Stockholm, April 27, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has today
affirmed the Baa2 long-term issuer rating of Atrium Ljungberg AB
(Atrium), a leading Swedish real estate company focused on large
office and retail mixed-use estates, concentrated in Stockholm.
The outlook remains stable.
A full list of affected ratings is provided towards the end of this press
release.
"Operationally and financially the company has had a solid operating development
in 2020 despite some negative effects from the pandemic on its retail
properties. Atrium has over the years significantly reduced its
exposure towards retail which is now around 25% and is credit positive.
Its strategy is positioning Atrium well for sustainable long-term
growth and enhancement of the portfolio through further developing integrated
office, retail and to a lesser degree residential mixed used estates.
This, together with stable effective leverage and an improving unencumbered
asset base, positions Atrium adequately within its rating category
" says Maria Gillholm, a Moody's Vice President --
Senior Credit Officer, and Lead Analyst for Atrium."
Atrium Ljungberg's Baa2 issuer rating reflects (1) its strong market position
as one of the leading commercial real estate companies in Sweden (Aaa
stable); (2) its solid portfolio of mostly large office and retail
mixed-use estates, concentrated in Stockholm, which
is well-positioned for sustainable long-term growth with
a controlled development programme; (3) moderate leverage of 42.1%
as of March 2021; (4) strong fixed-charge coverage of 3.8x,
also as of March 2021; and (5) an adequate liquidity covering 18
months of liquidity as of Q1 2021 and a comfortable level of unencumbered
assets.
Counterbalancing these strengths are: (1) a competitive environment
for shopping centers and its broader retail segment combined with the
increasing penetration of e-commerce; (2) high net debt/EBITDA
due to significant project development; (3) the company's short-dated
debt maturity profile of 4.6 years; and (4) a significant
but reduced reliance on commercial paper in its funding mix (13%
of total debt as of March 2021, down from 30% in December
2016).
RATINGS RATIONALE
The stable outlook reflects our expectation that Atrium Ljungberg will
continue to generate stable cash flow, improve its liquidity,
and maintain or build further capacity in leverage, other debt ratios
and coverage metrics while maintaining high occupancy levels and a balanced
growth strategy.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING
WHAT COULD MOVE THE RATINGS -- UP
» Maintains a Moody's-adjusted gross debt/total assets below
40%, with financial policies that support that level,
together with a declining trend of Moody's-adjusted net debt to
EBITDA
» Fixed-charge coverage above 4.5x on a sustained basis
» Considerably reduced reliance on short-term funding and
significantly extending debt maturities
WHAT COULD MOVE RATINGS -- DOWN
» Moody's-adjusted leverage sustained above 45% with
an increasing trend of net debt to EBITDA from current levels or Moody's-adjusted
fixed-charge coverage sustained below 3.5x
» Continued heavy reliance on short-term funding, particularly
if no longer fully backed by undrawn long-dated credit facilities
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
Affirmations:
..Issuer: Atrium Ljungberg AB
....LT Issuer Rating, Affirmed Baa2
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Atrium Ljungberg AB
....Outlook, Remains Stable
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in this rating was REITs and Other Commercial
Real Estate Firms published in September 2018 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1095505.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's
Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security 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 certain
regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the
support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action
for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's
credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement
provides certain 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.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action,
and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action,
the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
The rating has been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s)
and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.
This rating is solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy
for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on
its website www.moodys.com.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social
and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1263068.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed
by Moody's Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square,
Canary Wharf, London E14 5FA under the law applicable to credit
rating agencies in the UK. Further information on the UK endorsement
status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is
available on www.moodys.com.
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.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Maria Gillholm
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service (Nordics) AB
Norrlandsgatan 20
Stockholm 111 43
Sweden
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Anke Rindermann
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service (Nordics) AB
Norrlandsgatan 20
Stockholm 111 43
Sweden
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454