New York, November 05, 2012 --
Moody's Rating
Issue: Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes, Fiscal Series 2013C;
Rating: MIG 2; Sale Amount: $2,600,000,000;
Expected Sale Date: 11/15/2012; Rating Description: Note:
Tax and/or Revenue Anticipation
Opinion
Moody's Investors Service has assigned a MIG 2 rating to the State of
New Jersey's $2.6 billion Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes,
Series Fiscal 2013C. Proceeds of the notes, scheduled for
sale on November 15, will fund seasonal cash-flow imbalances
in the General Fund and the Property Tax Relief Fund (PTRF) and redeem
notes sold privately to an investment bank earlier this fiscal year.
The new notes are fixed-rate obligations payable from General Fund
and PTRF amounts attributable to fiscal 2013 and legally available.
These notes do not carry the state's general obligation pledge.
SUMMARY RATING RATIONALE
The second-highest note rating indicates a strong short-term
credit quality, based on New Jersey's long history of successful,
annual cash-flow borrowings, conservative forecasting,
cash-management requirements embedded in the legal documents,
executive authority to withhold expenditures of funds appropriated for
other purposes and the availability of borrowable resources outside the
state's operating funds. The state's liquidity,
however, has declined in recent years. Available resources
outside the general fund are lower than they have been in advance of any
New Jersey note sale in the past five years, and the state's
projected year-end cash balance has also declined substantially
from the level anticipated a year ago. This leaves the state a
narrow margin for error in the event that projected revenues fall short,
or if expenditures escalate. The rating was based on cash-flow
projections devised prior to Hurricane Sandy, and the state has
not revised its projections since the disaster. The state may face
increased pressures as it recovers, and the rating captures the
potential for modest reductions in the state's projected ending
balance or need for issuance of notes on parity with the current issue.
Bond documents include provisions for advance set-asides of funds
for principal and interest repayment, but the final set-aside
is required to be made only the day before the notes' maturity.
New Jersey has a long-term, general obligation rating of
Aa3 with a stable outlook. The rating on the current issue will
not necessarily be linked to any potential changes in the state's
long-term rating.
STRENGTHS
-- Contractual obligation to monitor liquidity and set aside
funds for repayment before maturity
-- Some additional liquidity expected outside the General
Fund and PTRF
-- Record of successful short-term borrowing and
strong cash-management procedures
CHALLENGES
--Declining liquidity indicated by reduced projected funds
available after note repayment and lower aggregate balance of other available
funds
-- Receipts year-to-date are somewhat below
budget and could pressure liquidity if the trend continues
-- Final note repayment set-aside is only one day
before maturity
WHAT COULD MAKE THE RATING GO UP
--Significant revenue over-performance in the next
few months, leading to much improved projected ending balances
WHAT COULD MAKE THE RATING GO DOWN
-- Further revenue underperformance, without being
offset by expenditure reduction, causing the state to delay certain
payments across fiscal years
-- Sizable mid-year gaps and cash imbalances appearing
later in the year without action taken by the state to address them
RATING METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in this rating was Short-Term Cash
Flow Notes published in May 2007. Please see the Credit Policy
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
The Global Scale Credit Ratings on this press release that are issued
by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU are endorsed by Moody's
Investors Service Ltd., One Canada Square, Canary Wharf,
London E 14 5FA, UK, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's
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the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Edward Hampton
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
Emily Raimes
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 assigns MIG 2 rating to New Jersey's $2.6 billion of Tax and Revenue Anticipation Notes, Series Fiscal 2013C