Hong Kong, June 26, 2012 -- The following release represents Moody's Investors Service's summary
credit opinion on Hongkong Land Holdings Limited and includes certain
regulatory disclosures regarding its ratings. This release does
not constitute any change in Moody's ratings or rating rationale for Hongkong
Land Holdings Limited and its affiliates.
Moody's current ratings on Hongkong Land Holdings Limited and its
affiliates are:
Hongkong Land Holdings Limited ("HKLH")
Long Term Issuer ratings of A3
Hongkong Land Company Limited ("HKLC")
Long Term Issuer ratings of A2
Hongkong Land Finance (C.I.) Company Limited
BACKED Senior Unsecured (foreign currency) ratings of A2
BACKED Senior Unsecured MTN Program (foreign currency) ratings of (P)A2
Hongkong Land Notes Co. Ltd.
BACKED Senior Unsecured (foreign currency) ratings of A2
BACKED Senior Unsecured MTN Program (domestic currency) ratings of (P)A2
Hongkong Land Treasury Serv. (Sing) Pte. Ltd.
BACKED Senior Unsecured (domestic and foreign currency) ratings of A2
BACKED Senior Unsecured MTN Program (foreign currency) ratings of (P)A2
RATINGS RATIONALE
HKLC's A2 rating reflects its established track record of operating quality
investment properties with high occupancy in prime Asian locations.
The rating is also supported by its strong franchise, growing commercial
revenues, and strong rental income in a down market. At the
same time, these strengths are tempered by the group's residential
development activities, which add volatility to its profits.
HKLH's A3 issuer rating also takes into consideration its holding company
status and has factored in structural subordination risk.
Rating Outlook
The stable outlook reflects Moody's view that the group will maintain
its prudent approach to operations and financial management, with
a cautious expansion strategy, such that its financial profile will
remain in line with the A2 rating level.
What Could Change the Rating - UP
Upward rating pressure will be limited in the near term, however
it could emerge if earnings from HKLH's investment property business continue
to grow, reducing the volatility arising from its property development
activities. As such, its property development will not account
for a material portion of its EBITDA [on average over the years not
more than 15% contribution] and its credit profile will remain
strong and stable, with recurring EBITDA interest coverage at 6x
or higher on a sustainable basis.
What Could Change the Rating - Down
Downward pressure could emerge if HKLH increases its property development
activities or engages in material investments funded substantially by
debt, which would impair its financial profile, such that
its credit metrics deteriorates to a debt/EBITDA of 6.5x and EBITDA/interest
below 3.5x on a sustained basis.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Moody's Approach for
REITs and Other Commercial Property Firms published in July 2010.
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.
Kai Yin Tsang
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
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
Peter Choy
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
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 Hongkong Land Holdings Limited