MOODY'S ANNOUNCES RATING IMPACT OF THE JDA METHODOLOGY FOR SUB-SOVEREIGN GRIs IN THE AMERICAS AND IN THE EMEA REGION
New York, June 30, 2005 -- Moody's Investors Service published today the results of an examination
of the ratings of sub-sovereign entities in the Americas and in
the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) in light of
the introduction of its new rating methodology for government-related
issuers ("GRIs"). Sub-sovereign GRIs include
universities, housing associations, municipal lenders and
several other types of government-mandated bodies.
In April 2005, Moody's published a Rating Methodology report,
entitled "The Application of Joint-Default Analysis (JDA)
to Government-Related Issuers". The new methodology
formally disaggregates the ratings of GRIs into four components:
(i) an assessment of the GRI's baseline credit risk, (ii)
the default risk of the supporting government, (iii) the default
dependence between the GRI and the government, and (iv) the expected
level of support from the government.
Below is a list of all sub-sovereign GRIs in the Americas and the
EMEA region affected by the new rating methodology, including the
rating changes resulting from the application of the methodology.
For a discussion of how Moody's evaluates sub-sovereign GRIs
in practice, please refer to Moody's Special Comment entitled
"Rating Sub-sovereign GRIs in the Americas and the EMEA Region",
also published today. The special comment also outlines the ranges
of inputs and rating outcomes for every sub-sovereign GRI in the
Americas and the EMEA region by country. Inputs for each GRI are
as follows:
- Baseline credit assessment, on a scale of 1 (lowest credit
risk) to 6 (highest credit risk)
- Local currency bond rating of the supporting government (as published
by Moody's)
- Dependence, expressed as low, medium or high
- Support, expressed as low, medium or high
The following list outlines ratings affirmed, upgraded, or
downgraded following the application of the GRI rating methodology.
The rated entity is listed with the rated class of debt, and the
final rating outcome and rating outlook.
RATINGS AFFIRMED WITH NO CHANGE IN RATING OUTLOOK:
Austria
-ASFINAG (Autobahnen-Und Schnellstrassen Finanzierungs )
-- Backed Senior Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency) --
Aaa/STA
-BIG (Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.)
-- Issuer Rating and Senior Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency)
-- Aaa/STA
Canada
-The 55 School Board Trust -- Senior Secured (domestic currency)
-- Aa2/STA
-Alberta Capital Finance Authority -- Backed Senior Unsecured
(domestic currency) -- Aaa/STA
-ATB Financial (Alberta Treasury Branches) -- Issuer Rating
(domestic currency) and Backed Deposit Notes -- Aaa/STA
-Financement- Quebec -- Backed Senior Unsecured (domestic
and foreign currency) and Issuer Rating -- A1/POS
-MFABC (Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia) --
Senior Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency) -- Aaa/STA
-Ontario School Boards Financing Corporation -- Senior Unsecured
(domestic currency) -- Aa3/STA
-Ontario Strategic Infrastructure Financing Authority (OSIFA) --
Senior Unsecured (domestic currency) and Issuer Rating (domestic currency)
-- Aa2/STA
-Immobiliere SHQ -- Backed Senior Unsecured (domestic currency)
-- Aaa/STA
-University of Ottawa -- Senior Unsecured (domestic currency)
-- Aa2/STA
Denmark
-KommuneKredit -- Senior Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency)
and Issuer Rating -- Aaa/STA
Finland
-Municipal Guarantee Board (MGB) -- Issuer Rating --
Aaa/STA
-Municipality Finance Plc (Municipality Finance Plc) -- Backed
Senior Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency) and Issuer Rating --
Aaa/STA
France
-Caisse Nationale des Autoroutes (C.N.A.)
-- Senior Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency) and Issuer Rating
-- Aaa/STA
-Caisse d'amortissement de la dette Sociale (CADES) -- Senior
Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency) -- Aaa/STA
-Regie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) -- Senior
Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency) -- Aaa/STA
-Union Nationale pour l'emploi dans Industrie du Commerce (UNEDIC)
-- Commercial Paper -- P-1
-Union Nationale pour l'emploi dans Industrie du Commerce (UNEDIC)
-- Backed Senior Unsecured (domestic currency) -- Aaa/STA
Ireland
-Housing Finance Agency p.l.c. (HFA) --
Backed Commercial Paper -- P-1
Mexico
-OPDM de Tlalnepantla -- Issuer Rating (domestic currency)
-- B1/NEG
-Sistema Intermunicipal de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado (SIAPA)
-- Issuer Rating (domestic currency) -- Ba2/STA
Netherlands
-Waarborgfonds Sociale Woningbouw (WSW) -- Issuer Rating --
Aaa/STA
Norway
-Kommunalbanken (Kommunalbanken A/S) -- Senior Unsecured (domestic
and foreign currency) and Issuer Rating -- Aaa/STA
South Africa
-Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC) --
Issuer Rating (foreign currency) -- Baa1/STA
Sweden
-Kommuninvest i Sverige Aktiebolag -- Senior Unsecured (domestic
and foreign currency) and Issuer Rating -- Aaa/STA
RATINGS AFFIRMED; RATING OUTLOOK CHANGED FROM STABLE TO POSITIVE
Canada
-McGill University -- Senior Unsecured (domestic currency)
-- Aa2/POS
-Concordia University -- Senior Unsecured (domestic currency)
-- A1/POS
RATINGS AFFIRMED; RATING OUTLOOK CHANGED FROM NEGATIVE TO STABLE
Canada
-University of Toronto -- Senior Unsecured (domestic currency)
and Issuer Rating -- Aa1/STA
RATINGS UPGRADED; WITH NO CHANGE IN RATING OUTLOOK:
Belgium
-Societe Publique de Gestion de L'eau SA (SPGE) -- Issuer
Rating (foreign currency) -- Aa3/STA
Canada
-Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (GVTA) -- Issuer
Rating (domestic currency) -- Aa3/STA
-Simon Fraser University -- Senior Unsecured (domestic currency)
-- Aa2/STA
-University of British Columbia -- Senior Unsecured (domestic
currency) and Issuer Rating -- Aa1/STA
-University of Quebec a Montreal (UQAM) -- Senior Unsecured
LT debt (domestic currency) -- A1/POS
Mexico
-SIDEAPA (SIDEAPA, Durango) -- Issuer Rating (domestic
currency) -- B1/STA
Spain
-Consorcio de Transportes de Bizcaya -- Issuer Rating (foreign
currency) -- Aa2/STA
United Kingdom
-North British Housing Limited -- Issuer Rating (domestic
currency) -- Aa2/STA
-Sanctuary Housing Association -- Issuer Rating (domestic
currency) -- Aa2/STA
-Shaftesbury Housing Association -- Issuer Rating (domestic
currency) -- Aa3/STA
RATING LOWERED WITH NO CHANGE IN RATING OUTLOOK
Canada
-University of Ontario Institute of Technology -- Senior Unsecured
(domestic currency) -- A3/STA
New York
Yves Lemay
Managing Director
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
New York
Jerome S. Fons
Managing Director
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653