MOODY'S RATES SOUTH CAROLINA STUDENT LOAN CORPORATION'S EDUCATION LOAN REVENUE BONDS Aaa
Approximately $1.25 Billion of Asset-Backed Securities Rated.
New York, May 25, 2001 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned the ratings of Aaa to the Education
Loan Revenue Bonds, 2001 Series issued by the South Carolina Student
Loan Corporation. In conjunction with the sale of the 2001 Series
Bonds, Moody's has assigned the ratings of Aaa to the outstanding
1996 Series A-2, 1996 Series A-3, 1997 Series
A-2, 1997 Series A-3, 1998 Series A-1,
1998 Series A-2, 1999 Series, 2000 Series L,
and 2000 Series CP Bonds. All bonds have been issued the South
Carolina Student Loan Corporation pursuant to a General Resolution,
adopted June 7, 1996, and will be secured by the same underlying
pool of student loans as the 2001 Series Bonds.
The complete rating action is as follows:
$200,000,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 2001
Series L Bonds, rated Aaa
$200,000,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 2001
Series CP Bonds, rated Aaa
$31,808,815 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 1996
Series A-2 Bonds, rated Aaa
$85,000,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 1996
Series A-3 Bonds, rated Aaa
$154,593,526 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 1997
Series A-2 Bonds, rated Aaa
$80,000,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 1997
Series A-3 Bonds, rated Aaa
$105,700,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 1998
Series A-1 Bonds, rated Aaa
$105,700,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 1998
Series A-2 Bonds, rated Aaa
$150,000,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 1999
Series Bonds, rated Aaa
$100,000,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 2000
Series L Bonds, rated Aaa
$40,000,000 Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 2000
Series CP Bonds, rated Aaa
RATING RATIONALE
Moody's analyst, Arthur Heffner, said the ratings are based
in part on the following factors: (i) the strong quality of the
Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) guaranteed student loans
underlying the transaction; (ii) a debt service reserve account,
currently sized at 1.38% of outstanding bond principal that
may be drawn upon to cover shortfalls in the payment of interest and principal
to bondholders; (iii) overcollateralization of 4.6%
and the buildup of additional equity over the life of the transaction
from the accumulation of excess spread that cannot be withdrawn until
the trust reaches a senior-asset-to-liability ratio
of 112% and an overall asset-to-liability ratio of
103%; (iv) the low servicing risk due to the effectiveness
and expertise of South Carolina Student Loan Corporation as servicer;
(v) the loan portfolio's quality is high in terms of liquidity,
loan type, and school type.
BOND DETAILS
The 2001 Series Bonds are uncapped floating rate LIBOR Indexed and CP
Indexed Bonds. The 2001 Series L Bonds will bear interest at a
fixed spread to three-month LIBOR, adjusted quarterly,
and the 2001 Series CP Indexed Bonds, bearing interest at a fixed
spread to the 90-day Financial Commercial Paper rate, adjusted
weekly. The bonds are not subject to redemption prior to maturity,
but are subject to principal reduction payments prior to maturity based
upon a targeted amortization schedule adopted by the Corporation.
The final legal maturity for the 2001 Series Bonds is June 1, 2012.
UNDERLYING COLLATERAL
The trust estate includes only FFELP student loans that are ultimately
guaranteed by the Department of Education (DOE) for 98% of any
defaulted principal and interest. Approximately 90% of the
loans currently in the pool were made to four-year university students,
who tend to default with lower frequency than those students attending
two-year and proprietary schools. In terms of seasoning,
approximately 42% of the pool is in repayment, which provides
additional liquidity protection, as principal collections from loans
in repayment are available to cover periodic interest payments to investors.
In addition, approximately 60% of the pool consists of subsidized
Stafford loans, which will further enhance the liquidity of the
trust due to the government subsidy that is received when the loans are
in-school, grace or deferment status.
ISSUER
The South Carolina Student Loan Corporation is a nonprofit, public
benefit 501(c)(3) corporation incorporated on November 15, 1973,
pursuant to the laws of the State of South Carolina.
The Corporation has the power to receive, invest, administer
and disburse funds for educational purposes so as to enable persons to
attend eligible educational institutions beyond the
secondary school level and to make, handle, service and deal
with student and parent loans as provided in the Higher Education Act.
The Corporation has been designated by the South
Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (the "Authority")
as an Eligible Lender pursuant to Title IV of the Higher Education Act
and, as agent of and independent contractor with the
Authority, serves as the principal originator and servicer of the
loans guaranteed by the Authority.
New York
Edward Bankole
Managing Director
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: (212) 553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: (212) 553-1653
New York
Arthur R. Heffner
Analyst
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: (212) 553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: (212) 553-1653