Approximately $217.96 Million of Structured Securities Affected
New York, April 22, 2011 -- Moody's Investors Service (Moody's) affirmed the ratings of four classes
of LaSalle Commercial Mortgage Securities Inc., Series 2005-MF1
as follows:
Cl. A, Affirmed at C (sf); previously on Sep 16,
2010 Downgraded to C (sf)
Cl. B, Affirmed at C (sf); previously on Sep 16,
2010 Downgraded to C (sf)
Cl. C, Affirmed at C (sf); previously on Sep 16,
2010 Downgraded to C (sf)
Cl. X, Affirmed at C (sf); previously on Sep 16,
2010 Downgraded to C (sf)
RATINGS RATIONALE
The affirmations are due to key parameters, including Moody's loan
to value (LTV) ratio, Moody's stressed DSCR and the Herfindahl Index
(Herf), remaining within acceptable ranges. Based on our
current base expected loss, the credit enhancement levels for the
affirmed classes are sufficient to maintain their current ratings.
This transaction is classified as a small balance CMBS transaction.
Small balance transactions, which represent approximately 1%
of the Moody's rated conduit/fusion universe, have generally experienced
higher defaults and losses than traditional conduit and fusion transactions.
Moody's rating action reflects a cumulative base expected loss of
13.8% of the current balance. At last review,
Moody's cumulative base expected loss was 14.5%.
Moody's stressed scenario loss is 29.5% of the current
balance. Moody's provides a current list of base and stress
scenario losses for conduit and fusion CMBS transactions on moodys.com
at http://v3.moodys.com/viewresearchdoc.aspx?docid=PBS_SF215255.
Depending on the timing of loan payoffs and the severity and timing of
losses from specially serviced loans, the credit enhancement level
for investment grade classes could decline below the current levels.
If future performance materially declines, the expected level of
credit enhancement and the priority in the cash flow waterfall may be
insufficient for the current ratings of these classes.
Moody's analysis reflects a forward-looking view of the likely
range of collateral performance over the medium term. From time
to time, Moody's may, if warranted, change these
expectations. Performance that falls outside an acceptable range
of the key parameters may indicate that the collateral's credit
quality is stronger or weaker than Moody's had anticipated during
the current review. Even so, deviation from the expected
range will not necessarily result in a rating action. There may
be mitigating or offsetting factors to an improvement or decline in collateral
performance, such as increased subordination levels due to amortization
and loan payoffs or a decline in subordination due to realized losses.
Primary sources of assumption uncertainty are the current sluggish macroeconomic
environment and varying performance in the commercial real estate property
markets. However, Moody's expects to see increasing or stabilizing
property values, higher transaction volumes, a slowing in
the pace of loan delinquencies and greater liquidity for commercial real
estate in 2011. The hotel and multifamily sectors are continuing
to show signs of recovery, while recovery in the office and retail
sectors will be tied to recovery of the broader economy. The availability
of debt capital continues to improve with terms returning toward market
norms. Moody's central global macroeconomic scenario reflects an
overall sluggish recovery through 2012, amidst ongoing individual,
corporate and governmental deleveraging, persistent unemployment,
and government budget considerations.
The principal methodology used in this rating was "CMBS: Moody's
Approach to Small Loan Transactions" rating methodology published in December
2004.
Moody's review incorporated the use of the excel-based CMBS
Conduit Model v 2.50 which is used for both conduit and fusion
transactions. Conduit model results at the Aa2 level are driven
by property type, Moody's actual and stressed DSCR,
and Moody's property quality grade (which reflects the capitalization
rate used by Moody's to estimate Moody's value). Conduit
model results at the B2 level are driven by a paydown analysis based on
the individual loan level Moody's LTV ratio. Moody's
Herfindahl score (Herf), a measure of loan level diversity,
is a primary determinant of pool level diversity and has a greater impact
on senior certificates. Other concentrations and correlations may
be considered in our analysis. Based on the model pooled credit
enhancement levels at Aa2 and B2, the remaining conduit classes
are either interpolated between these two data points or determined based
on a multiple or ratio of either of these two data points. For
fusion deals, the credit enhancement for loans with investment-grade
credit estimates is melded with the conduit model credit enhancement into
an overall model result. Fusion loan credit enhancement is based
on the underlying rating of the loan which corresponds to a range of credit
enhancement levels. Actual fusion credit enhancement levels are
selected based on loan level diversity, pool leverage and other
concentrations and correlations within the pool. Negative pooling,
or adding credit enhancement at the underlying rating level, is
incorporated for loans with similar credit estimates in the same transaction.
Moody's uses a variation of Herf to measure diversity of loan size,
where a higher number represents greater diversity. Loan concentration
has an important bearing on potential rating volatility, including
risk of multiple notch downgrades under adverse circumstances.
The credit neutral Herf score is 40. The pool has a Herf of 162
compared to 173 at Moody's prior full review.
Moody's ratings are determined by a committee process that considers
both quantitative and qualitative factors. Therefore, the
rating outcome may differ from the model output.
The rating action is a result of Moody's on-going surveillance
of commercial mortgage backed securities (CMBS) transactions. Moody's
monitors transactions on a monthly basis through two sets of quantitative
tools -- MOST® (Moody's Surveillance Trends) and CMM
(Commercial Mortgage Metrics) on Trepp -- and on a periodic
basis through a comprehensive review. Moody's prior full review
is summarized in a press release dated September 16, 2010.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer / entity page on moodys.com
for the last rating action and the ratings history.
Moody's Investors Service did not receive or take into account a
third party due diligence report on the underlying assets or financial
instruments related to the monitoring of this transaction in the past
six months.
DEAL PERFORMANCE
As of the March 21, 2011 distribution date, the transaction's
aggregate certificate balance has decreased by 44% to $217.96
million from $387.35 million at securitization. The
Certificates are collateralized by 228 mortgage loans ranging in size
from less than 1% to 2% of the pool, with the top
ten loans representing 12% of the pool.
Sixty-nine loans, representing 30% of the pool,
are on the master servicer's watchlist. The watchlist includes
loans which meet certain portfolio review guidelines established as part
of the CRE Finance Council (CREFC) monthly reporting package. As
part of our ongoing monitoring of a transaction, Moody's reviews
the watchlist to assess which loans have material issues that could impact
performance.
Thirty-eight loans have been liquidated from the pool since securitization,
resulting in an aggregate $30.8 million loss (70%
loss severity on average). Realized losses have resulted in 100%
principal loss to Classes D through N and an 11% principal loss
to Class C. Thirty-one loans, representing 14%
of the pool, are currently in special servicing. The master
servicer has recognized an aggregate $13.9 million appraisal
reduction for ten of the specially serviced loans. Moody's has
estimated an aggregate $22.0 million loss (70% expected
loss on average) for the specially serviced loans.
The pool has also experienced significant interest shortfalls.
Based on the most recent remittance statement, Classes C through
N have experienced cumulative interest shortfalls totaling $2.4
million. Moody's anticipates that the pool will continue to experience
interest shortfalls because of the high exposure to specially serviced
loans. Interest shortfalls are caused by special servicing fees,
including workout and liquidation fees, appraisal subordinate entitlement
reductions (ASERs) and extraordinary trust expenses.
New York
Polina Margolina
Associate Analyst
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
New York
Sandra Ruffin
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's Investors Service
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's Affirms Four CMBS Classes of LaSalle 2005-MF1