Singapore, May 27, 2019 -- Moody's Investors Service has affirmed Thai Oil Public Company Limited's
Baa1 senior unsecured debt ratings.
Moody's has also affirmed the provisional (P)Baa1 senior unsecured rating
on the $2 billion global medium term note program, of which
Thai Oil and Thaioil Treasury Center Company Limited (Thaioil TC) are
co-issuers. Thaioil TC is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Thai Oil.
At the same time, Moody's has affirmed the Baa1 ratings on
Thaioil TC's backed senior unsecured notes. The notes are
unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by Thai Oil.
The outlook is maintained at stable for Thai Oil and Thaioil TC.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Thai Oil's Baa1 ratings reflect its position as Thailand's largest
and most complex refiner, stable refinery operations, long-term
feedstock supply and product offtake agreements with its parent,
PTT Public Company Limited (PTT, Baa1 stable) and strong liquidity
profile.
"The ratings affirmation reflects our view that the expected deterioration
of Thai Oil's credit metrics, because of its planned capital
spending amidst a decline in refining margins, will be partly offset
by working capital support from its parent," says Rachel Chua,
a Moody's Assistant Vice President and Analyst.
"The Baa1 ratings also incorporate a two-notch uplift that
reflects (1) PTT's willingness to provide working capital and intercompany
funding support to reduce Thai Oil's financial burden while carrying out
the large-scale refinery expansion; and (2) the likelihood
of PTT providing extraordinary credit support in a situation of stress,"
adds Chua, who is also Moody's Lead Analyst for Thai Oil.
Thai Oil is strategically important to PTT's downstream oil business as
its flagship refinery, and there is a close operational and financial
integration between the two companies.
The company is undertaking a $4.8 billion refinery expansion
and upgrading project in 2019-23, which will be funded using
the proceeds of its $1 billion notes issuance in November 2018
and internal cash.
"We estimate Thai Oil's retained cash flow (RCF)-to-adjusted
debt will weaken to 16%-18% through 2021, which
can be accommodated in the company's revised standalone profile,"
adds Chua.
Moody's projections assume refining margins will improve from 2H
2019, because stricter sulfur limits on shipping fuel from January
2020 will support demand for middle distillates. Thai Oil is well
positioned to benefit from this increase in middle distillate margins,
as it has the ability to maximize diesel production.
Nonetheless, Moody's believes that a weaker-than-expected
refining margin environment will be credit negative for Thai Oil.
Thai Oil's liquidity profile is strong. At 31 March 2019,
the company held cash of THB39.9 billion and short-term
investments of THB61.4 billion compared to total reported debt
of THB102 billion, of which THB2.9 billion will come due
over the next 12 months.
The outlook is stable, reflecting Moody's expectation that
Thai Oil will manage its capital structure over the next 12-18
months, such that its credit metrics will remain in line with Moody's
expectations, supported by healthy cash flow generation and prudent
financial policies.
The stable outlook also takes into account Moody's expectation that
Thai Oil will manage the execution risk associated with its large refinery
upgrade project.
An upgrade of Thai Oil's Baa1 ratings is unlikely over the next 12-18
months given its ongoing capital expansion plan and weaker credit metrics.
Over the longer-term, an upgrade of the Baa1 ratings will
require (1) an improvement in the company's standalone profile; and
(2) an upgrade of PTT's rating.
Nonetheless, upward ratings pressure on Thai Oil's standalone
profile could emerge over the longer term if the company completes its
upgrading project and demonstrates a track record of stable operations
at the upgraded plants, such that it generates healthy operating
cash flow and margins.
Specific credit metrics that Moody's would consider include retained
cash flow (RCF)/adjusted debt above 25%-30% and adjusted
debt/EBITDA below 2.5x on a sustained basis.
Thai Oil's ratings will experience downward ratings pressure if
(1) the operating environment deteriorates, resulting in weakened
earnings and operating cash flows; (2) its balance sheet is used
for aggressive dividend payouts or capital investments that materially
change its business mix; or (3) it faces material operational disruptions
at its plant or delays in executing its refinery expansion project.
Moody's will consider a ratings downgrade if Thai Oil's RCF/adjusted
debt falls below 15% or adjusted debt/EBITDA above 3.0x-3.5x.
Moody's will consider Thai Oil's cash balances in the analysis
of these ratios.
A significant reduction in PTT's ownership of Thai Oil or a material change
in the supply and offtake agreements between the two companies would be
negative for the ratings.
Negative pressure on PTT's rating will also result in negative pressure
on Thai Oil's ratings.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Refining and Marketing
Industry published in November 2016. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
Thai Oil Public Company Limited is a refiner and supplier of petroleum
products in Thailand. The company operates the largest complex
refinery in the country, with a nameplate capacity of 275 thousand
barrels per day (bpd), or around 22% of the country's domestic
crude refining capacity.
It is 48.03% owned by PTT Public Company Limited (Baa1 stable),
which in turn is 51.1% owned by the Government of Thailand
(Baa1 stable).
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.
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
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.
Rachel Chua
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
50 Raffles Place #23-06
Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 48623
Singapore
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Laura Acres
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
50 Raffles Place #23-06
Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 48623
Singapore
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077