MOODY'S RATES CHASE'S SUBPRIME MORTGAGE SECURITIZATION
Approximately $1.1 Billion of Asset Backed Securities Rated.
New York, September 11, 2003 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned the rating of Aaa to the Class
IA and Class IIA certificates issued in the Chase Funding Trust,
Series 2003-4 securitization. Moody's has also assigned
ratings ranging from Aa2 to Baa2 to the mezzanine and subordinate certificate
classes of the deal. Moody's said that the loans underlying the
transaction are of above-average credit quality for the subprime
sector.
According to Moody's Vice President Denise Person, the ratings are
based primarily on the credit enhancement in the transaction, which
consists of subordination, overcollateralization, and excess
spread. Ms. Person also noted that the ratings are based
on the structure of the transaction and the experience of Chase Manhattan
Mortgage Corporation (Chase) and its affiliates as originators of subprime
mortgage loans and Chase as servicer of subprime mortgage loans.
The Group I (fixed-rate) loan characteristics are better than average
for the subprime mortgage market due primarily to the favorable weighted
average LTV of 74% and comparatively favorable weighted average
FICO of 644. The pool is diversified geographically; the three
largest state concentrations are California (29%), Florida
(14%) and New York (10%). Overall, the current
fixed-rate pool has a similar credit profile to that of Chase's
most recent issuance (Series 2003-3).
The Group II (adjustable-rate) pool is also better than the average
adjustable-rate subprime loan pool, primarily due to the
weighted average LTV (78%). The adjustable-rate pool
is also diversified geographically with California (20%),
New York (8%), FL (7%), and MI (7%) comprising
the largest state concentrations. The weighted average FICO (610)
is average for subprime ARM pools and is comparable to those in previous
Chase deals. Overall, the credit quality of the adjustable-rate
pool is comparable with that of their recent transactions.
Lastly, Ms. Person added that both pools greatly benefit
from the lending experience of Chase's subprime operations. In
fact, Chase's securitized subprime pools, as measured by delinquency
and losses, have performed significantly better than that of the
average subprime pool represented by data included in Moody's Home Equity
Index. Similar performance is expected from this transaction.
The complete rating actions are as follows:
Seller: Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation
Issuer: Chase Funding Trust, Series 2003-4
$195,500,000, Adj. Rate, Class IA-1,
Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aaa
$ 75,800,000, 2.138%, Class
IA-2, Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aaa
$121,200,000, 2.734%, Class
IA-3, Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aaa
$100,600,000, 4.045%, Class
IA-4, Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aaa
$ 91,550,000, 5.416%, Class
IA-5, Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aaa
$ 65,000,000, 4.429%, Class
IA-6, Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aaa
$ 23,075,000, 5.159%, Class
IM-1, Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aa2
$ 17,750,000, 5.477%, Class
IM-2, Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated A2
$ 15,620,000, 6.150%, Class
IB, Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Baa2
$132,900,000, Adj. Rate, Class IIA-1,
Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aaa
$217,100,000, Adj. Rate, Class IIA-1,
Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Aaa
$ 21,400,000, Adj. Rate, Class IIM-1,
Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4 rated Aa2
$ 15,000,000, Adj. Rate, Class IIM-2,
Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated A2
$ 9,000,000, Adj. Rate, Class IIB,
Mtg Loan Asset-Backed Certs, Series 2003-4,
rated Baa2
The loans will be serviced by Chase (a wholly owned indirect subsidiary
of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., rated A1/P-1
by Moody's), considered a highly capable servicer of subprime mortgage
loans. As of March 31, 2003, the Chase Subprime Securitized
Servicing Portfolio included approximately 73,717 mortgage loans
serviced, representing an aggregate outstanding balance of approximately
$8.4 billion.
Additional information, including a New Issue Report, will
be available on http://www.moodys.com.
New York
Jay A. Siegel
Managing Director
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
New York
Denise Person
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653