New York, August 05, 2014 -- Moody's Investor Service affirmed the ratings of Webster Financial
Corporation (WBS) and its lead bank subsidiary, Webster Bank N.A.
WBS' senior unsecured and long-term issuer ratings of Baa1
were affirmed. The following ratings of the bank were affirmed:
C bank financial strength rating; A3 long-term deposit,
senior unsecured, other long-term obligation and long-term
issuer ratings; and Prime-2 short-term deposit and
other short-term senior obligation ratings. The standalone
baseline credit assessment of a3 remains unchanged. The outlook
is stable.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The affirmation of WBS' ratings was based upon its good liquidity
profile built on its solid deposit market share in its home state of Connecticut
(especially in the state's higher-density and affluent central
and southwest areas) supplemented by its health saving account business.
The affirmation also reflects positive trends in its profitability metrics
driven by management's ongoing cost control and operating leverage
initiatives, and improving asset quality profile. While rapid
commercial loan growth is a concern, disciplined risk management
is evidenced by significant improvement in potential problem loans.
Meanwhile, its capital position is satisfactory when related to
its overall asset quality.
WBS' non-performing assets (NPAs, including accruing
loans past due 90+ days and TDRs) remain high. However,
risk is mitigated by adequate reserves as evidenced by an improving trend
in net charge-offs (NCOs). Moreover, trends in criticized
and classified (C&C) loans are positive. Commercial C&C
loans have declined significantly. The ratio of C&C loans to
total commercial loans declined to 5% at 31 March 2014 from 26%
at year-end 2009. Moreover, WBS' overall NCOs/average
gross loans ratio declined from 1.68% in 2009 to 0.25%
in the first quarter of 2014, which was equal to the peer median,
and reflects continued improvement in the non-retail loan portfolios.
A credit negative trend is WBS' high commercial loan growth which
was 15.5% for the trailing twelve months ended 30 June 2014.
WBS carries the largest securities portfolio as a percentage of assets
(31%) among same-rated peers, which add additional,
albeit moderate, levels of credit and market risk. Credit-sensitive
assets accounted for 20% of total portfolio carrying value at 31
March 2014, but overall credit quality is satisfactory. Even
though more than half of investments are in the held-to-maturity
portfolio, a sharp parallel increase in the yield curve could reduce
the portfolio's value in the short-term.
Moody's said that WBS' liquidity is supported by WBS'
solid and sustainable deposit market position in its home state of Connecticut
and supplemented by its health savings account (HSA) administration business,
which provides the bank with an additional source of stable deposits.
Including HSA deposits, the company's core deposits/average
gross loans ratio of 109% at 31 March 2014 was superior to the
same-rated peer median of 104%.
WBS' ratio of pre-tax pre-provision income (PPI) to
average risk-weighted assets (RWAs) has improved in 2013 and 2014
after being worse than peers in the 2009-12 period. Improved
profitability has been driven by ongoing cost control and operating leverage
initiatives. However, further upside is limited by the low
interest rate environment because of the company's dependence on
spread income.
WBS' capital ratios are mixed relative to same-rated peers.
Its risk-based capital ratios are superior to peer medians because
its large residential mortgage portfolio has a more favorable risk-weighting,
but its Tier 1 leverage ratio was lower than the same-rated peer
median. However, the company's capital base would be
sufficient to withstand a stressed level of credit losses. Capital
management is sound as management has not repurchased a significant amount
of common shares in the past two years.
We view WBS as well positioned in its rating category and see limited
upward rating potential absent structural changes which address its earnings
challenges including its dependence on spread income. A reversal
of positive asset quality trends or aggressive capital actions could result
in a downward rating action.
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Webster Bank N.A.
....Outlook, Remains Stable
..Issuer: Webster Capital Trust IV
....Outlook, Remains Stable
..Issuer: Webster Financial Corporation
....Outlook, Remains Stable
Affirmations:
..Issuer: Webster Bank N.A.
.... Bank Financial Strength Rating,
Affirmed C
.... Issuer Rating, Affirmed A3
.... OSO Rating, Affirmed P-2
.... Deposit Rating, Affirmed P-2
....OSO Senior Unsecured OSO Rating,
Affirmed A3
....Senior Unsecured Deposit Rating,
Affirmed A3
..Issuer: Webster Capital Trust IV
....Pref. Stock Preferred Stock,
Affirmed Baa3 (hyb)
..Issuer: Webster Financial Corporation
.... Issuer Rating, Affirmed Baa1
....Pref. Stock Non-cumulative
Shelf, Affirmed (P)Ba1
....Preferred Shelf, Affirmed (P)Baa3
....Subordinate Shelf, Affirmed (P)Baa2
....Senior Unsecured Shelf, Affirmed
(P)Baa1
....Pref. Stock Non-cumulative
Preferred Stock, Affirmed Ba1 (hyb)
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Affirmed Baa1
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Global Banks published
in July 2014. Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
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 rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
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 rating action, and
whose ratings may change as a result of this 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.
Mark Vassilakis
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Robert Franklyn Young
MD - Financial Institutions
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's affirms Webster Financial (Senior Unsecured Baa1); stable outlook