New York, December 10, 2012 -- Moody's Investors Service affirmed the Ba3 corporate family rating
of International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) and changed the rating
outlook to positive. This follows the announcement by ILFC parent
American International Group (AIG; Baa1 stable) that it will sell
up to a 90% stake in ILFC to a consortium of investors based mainly
in China.
Rationale
The sale will benefit ILFC by providing clarity regarding its ownership
and potentially expanding its access to clients and funding sources in
growing Asian markets. Uncertainty regarding ILFC's ultimate
disposition has been a distraction to its business since AIG designated
the company a non-core holding in 2010. To the extent that
stronger strategic alignment develops between ILFC and its new owners,
the consortium's interest is more likely to be longer term,
which could aid its market access and business opportunities.
The investor group, which includes New China Trust Co. Ltd.,
China Aviation Industrial Fund and P3 Investments Ltd., will
acquire 80.1% of ILFC for $4.23 billion.
If the buyers exercise an option to acquire an additional 9.9%
stake, the investor group will expand to include New China Life
Insurance Co. Ltd. and an investment arm of ICBC International.
The sale, subject to regulatory approval, is slated to close
during the second quarter of 2013.
"This transaction will improve the stability of ILFC's ownership,
lend new strategic purpose to its operations, and could open up
new avenues of funding for its aircraft," said Moody's
senior analyst Mark Wasden. The investment interests of consortium
members likely relate to advancing and capitalizing on growth in China
for air travel. Given its global scale and strong aircraft order
backlog, ILFC seems well situated competitively to contribute to,
and profit from, the further development of the Chinese aviation
sector by leasing new aircraft to air carriers that serve this expanding
market. ILFC already has a leading position in China, with
some 180 of its aircraft operated by Chinese carriers. Still,
the extent to which ILFC's credit profile will benefit from the
sale depends on the consortium members' strategic and financial
objectives and their influence on ILFC's growth rate, portfolio
concentrations and financial leverage.
Consortium members could also help ILFC with its financing needs.
At September 30, 2012 ILFC had $24.2 billion of debt
outstanding to finance its $34.9 billion portfolio of 918
owned aircraft. At that date, ILFC also had commitments to
purchase 233 new aircraft for delivery through 2019 with a remaining outlay
of $17.7 billion. Given ILFC's large recurring
funding needs, evolution of the firm's funding and liquidity
profile under new ownership will be a key rating consideration.
Upon closing of the sale, Moody's currently expects to maintain
a positive rating outlook to continue to observe and develop views regarding
the long-term effects of new ownership on ILFC's credit profile.
Moody's will consider governance under the new owners; management's
ongoing operational independence; ILFC's appetite for growth,
concentrations, and leverage; its access to funding; and
its liquidity management as part of its ongoing monitoring of the firm's
evolving credit profile. Moody's will also assess the credit
implications associated with the transaction accounting in terms of its
effects on ILFC's reported financial condition and performance.
ILFC's Ba3 Corporate Family rating reflects its leading franchise positioning,
diversity of geographic, aircraft, and customer risk exposures
within the specialized aircraft leasing sector, and resilient operating
cash flow. Constraints include ILFC's challenges associated
with sustaining lease margin improvements and generating attractive returns
on equity. Additional credit challenges include the monoline and
cyclical nature of ILFC's business, its exposure to aircraft residual
value risks, and its reliance on confidence-sensitive wholesale
funding.
International Lease Finance Corporation, headquartered in Los Angeles,
California, is a major owner-lessor of commercial aircraft.
The methodology used in this rating was Finance Company Global Rating
Methodology published in March 2012. Please see the Credit Policy
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
Rating outlook changed to positive from stable:
International Lease Finance Corporation
Delos Aircraft Inc.
Flying Fortress Inc.
ILFC E-Capital Trust I
ILFC E-Capital Trust II
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Mark L. Wasden
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
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Robert Franklyn Young
MD - Financial Institutions
Financial Institutions Group
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Releasing Office:
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Moody's affirms ILFC's Ba3 rating, revises outlook to positive