London, 26 November 2012 -- Moody's has today affirmed the B1 rating of Albania. The
outlook remains stable.
Today's affirmation reflects the following key factors:
(1) Albania's economic resiliency throughout the financial and euro
area debt crises as well as an improvement in its institutional capacity,
mainly driven by its progression in the EU accession process.
(2) The credit constraints arising from high debt levels relative to its
peers and uncertainties regarding the country's medium-term
strategy for fiscal consolidation and debt reduction; part of this
uncertainty stems from the upcoming parliamentary elections in 2013.
RATIONALE FOR AFFIRMING THE B1 RATING
The affirmation of Albania's B1 rating is based on the relative
resiliency of economic growth to the financial and euro area crises,
despite the small size and lack of diversification of its economy.
Moody's notes, however, that growth has decelerated
more recently and will remain subdued over the medium term given the removal
of government's fiscal stimulus and the re-balancing of the
economy towards exports in the context of poor growth prospects in Europe.
Moody's expects that progress within the EU accession process should
continue to drive improvements in the country's institutional capacity.
The assessment of Albania's institutional strength remains currently
low primarily reflecting the country's still poor ranking in terms
of the rule of law and the government's effectiveness (as calculated
by the World Bank).
While Moody's recognises this economic resiliency and institution
building, the country's rating is constrained by high debt
levels and the relatively short-term maturity structure.
Moreover, its fiscal flexibility both in terms of expenditure and
revenue appears limited. Although it may regain some financial
room in the course of next year, Moody's notes that uncertainties
remain regarding the execution of the country's medium-term
fiscal consolidation and debt-reduction plan, particularly
as it pertains to the potential privatisation of oil company, Albpetrol,
which would represent a major source of revenue. These uncertainties
are only likely to be clarified after the parliamentary elections scheduled
for Spring next year.
RATIONALE FOR MAINTAINING THE STABLE OUTLOOK
The stable outlook on the Albania's bond rating reflects a balance of
upside and downside risks. While the EC's recent decision
to recommend granting Albania candidate status under conditions is credit
positive, high debt burden and uncertainties surrounding the fiscal
consolidation plan constrain the rating. In the months following
the elections, Moody's will assess whether these uncertainties remain
and whether the rating outlook remains appropriate.
WHAT COULD MOVE THE RATING UP/DOWN
Although the government is addressing the economy's structural problems,
more substantial progress would be needed before Moody's considers
a ratings upgrade. Improvements in institution building --
including judicial efficiency and success in the tackling of corruption
-- would be beneficial, as such shortcomings hamper
investment. A fiscal plan placing the debt ratios on a downward
trajectory in the medium term would also be a source of positive pressure
on the rating.
Albania is currently at the top of the rating range as indicated by our
sovereign bond rating methodology. Failure to execute its planned
reform programme (both economic and institutional) could exert downward
pressure on the rating. More immediately, a failure to secure
fiscal consolidation and to contain debt growth over the medium term could
exert downward pressure on the rating.
COUNTRY CEILINGS
Moody's has today revised both country ceilings for local-currency
debt and deposits to Ba1 from respectively A3 and Baa1 previously.
The ceiling for foreign-currency bonds has also been reassessed
to Ba2 from Ba1 previously. The ceiling for foreign-currency
deposits remains B2.
Moody's Local Currency Country Risk Ceilings determine the maximum
credit rating achievable in local currency for a debt issuer domiciled
in that country or for a structured note whose cash flows are generated
from domestic assets or residents. Moody's foreign-currency
country ceilings generally set the highest rating possible in a given
country by denoting the risk that a government would interfere with a
domiciled debtor's repayment of its foreign-currency-denominated
bonds (the Foreign Currency Bond Ceiling) and deposits (the Foreign Currency
Deposit Ceiling).
The principal methodology used in this rating was Sovereign Bond Ratings
published in September 2008. 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 relevant 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 relevant 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 relevant 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.
Moody's considers the quality of information available on the rated
entity, obligation or credit satisfactory for the purposes of issuing
a rating.
Moody's adopts all necessary measures so that the information it
uses in assigning a rating is of sufficient quality and from sources Moody's
considers to be reliable including, when appropriate, independent
third-party sources. However, Moody's is not
an auditor and cannot in every instance independently verify or validate
information received in the rating process.
Please see Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions on the Rating
Process page on www.moodys.com for further information on
the meaning of each rating category and the definition of default and
recovery.
Please see ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for the last rating action and the rating history. The date on
which some ratings were first released goes back to a time before Moody's
ratings were fully digitized and accurate data may not be available.
Consequently, Moody's provides a date that it believes is
the most reliable and accurate based on the information that is available
to it. Please see the ratings disclosure page on our website www.moodys.com
for further information.
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.
Lucie Villa
Analyst
Sovereign Risk Group
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5FA
United Kingdom
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Bart Oosterveld
MD - Sovereign Risk
Sovereign Risk Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5FA
United Kingdom
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Moody's affirms Albania's B1 rating with stable outlook