Hong Kong, May 25, 2012 -- Moody's current ratings on Swire Pacific Limited and its affiliates are:
Swire Pacific Limited
Senior Unsecured (foreign currency) rating of A3
Subordinate (foreign currency) rating of Baa1
Swire Pacific MTN Financing Limited
Backed Senior Unsecured (foreign currency) rating of A3
Backed Senior Unsecured MTN Program (foreign currency) rating of (P)A3
Swire Properties Offshore Financing Limited
Backed Senior Unsecured MTN Program (foreign currency) rating of (P)A3
Swire Pacific Capital Limited
Backed Junior Subordinate (foreign currency) rating of Baa1
Swire Properties Limited
Long-Term Issuer (foreign currency) rating of A2
Swire Properties MTN Financing Limited
Backed Senior Unsecured MTN Program (foreign currency) rating of (P)A2
RATINGS RATIONALE
Moody's Investors Service sees no impact on Swire Pacific's A3/stable
rating following its 82%-owned subsidiary, Swire Properties
(rated A2/stable), announcement that it plans to raise debt through
its new medium term notes (MTN) programme.
"Despite Swire Properties' intention to raise standalone debt,
we expect that debt proceeds will be used to repay intercompany loans
and so flow up to the parent. Swire Pacific will then, in
turn, utilize funds received in the repayment of external bank lines,"
says Laura Acres, a Moody's Senior Credit Officer.
"As such, the debt raising exercise at Swire Properties will,
in effect, be leverage neutral for the Swire Pacific Group as a
whole," adds Acres, also Moody's Lead Analyst for Swire
Pacific.
Swire's Pacific's A3 rating has incorporated the core strengths
of Swire Properties' A2 rating, namely its proven track record
in developing successful retail and commercial projects, its sizable
portfolio of quality investment properties, and robust and resilient
gross rental income.
At the same time, the A3 rating reflects Swire Pacific's holding
company status and a one-notch downward adjustment for the increasing
risk of structural subordination as approximately 74.5%
of Swire Pacific's total assets were held by Swire Properties as
of December 2011.
The rating also takes into consideration Swire Pacific's modest
financial profile on a consolidated basis.
Swire's ratings were assigned by evaluating factors that Moody's
considers relevant to the credit profile of the issuer, such as
the company's (i) business risk and competitive position compared with
others within the industry; (ii) capital structure and financial
risk; (iii) projected performance over the near to intermediate term;
and (iv) management's track record and tolerance for risk. Moody's
compared these attributes against other issuers both within and outside
Swire's core industry and believes Swire's ratings are comparable to those
of other issuers with similar credit risk.
Swire Pacific Ltd is engaged in the property investment, property
development, aviation, beverages, marine services,
and trading and industrial businesses. Listed on the Hong Kong
Stock Exchange, it is controlled by a UK-based private company,
John Swire & Sons Ltd.
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
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Laura Jane Acres
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
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China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
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Gary Lau
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
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Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
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China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
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Moody's: Swire Properties' new MTN program has no impact on Swire Pacific's rating