market, which pools all the information, than delude themselves into thinking they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/most-people-might-just-as-well-buy-a-share-of-the-whole-market-which/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [But in practice, if often comes down to not suffering a loss as big as the huge gain you made a while ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/but-in-practice-if-often-comes-down-to-not-suffering-a-loss-as-big-as/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [You only need to make one big score in finance to be a hero forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/you-only-need-to-make-one-big-score-in-finance-to-be-a-hero-forever/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [As an economics undergraduate, I also worked on a part-time basis in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for a company that was advising customers about portfolio decisions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/as-an-economics-undergraduate-i-also-worked-on-a-part-time-basis-in/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [What happened after publication of our paper was that, for the next 40 years, people said, all right, we now know the answer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/what-happened-after-publication-of-our-paper-was-that-for-the-next-40/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [I had some of the students in my finance class actually do some empirical work on capital structures, to see if we could find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/i-had-some-of-the-students-in-my-finance-class-actually-do-some/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

> [My research interests since then have shifted strongly towards the economic and regulatory problems of the financial services industry, and especially of the securities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/my-research-interests-since-then-have-shifted-strongly-towards-the/)

[Merton Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

[Explore all 24 Merton Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/)

## More Customer quotes

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/)

[Michael Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fishman/)

> [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/)

[Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/)

> [The exact details of how you practice value investing will vary investor to investor, but the fundamental principle of scouring the world, looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-tilson/the-exact-details-of-how-you-practice-value-investing-will-vary/)

[Whitney Tilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-tilson/)

> [The best way to hold customers is to constantly figure out how to give them more for less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kotler/the-best-way-to-hold-customers-is-to-constantly-figure-out-how-to/)

[Philip Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kotler/)

> [Perhaps the most important reason to be skeptical of government inflation numbers is that the government, like a fox campaigning to guard a hen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/perhaps-the-most-important-reason-to-be-skeptical-of-government/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Corporations invest in sophisticated CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, programs to effectively oversee their relationship with their customers at every point during the buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ostrofsky/corporations-invest-in-sophisticated-crm-or-customer-relationship/)

[Marc Ostrofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ostrofsky/)

> [I believe confusion is good. Worldwide market leaders gain when there is confusion in the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhash-chandra/i-believe-confusion-is-good-worldwide-market-leaders-gain-when-there/)

[Subhash Chandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhash-chandra/)

> [Damn inflation, full speed ahead,' Greenspan has said in both action and word. I think an investor should believe him and invest accordingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gross/damn-inflation-full-speed-ahead-greenspan-has-said-in-both-action-and/)

[Bill Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gross/)

> [“When companies get big, they devote most of their care and feeding to the business that got them big. This is as it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/when-companies-get-big-they-devote-most-of-their-care-and-feeding-to/)

[Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/)

> [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

[Browse all 9,257 Customer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Junk bonds prove there's nothing magical in a Aaa bond rating.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Merton Miller"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical-in-a-aaa-bond-rating/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Customer"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical-in-a-aaa-bond-rating/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/merton-miller-24401_customer_junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical_1622064.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/merton-miller-24401_customer_junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical_1622064.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/merton-miller-24401_customer_junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical_1622064.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Junk bonds prove there's nothing magical in a Aaa bond rating.” — Merton Miller",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Merton Miller",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merton-miller/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Junk bonds prove there's nothing magical...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical-in-a-aaa-bond-rating/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merton-miller/junk-bonds-prove-there-s-nothing-magical-in-a-aaa-bond-rating/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
