Paris, June 27, 2012 -- Moody's Investors Service has today changed to stable from positive
the outlook on the Baa3 long-term ratings of Adecco S.A.
and its guaranteed subsidiaries.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The stabilisation of the outlook follows the company's announcement
of a EUR400 million share buyback programme, expected to start in
mid-July 2012," says Knut Slatten, an Analyst
in Moody's Corporate Finance Group and lead analyst for Adecco.
The programme, which will be funded with incremental debt,
occurs at a time when Adecco is facing an increasingly challenging operating
environment in some of its key markets, exemplified by the 10%
decline in organic growth the company recorded in France --
its largest market -- during the first quarter of 2012,
though to some extent offset by increases in other geographies.
"We would expect the uncertain economic climate to exert pressure
on Adecco's profit margins for the remainder of the year and,
together with the announced share buybacks, contribute to an increase
in its net debt, preventing the company from reaching the thresholds
set for an upgrade in the near term," adds Mr. Slatten.
Adecco's Baa3 rating continues to be supported by (i) the company's
scale as one of the world's largest staffing companies; (ii)
its brand strength and globally diversified network; and (iii) the
solid cash flow generation it delivers. However, these positive
factors are mitigated by the company's highly competitive industry
environment and cyclicality of operations. Moody's cautions
that the uncertain macroeconomic outlook in several of Adecco's
key markets is contributing to relatively low visibility in terms of its
future performance and the company may be vulnerable to an intensified
downturn in the economy.
The stable outlook reflects Moody's expectation that Adecco's
credit metrics will weaken in 2012 on the back of a challenging operating
environment in several key markets in Europe that is only partly mitigated
by stronger performance elsewhere. However, Moody's
takes comfort from Adecco's ability to generate strong free cash
flows and considers the company to be solidly positioned in the Baa3 category.
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING UP/DOWN
As well as being dependent on the evolution of the macro-economy,
the trajectory of Adecco's improvement in 2013 will be determined
by its financial policy, including the pace at which the company
executes its share buyback programme. Upward rating pressure could
develop if Adecco's credit metrics were to improve such that the
company's debt/EBITDA ratio moves below 2.5x and its ratio
for retained cash flow (RCF)/net debt were to exceed 30% on a sustainable
basis. In addition, for upward rating pressure to develop,
Moody's would also expect Adecco to maintain a sufficient liquidity
cushion to cover its operating needs at least over a one-year horizon
and deal with any potential refinancing in a timely manner.
Conversely, negative rating pressure would increase if debt/EBITDA
were to move above 4.0x on a sustainable basis.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Global Business &
Consumer Service Industry Rating Industry Methodology published in October
2010. Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Based in Zurich, Switzerland, Adecco is one of the world's
largest personnel services company, with revenues of EUR20.5
billion in 2011. The company had a global network of more than
5,500 branches in more than 60 countries at year-end 2011.
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Knut Slatten
Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's France SAS
96 Boulevard Haussmann
Paris 75008
France
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Eric de Bodard
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
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Releasing Office:
Moody's France SAS
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Moody's changes outlook on Adecco's Baa3 rating to stable from positive