$84 million of debt affected. Long-term ratings based on joint support from Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and letter of credit provider, RBS Citizens, N.A.
New York, May 07, 2013 -- Moody's Investors Service has affirmed Aa3/VMIG 2 joint support letter
of credit backed ratings of the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency
Variable Rate Demand Revenue Bonds, Franklin W. Olin College
of Engineering Issue, Series 2008C-2 and 2008C-3 (the
Bonds).
SUMMARY RATING RATIONALE
Moody's has reviewed documentation submitted to us in connection
with the partial refunding of the Bonds. Each Series of the Bonds
is supported by a separate letter of credit provided by RBS Citizens,
N.A. (the Bank). The trustee shall draw on such letters
of credit on May 9, 2013 in order to fund the redemption of $19,000,000
Series 2008 C-2 Bonds and $19,000,000 Series
2008 C-3 Bonds on May 16, 2013. Franklin W.
Olin College of Engineering (the College) will issue Massachusetts Development
Finance Agency Revenue Bonds, Olin College Issue, Series 2013
D, a portion of which will be used to reimburse the Bank for the
draws on the letters of credit.
The long-term ratings of the Bonds continue to be based on joint
default analyses (JDA) which reflects Moody's approach to rating jointly
supported transactions. The JDA ratings are based upon the long-term
rating of the Bank as provider of the letters of credit, the rating
of the College and the structure and legal protections of the transaction
which provide for timely debt service payments to investors.
The short-term ratings of the Bonds, which reflect Moody's
expectations with respect to timely payment of purchase price, remain
VMIG 2. The short-term ratings of the Bonds are based solely
upon the short-term rating of the Bank as provider of the letters
of credit. Moody's rates the Bank's long-term
other senior obligations (OSO) A3 and short-term OSO P-2.
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATINGS UP
Long-Term: The long-term JDA ratings of the Bonds
could be upgraded if Moody's were to upgrade either the long-term
OSO rating of the Bank or the long-term underlying rating of the
Bonds.
Short-Term: The short-term rating of the Bonds would
be upgraded if Moody's were to upgrade the short-term OSO
rating of the Bank.
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATINGS DOWN
Long-Term: The long-term JDA ratings of the Bonds
could be lowered if Moody's were to downgrade the long-term
OSO rating of the Bank or the long-term underlying rating of the
Bonds, or if the level of default dependence between the Bank and
the College were to increase.
Short-Term: The short-term rating of the Bonds would
be downgraded if Moody's were to downgrade the short-term
OSO rating of the Bank.
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY USED
The principal methodology used in this rating was Rating Transactions
Based on the Credit Substitution Approach: Letter of Credit-backed,
Insured and Guaranteed Debts published in March 2013. Please see
the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this
methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings
are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's
rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the
support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive
rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt,
in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed
prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would
have affected the rating. For further information please see the
ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this rating action, and
whose ratings may change as a result of this rating action, the
associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Michael J Loughlin
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Public Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Thomas Vincent Jacobs
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Public Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's affirms Aa3/VMIG 2 joint support enhanced ratings of Massachusetts Development Finance Agency Variable Rate Demand Revenue Bonds, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Issue, Series 2008C-2 and 2008C-3