Singapore, August 20, 2018 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") has
assigned an A1 rating to the proposed issuance of 10-year,
USD benchmark senior unsecured notes by Singtel Group Treasury Pte.
Ltd. ("SGT"), under the unconditional and irrevocable guarantee
of Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel, A1). The
notes will mature in 2028.
The rating outlook is stable.
RATINGS RATIONALE
These notes are being issued under SGT's S$10 billion Euro Medium-Term
Note Programme. All debt under this programme ranks pari-passu
with all other unsubordinated and unsecured obligations of SGT and Singtel.
The proceeds will be used for refinancing and general corporate purposes.
"We expect Singtel will use all of the bond proceeds to refinance maturing
debt, and as such impact on leverage will be neutral. This
bond issue will also help to extend Singtel's debt maturity profile and
further strengthen its liquidity position," says Nidhi Dhruv,
a Moody's Vice President and Senior Analyst.
Singtel has about S$1.3 billion in maturing debt over the
next 12 months.
Moody's expects Singtel's net adjusted leverage to remain at 1.9-2.0x
for FY2019 and FY2020, on the back of continuing capital expenditures
and high shareholder returns.
In addition, Singtel's free cash flows will remain negative
over FY 2019 and FY2020 reflecting the high levels of capex (S$2.3-2.4
billion in FY2019) and shareholder returns. The company has guided
to dividends of 17.5 cents per share for FY2019 and FY2020 (around
S$2.8-2.9 billion).
"Singtel faces headwinds in its core operating markets of Singapore
and Australia, owing to a new entrant - TPG Telecom Limited
- launching services by early-2019. While we expect
Singtel and its Australian subsidiary, Singtel Optus to be able
to defend market share and compete effectively, the industry-wide
price competition will impact Singtel's operating and financial
performance in FY2020," adds Dhruv, also Moody's
lead analyst for Singtel.
Nonetheless, Moody's expects the company's stable earnings base
in Singapore and Australia, regionally diversified cash flow stream
and strong liquidity profile to remain supportive of its a3 baseline credit
assessment. Singtel's final rating of A1 incorporates a two-notch
uplift for expected support from its major shareholder, Temasek
Holdings (Private) Limited (Aaa stable).
The outlook remains stable, reflecting our expectation that Singtel
will maintain the competitive strength of its operations in Singapore
and Australia, while maintaining stable leverage and good liquidity.
Singtel's fundamental credit strength may experience upward pressure if
overall profitability improves, coupled with an absolute reduction
in borrowings, such that its adjusted EBITDA margins stabilize in
the 30-35% range and adjusted net debt/EBITDA (based on
cash dividends being added back to core EBITDA) falls below 1.75-1.80x
on a consistent basis.
Downward pressure on the underlying rating would occur if Singtel's leverage
metrics weaken further, such that adjusted net debt/EBITDA is in
excess of 2.0x on a consistent basis.
Downward pressure could also build if the company undertakes further material
capital returns in the near term, potentially in conjunction with
a cash/debt-funded acquisition, and/or there is evidence
of prospective weakness in operating results within the company's Australian
operations or in cash dividends received from overseas associates.
EBITDA margins remaining below 30% on a sustained basis would also
pressure the rating.
In addition to the factors listed above, Singtel's rating may also
be impacted by material changes in the ratings of its support provider,
Temasek, or industry developments that materially undermine Singtel's
relationship with the government -- these would include
a reduction in Temasek's shareholding below 50%.
The methodologies used in these ratings were Telecommunications Service
Providers published in January 2017 and Government-Related Issuers
published in June 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies page
on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
Singapore Telecommunications Limited (Singtel) is the leading integrated
communications services provider in Singapore. It is also the second
largest integrated telecommunications operator in Australia through its
wholly owned subsidiary, SingtTel Optus Pty Limited.
Singtel also has a number of investments in cellular operators throughout
the region, which give it a regional footprint across 21 countries,
covering around 735 million mobile subscribers as of 30 June 2018.
Singtel is 52%-owned by Temasek, which is wholly owned
by the Singapore government.
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.
Nidhi Dhruv, CFA
Vice President - Senior 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