Hong Kong, June 21, 2012 -- The following release represents Moody's Investors Service's summary
credit opinion on Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (The) and includes
certain regulatory disclosures regarding its ratings. This release
does not constitute any change in Moody's ratings or rating rationale
for Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (The) and its affiliate.
Moody's current ratings on Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
(The) and its affiliate are:
Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (The)
Long Term Issuer (domestic currency) rating of A1
Hong Kong and China Gas Finance Limited
BACKED Senior Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency) ratings of A1
BACKED Senior Unsecured MTN Program (foreign currency) ratings of (P)A1
RATINGS RATIONALE
The A1 ratings reflect HKCG's long operating track record as the first
public utility company in Hong Kong, and track record of passing
on rising costs through tariff adjustments, thereby establishing
a highly stable and predictable level of cash flow generation from its
domestic gas business. Furthermore, the company enjoys high
recognition among households and a strong market position as a major piped
gas supplier - a situation that is unlikely to change over the
medium term.
The A1 ratings have also factored in HKCG's increased exposure to China,
where long-term demand for gas is favorable. While HKCG's
investments in China offer growth potential, they come with higher
business risks, and entail more capital expenditures that result
in negative free cash flow. Balancing such risk is the company's
experienced management team, which has more than 10 years history
in China.
Rating Outlook
The stable outlook reflects Moody's expectation that HKCG will continue
with its prudent approach towards its growth strategies in China,
while maintaining its business franchise and tariff adjustment mechanism
in its domestic gas market.
What Could Change the Rating - Up
A near-term rating upgrade is unlikely, given the long investment
horizon for utility projects in China. However, positive
rating pressure could arise over time if the company demonstrates a track
record in executing its growth strategies, especially with regard
to its new energy investments, such that it achieves predictable
cash flow from China. Financial metrics as evidence of this would
include Funds From Operations (FFO)/Interest exceeding 7-8x and
FFO/Debt rising above 35% on a sustainable basis.
What Could Change the Rating - Down
On the other hand, downward rating pressure may arise if the company
fails to pass on -- through tariff adjustment--
rising costs in its Hong Kong gas business, but which Moody's regards
as an unlikely near-term scenario.
Alternatively, should returns from the company's China investments
be materially below expectations, such that FFO/Interest falls below
5.0x and FFO/Debt falls below 22-25% over time,
this could also result in downward rating pressure.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Regulated Electric
and Gas Utilities published in August 2009. Please see the Credit
Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
The Global Scale Credit Ratings on this press release that are issued
by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU are endorsed by Moody's
Investors Service Ltd., One Canada Square, Canary Wharf,
London E 14 5FA, UK, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's
office that has issued a particular Credit Rating is available on www.moodys.com.
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides relevant regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings
are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's
rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider,
this announcement provides relevant regulatory disclosures in relation
to the rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the
support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings,
this announcement provides relevant regulatory disclosures in relation
to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive
rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt,
in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed
prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would
have affected the rating. For further information please see the
ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entities or their designated
agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.
Information sources used to prepare each of the ratings are the following:
parties involved in the ratings, public information, and confidential
and proprietary Moody's Investors Service information.
Moody's considers the quality of information available on the rated
entities, obligations or credits satisfactory for the purposes of
issuing these ratings.
Moody's adopts all necessary measures so that the information it
uses in assigning the ratings is of sufficient quality and from sources
Moody's considers to be reliable including, when appropriate,
independent third-party sources. However, Moody's
is not an auditor and cannot in every instance independently verify or
validate information received in the rating process.
Please see the ratings disclosure page on www.moodys.com
for general disclosure on potential conflicts of interests.
Please see the ratings disclosure page on www.moodys.com
for information on (A) MCO's major shareholders (above 5%)
and for (B) further information regarding certain affiliations that may
exist between directors of MCO and rated entities as well as (C) the names
of entities that hold ratings from MIS that have also publicly reported
to the SEC an ownership interest in MCO of more than 5%.
A member of the board of directors of this rated entity may also be a
member of the board of directors of a shareholder of Moody's Corporation;
however, Moody's has not independently verified this matter.
Please see Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions on the Rating
Process page on www.moodys.com for further information on
the meaning of each rating category and the definition of default and
recovery.
Please see ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for the last rating action and the rating history. The date on
which some ratings were first released goes back to a time before Moody's
ratings were fully digitized and accurate data may not be available.
Consequently, Moody's provides a date that it believes is
the most reliable and accurate based on the information that is available
to it. Please see the ratings disclosure page on our website www.moodys.com
for further information.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has
issued the rating.
Mic Kang
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Project & Infrastructure Finance
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Patrick Mispagel
Associate Managing Director
Project & Infrastructure Finance
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Moody's Disclosures on Credit Ratings of Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (The)