Hong Kong, October 22, 2018 -- Moody's Investors Service has affirmed State Development & Investment
Corp., Ltd.'s (SDIC) A2 issuer rating and the
A2 senior unsecured rating of the USD notes issued by Rongshi International
Finance Limited and guaranteed by SDIC.
The ratings outlook is stable.
RATINGS RATIONALE
SDIC's A2 issuer rating is primarily driven by (1) the company's
standalone credit profile, as illustrated by its baa3 Baseline Credit
Assessment (BCA); and (2) our assessment of a "Very high"
likelihood of support from and "Very high" level of dependence
on its owner, the Government of China (A1 stable), which provides
a four-notch uplift to the company's final rating.
The very high likelihood of support reflects (1) SDIC's 100%
ownership by the government; (2) SDIC's status as a national
policy investment company and its close link with the central government;
(3) the high importance of the company's core investments,
such as its hydropower, ports, potash and financial guarantee
businesses, to the national economy; (4) the company's role
as a pilot for the Chinese government to implement state-owned
enterprise (SOE) reform; and (5) the large portfolio of investment
funds managed by the company for central and local government agencies.
SDIC's baa3 BCA is underpinned by the company's diversified business
portfolio, the strong market positions of its key business segments
(such as the power generation, ports, financial services and
natural resources sectors), good track record of active asset recycling
and strong access to liquidity.
However, the company's BCA is constrained by its modest financial
profile, large investment and capital spending plan, and the
execution risks related to development in new areas.
Moody's expects SDIC's market value leverage (MVL) and (funds
from operations [FFO] + interest)/Interest coverage at the holding
company level will weaken to around 50%-55% and 1.1x
in next 12-18 months from around 47% and 1.2x at
the end of 2017 because of higher net debt and the decline of the market
value of its key listed investees due to market price fluctuation.
Despite the weakened credit metrics, SDIC's A2 rating is supported
by its high strategic importance to Chinese government and its sound access
to the credit and capital markets due to its central SOE status.
The likely decline of the market value of its key listed investees,
namely SDIC Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (SDIC Power)
and SDIC Capital Co., Ltd. (SDIC Capital), will
increase its MVL. However, Moody's views that the higher
MVL -- a result of temporary stock market volatility,
instead of a deterioration in the credit quality of its underlying investees
-- will not have an immediate impact on its rating.
Moody's assesses the credit quality of SDIC Power and SDIC Capital,
which accounted for approximately 37% of SDIC's portfolio
value and the majority of SDIC's consolidated revenue and assets
at the end of 2017, did not materially weaken in 2017.
Moody's expects SDIC Power's performance in 2018 will improve
as the result of higher on-grid tariffs and power generation output.
Although SDIC Capital's revenue and earnings will likely decline
due to a sluggish domestic equity market, its credit quality is
supported by the strengthening of regulatory supervision and its equity
placement of around RMB8 billion in 2017.
At the same time, the performance of SDIC's other businesses,
including transportation, mining and manufacturing, improved
in 2017.
The stable outlook on SDIC's ratings reflects Moody's expectations
that over the next 12-18 months (1) the company's importance to
the economy and the Chinese government's ability to provide support
will remain intact, and (2) the very high likelihood of support
from the Chinese government will provide an additional cushion for SDIC's
A2 rating in case its BCA is lowered by one notch.
SDIC's ratings could be upgraded if: (1) the Chinese government's
ability to provide support strengthens, which would be illustrated
by an upgrade of China's sovereign rating, and/or (2) there
is a material improvement in SDIC's BCA; credit metrics that would
indicate such a material improvement include MVL lower than 20%-25%
and (FFO+ interest)/interest coverage higher than 3x-4x.
SDIC's ratings could be downgraded if: (1) the Chinese government's
ability to provide support weakens, which would be illustrated by
a downgrade of China's sovereign rating, or if SDIC's
strategic importance to the Chinese government declines significantly;
(2) SDIC's standalone credit quality severely deteriorates, for
example, as a result of highly aggressive debt-funded investments,
or a significant increase in credit contagion risk from its investees
Financial metrics that Moody's would consider for a rating downgrade
include (1) a holding company-level MVL higher than 60%,
and/or (2) (FFO+interest)/interest coverage lower than 1.0x
for a prolonged period.
The methodologies used in these ratings were Investment Holding Companies
and Conglomerates published in July 2018, and Government-Related
Issuers published in June 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
Established on 5 May 1995, the State Development & Investment
Corp., Ltd. is a state-owned investment holding
company, wholly owned by China's State Council. Over the
past two decades, it has developed a large investment portfolio,
with a value of around RMB128 billion at the end of 2017.
Its core investments are in the power generation, ports and railway,
financial services and advanced manufacturing sectors.
The local market analyst for this rating is Kai Hu, +86 (21)
2057-4012.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain 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 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.
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Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
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for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
The first name below is the lead rating analyst for this Credit Rating
and the last name below is the person primarily responsible for approving
this Credit Rating.
Chenyi Lu
VP - Senior Credit Officer
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.)
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Gary Lau
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 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
Client Service: 852 3551 3077