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Rating Action:

MOODY'S LOWERS TO Aa2/B+ FROM Aa1/A THE LONG-TERM RATINGS AND FINANCIAL STRENGTH RATING OF HALIFAX plc AND CONFIRMS AT Aa2 THE RATING OF HALIFAX GROUP plc. BANK OF SCOTLAND'S LONG TERM RATINGS ARE RAISED TO Aa2/B+ FROM Aa3/B. HBOS, THE NEWLY-CREATED HOLDI

26 Sep 2001
MOODY'S LOWERS TO Aa2/B+ FROM Aa1/A THE LONG-TERM RATINGS AND FINANCIAL STRENGTH RATING OF HALIFAX plc AND CONFIRMS AT Aa2 THE RATING OF HALIFAX GROUP plc. BANK OF SCOTLAND'S LONG TERM RATINGS ARE RAISED TO Aa2/B+ FROM Aa3/B. HBOS, THE NEWLY-CREATED HOLDI

London, 26 September 2001 -- Moody's lowered to Aa2/B+ from Aal/A the long-term ratings and the financial strength rating of Halifax plc and confirmed at Aa2 the issuer rating of Halifax Group plc. At the same time the ratings on Bank of Scotland were raised to Aa2/B+ from Aa3/B. Moody's also assigned an issuer rating of Aa2 to HBOS, the newly-created holding company for Halifax and Bank of Scotland.

Moody's expects to complete shortly its rating review for possible downgrade on Clerical Medical Investment Group (rated Aa2 for insurance financial strength and A for bank financial strength). Clerical Medical is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Halifax Group. The ratings of Bank of Western Australia, in which Bank of Scotland holds a 56% share, also remain on review for possible upgrade.

Moody's said that the Aa2/B+ ratings of Halifax plc and Bank of Scotland reflect the strengths of the financial group which the merger has created, including the diversity and value of its various business lines; and they also reflect the challenges which the HBOS group will face over the medium term in implementing its post merger strategy. These challenges exist both internally, as the two banks integrate their operations, and externally, as the try to extend their franchise into areas already dominated by the large UK banks.

In the case of Halifax plc, Moody's decision was additionally driven by the challenges which the bank will face in executing its ambitious strategy to extend and leverage the business banking expertise of Bank of Scotland through its own distribution network in England. This network is currently focussed primarily on the provision of retail financial services. The rating agency noted that about half of the expected financial benefits of the merger are budgeted to arise from business and corporate banking and treasury. Moody's added that Halifax has displayed declining profitability in its mortgage and savings business in the UK, which still accounts for about half of the bank's operating income, despite continued and successful efforts to diversify its business. This was already underpinning a negative outlook on Halifax's ratings. In the case of Bank of Scotland, Moody's said that the new ratings are also driven by the opportunity which the merger provides for the bank to extend its operations in England, to benefit from Halifax's retail expertise and the stronger funding profile which is expected to arise through being part of the HBOS group.

Moody's noted that HBOS and its constituent banks could strengthen further their already healthy fundamentals over the medium term if the merger strategy is successfully implemented and the growth opportunities which are envisaged do indeed come to fruition. In this context, the rating agency noted that it continues to view HBOS as one of the strongest and most profitable providers of retail financial services in Europe.

The decision to rate Halifax Group plc and HBOS, the group's holding companies, at the same level as the operating banks reflects the diversification of revenues flowing into both those companies.

The following rating actions were taken:

Halifax plc: long-term deposits and senior debt to Aa2 from Aa1; subordinated debt and junior subordinated debt to Aa3 from Aa2. Bank financial strength rating to B+ from A.

Halifax Group plc: issuer rating confirmed at Aa2. Junior subordinated debt confirmed at Aa3.

Halifax Group Sterling Finance (Jersey) L.P.: preferred stock confirmed at A1.

Halifax Group Euro Finance (Jersey) L.P.: preferred stock confirmed at A1.

Bank of Scotland plc: long-term deposits and senior debt to Aa2 from Aa3; subordinated and junior subordinated debt to Aa3 from A1; and preferred stock to A1 from A2. Bank Financial Strength to B+ from B.

Bank of Scotland Treasury Services plc: backed senior debt to Aa2 from Aa3.

Scotland International Finance No.2 B.V.: backed subordinated debt to Aa3 from A1.

BOS International (Australia) Ltd: backed senior debt to Aa2 from Aa3.

Bank of Scotland Capital Funding L.P.: preferred stock to A1 from A2.

The registered office and corporate headquarters of the HBOS Group are in Edinburgh, Scotland. At the end of June 2001, Halifax Group had assets of GBP201bn (EUR322bn). Bank of Scotland had assets of GBP86bn (EUR138bn) at the end of February 2001.

London
Andrew Cunningham
Senior Vice President
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
44 20 7772 5454

London
Henry MacNevin
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
44 20 7772 5454

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