Restrictions on debt regulate the issue of additional debt. Maximum acceptable debt usage ratios (sometimes called leverage ratios or gearing ratios) and minimum acceptable interest coverage ratios are frequently specified, permitting new debt to be issued only when justified by the issuer’s financial condition.

Negative pledges prevent the issuance of debt that would be senior to or rank in priority ahead of the existing bondholders’ debt.

Restrictions on prior claims protect unsecured bondholders by preventing the issuer from using assets that are not collateralized (called unencumbered assets) to become collateralized.

Restrictions on distributions to shareholders restrict dividends and other payments to shareholders such as share buy-backs (repurchases). The restriction typically operates by reference to the borrower’s profitability; that is, the covenant sets a base date, usually at or near the time of the issue, and permits dividends and share buy-backs only to the extent of a set percentage of earnings or cumulative earnings after that date.

Restrictions on asset disposals set a limit on the amount of assets that can be disposed by the issuer during the bond’s life. The limit on cumulative disposals is typically set as a percentage of a company’s gross assets. The usual intent is to protect bondholder claims by preventing a break-up of the company.

Restrictions on investments constrain risky investments by blocking speculative investments. The issuer is essentially forced to devote its capital to its going-concern business. A companion covenant may require the issuer to stay in its present line of business.

Restrictions on mergers and acquisitions prevent these actions unless the company is the surviving company or unless the acquirer delivers a supplemental indenture to the trustee expressly assuming the old bonds and terms of the old indenture. These requirements effectively prevent a company from avoiding its obligations to bondholders by selling out to another company.