New York, August 20, 2008 -- Correction to program-level credit enhancement information in third
paragraph of Romulus Funding Corporation. Revised release follows:
Moody's ABCP rating actions for the seven-day period ended August
18, 2008
THE FOLLOWING ABCP PROGRAMS WERE RATED PRIME-1 DURING THE PERIOD
AUGUST 12, 2008 THROUGH AUGUST 18, 2008:
MOODY'S ASSIGNS PRIME-1 RATING TO SIX OF BANK OF MONTREAL'S
CANADIAN ABCP PROGRAMS
Moody's has assigned Prime-1 ratings to the Series A, senior
short-term notes issued by each of Canadian Master Trust ("CMT"),
STARS Trust ("STARS"), CARE Trust ("CARE"), Ridge Trust ("Ridge"),
Diversified Trust ("Diversified") and Summit Trust ("Summit"), six
prior review, partially supported, multiseller Canadian asset-backed
commercial paper ("ABCP") programs sponsored by Bank of Montreal ("BMO,"
rated Aa1/Prime-1/B) and administered by BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc.
("BMO NB"), a subsidiary of BMO.
The trusts purchase pools of receivables backed by various types of term
and trade receivables, and fund these assets by issuing various
types of notes, which may be denominated in both Canadian dollars
or U.S. dollars, or through borrowings under loan
agreements with other ABCP conduits.
Complete rating actions are as follows:
(i) Prime-1 rating assigned to the Series A senior short-term
notes issued by CMT;
(ii) Prime-1 rating assigned to the Series A senior short-term
notes issued by STARS;
(iii) Prime-1 rating assigned to the Series A senior short-term
notes issued by CARE;
(iv) Prime-1 rating assigned to the Series A senior short-term
notes issued by Ridge;
(v) Prime-1 rating assigned to the Series A senior short-term
notes issued by Diversified; and
(vi) Prime-1 rating assigned to the Series A senior short-term
notes issued by Summit
The Prime-1 ratings assigned to the Series A notes issued by CMT,
STARS, CARE, Ridge, Diversified and Summit is based
on, among other factors, the following: (i) Moody's
prior review of all transactions to ensure that the asset credit quality
is consistent with the Prime-1 rating assigned to the ABCP;
(ii) program-level liquidity support provided by Prime-1-rated
BMO that will fund for non-defaulted assets; (iii) the experience
and capability of BMO NB as the administrator of the trusts to recommend
new asset purchases, monitor compliance, and ensure the timely
issuance and payment of notes; and (iv) structural protections to
ensure the bankruptcy-remoteness of the trusts.
For further details, please see Moody's press release dated
August 15, 2008.
THE RATINGS OF THE FOLLOWING ABCP PROGRAMS WERE AFFIRMED AT PRIME-1
DURING THE PERIOD AUGUST 12, 2008 THROUGH AUGUST 18, 2008:
SYNDICATE OF PRIME-1-RATED ABCP CONDUITS AMEND INTERESTS
IN AUTO FACILITIES TOTALING $23.8 BILLION
A syndicate of banks has renewed its participation in auto facilities
totaling $23.8 billion. The facilities include an
$11 billion auto loan facility, a $6.5 billion
dealer floorplan facility, and two auto lease facilities totaling
$6.3 billion established for a non-investment-grade-rated
financial services firm in the automotive industry. Each participating
bank has taken a pro rata share in each of the four facilities,
while the conduits themselves have added interests in some or all of the
facilities.
The retail loan and dealer floor plan facilities are Aaa-rated,
while the two lease facilities are unrated. The retail loan facility
benefits from 15.75% transaction-specific credit
enhancement in the form of overcollateralization and a reserve account,
and is subject to a 2.5% minimum excess spread. The
dealer floorplan facility has 16.5% transaction-specific
enhancement, provided by a combination of overcollateralization
and subordination. Additionally, the facility benefits from
a newly established 1.75% reserve account. Transaction-specific
credit enhancement for the two lease facilities is in the form of overcollateralization,
subordination, and a cash reserve. The first lease facility
has 36% in total enhancements, while the second facility
has 25.9%.
The liquidity facility for each participating conduit is sized at 102%
of its respective commitment, and funds for non-defaulted
assets and estimated recoveries in most cases.
The following Prime-1-rated ABCP conduits participated in
the facilities:
JPMorgan's conduits have a combined interest of $1.95
billion.
Societe Generale's Barton Capital, LLC has a $1.52
billion commitment and its program-level enhancement remains at
8% of the invested amount for the lease facilities.
ABN AMRO's Amsterdam Funding Corp. and Windmill Funding
Corp. have a combined commitment of $1.88 billion.
The program-level enhancement for each conduit remains at 8%
of purchase commitments for the lease facilities.
The Bank of Nova Scotia's Liberty Street Funding LLC has an $869.8
million interest and its program-level credit enhancement remains
at 10% of purchase commitments for the lease facilities.
Barclays Bank's Sheffield Receivables Corp. has a $1.74
billion commitment and its program-level credit enhancement remains
at 10% of purchase commitments for the lease facilities.
BLB's Giro Balanced Funding Corp. has a $260 million
commitment and its program-level credit enhancement remains at
10% of purchase commitments for the lease facilities.
BNP Paribas' Starbird Funding Corp. has a $1.56
billion commitment and its program-level credit enhancement remains
at 8% of purchase commitments for the lease facilities.
Credit Suisse's Alpine Securitization Corp. has a $456
million commitment.
Deutsche Bank's Gemini Securitization Funding Corp. has
an $863.6 million interest in the retail loan facility,
Monterey Funding LLC has a $435.2 million interest in the
dealer floorplan facility, and Riverside Funding LLC has a $477.8
million interest in the lease facilities. Riverside Funding's
program-level enhancement remains at 8% of purchase limits
for the lease facilities.
HSBC's Bryant Park Funding and Regency Markets No. 1 LLC
have a combined commitment of $1.74 billion. Bryant
Park's program-level enhancement remains at 8% of
outstanding ABCP issued for the lease facilities and Regency Markets'
program-level enhancement remains at 5% of outstanding ABCP
issued for the lease facilities.
NordLB's Hannover Funding Corp. has a $696 million
commitment, which is fully supported by a liquidity facility provided
by Prime-1-rated NordLB.
Lloyds TSB Bank Plc's Cancara Asset Securitisation Limited has
a $689.5 million commitment and its program-level
credit enhancement remains at 5% of purchase commitments.
Natixis' Versailles Assets LLC has a $1.04
billion interest and its program-level credit enhancement remains
at 10% of outstanding ABCP issued for the lease facilities.
PNC Bank's Market Street Funding LLC has a $434.9
million commitment and its program-level credit enhancement remains
at 10% of purchase commitments for the lease facilities.
Royal Bank of Canada's Old Line Funding, LLC and Thunder
Bay Funding, LLC have combined commitments of $1.348
billion. The program-level enhancement for each conduit
remains at 10% of outstanding ABCP issued for all facilities.
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc's Thames Asset Global Securitization
No. 1, Inc. ("TAGS") LLC has a $941 million
interest and its program-level credit enhancement remains at 5%
of outstanding ABCP issued with respect to this transaction.
Other non-conduit lenders provided the remaining commitments.
INTESA SANPAOLO'S ROMULUS FUNDING CORPORATION ADDS EURO 157 MILLION TRADE
RECEIVABLES TRANSACTION
Romulus Funding Corporation ("Romulus"), a partially
supported, hybrid ABCP conduit sponsored and administered by Intesa
Sanpaolo Spa ("Intesa," rated Aa2/Prime-1/B-),
has added a Euro 157 million trade receivables transaction to its portfolio.
In this transaction, Romulus lends its CP proceeds to finance the
purchase of receivablesoriginated by an Italian company operating in the
telecommunication systems and networks industry. This transaction
is fully supported by a combination of credit insurance provided by Coface
Assicurzioni SpA (Aa3 insurance financial strength rating) and a junior
loan provided by Intesa Sanpaolo London branch (Aa2/Prime-1/B-).
Investors also benefit from structural protections in the transaction
such as a cease CP issuance if Coface Assicurazioni SpA is downgraded
below A1 by Moody's and a CP tenor limitation of 60 days.
A liquidity facility is provided by Prime-1-rated Intesa
Sanpaolo Spa.
With this transaction, Romulus' programme-level credit enhancement
was increased by 8% of the purchase commitment. Romulus
is authorized to issue up to Euro 1.2 billion of ABCP.
For a more detailed description of these ABCP programs, see Moody's
website: www.moodys.com.
New York
Everett Rutan
Senior Vice President
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
New York
Jesse DeSalvo
Senior Associate
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Correction to Text, August 20, 2008 Release: Moody's ABCP rating actions ending August 18, 2008