Hong Kong, May 11, 2017 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned an A2 rating to the proposed
senior perpetual securities to be issued by Radiant Access Limited,
a wholly owned subsidiary of Cheung Kong Property Holdings Limited (CKP,
A2 stable).
The perpetual securities will be unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed
by CKP.
The rating outlook is stable.
The proceeds from the securities will be used for general corporate purposes.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The A2 rating reflects CKP's strong recurring income from its investment
properties, its strong market position in Hong Kong's property development
industry, the diversified character of its property operations,
its good access to the bank and capital markets, and prudent approach
to financial management," says Franco Leung, a Moody's Vice
President and Senior Credit Officer.
The A2 rating also reflects the diversified state of the company's property
operations, which includes property development, property
investment, and owning and operating hotels and serviced apartments.
Moody's estimates that CKP's debt leverage — as measured by
net debt/net total capitalization — could exceed the rating threshold
in 2017, if its acquisition of Reliance Intermediate Holdings LP
(Ba2 review for upgrade) — through 3216444 Nova Scotia Company (unrated),
an intermediate holding company — is completed as planned.
This view has not considered the possibility that CKP could sell up to
25% of its stake in Reliance to Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings
Limited (unrated).
Nevertheless, Moody's expects that in 2018, CKP's
debt leverage will improve to a level consistent with the A2 rating category,
because CKP will likely maintain its prudent approach to financial management.
The rating on the perpetual securities also reflects: (1) the fact
that the securities will rank pari passu with all other present and future
unsubordinated and unsecured obligations of CKP; and (2) Moody's
assessment of a low likelihood of CKP deferring the coupon over the next
12 months, given that the company is rated A2 and maintains a non-property
development EBIT to interest coverage of above 4.0x.
While CKP's proposed guaranteed perpetual securities have hybrid-like
features, with the option of deferred coupons on a cumulative basis,
Moody's considers them as 100% debt-like securities,
because the securities have a dividend suspension clause that creates
an incentive for the company to service the coupon.
However, the rating on the securities could be lowered — relative
to the company's issuer rating — if debt with deferral features
becomes a substantial portion of its capital structure, or if Moody's
believes that the company will likely defer many payments in advance of
default.
Moody's believes the proceeds from the perpetual securities will
be partly used for business expansions and partly for refinancing its
debt.
The stable outlook on CKP's issuer rating reflects Moody's expectation
that CKP will maintain its prudent approach to financial management,
stable income from its investment properties and hotels, and strong
liquidity position.
Upward pressure on CKP's issuer rating could emerge if CKP: (1)
increases the scale of its stable income streams and its coverage ratio
on interest expenses; and (2) increases its geographic diversification
to reduce its high reliance on the China property market, where
competition is strong and regulatory risk is high.
Downward rating pressure could emerge if the company: (1) changes
its prudent approach to financial management, thereby weakening
its strong liquidity position or low debt leverage position, for
example, if it shows an adjusted net debt/net total capitalization
exceeding 15%; (2) disposes of investment properties and/or
hotels, such that non-property development EBIT/interest
falls below 3.0x-3.5x; or (3) undertakes substantial
non-property investments that increase its business and financial
risks.
The principal methodology used in this rating was Homebuilding And Property
Development Industry published in April 2015. Please see the Rating
Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this
methodology.
Cheung Kong Property Holdings Limited is a leading property developer
in Hong Kong and listed in Hong Kong in June 2015, after the reorganization
of the property businesses of Hutchison Whampoa Limited and Cheung Kong
(Holdings) Limited.
Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited listed in Hong Kong in 1972.
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.
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.
Franco Leung
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.)
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
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