Singapore, October 25, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned an A3 senior unsecured rating to
the proposed HKD-denominated notes to be issued by Ascendas Real
Estate Investment Trust (Ascendas REIT, A3 stable) under its existing
euro medium-term securities program, which Moody's
has rated (P)A3.
Ascendas REIT will use the proceeds from the notes for general working
capital purposes.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Ascendas REIT's A3 issuer rating is underpinned by its (1) diversified
portfolio of high-quality industrial assets across Singapore,
Australia, Europe, the UK and the US; (2) established
market position as one of the largest industrial REITs in Singapore;
(3) stable operating track record and resilient income from its properties
that captures the growth in the third-party logistics, e-commerce,
pharmaceutical, medical and IT sectors; and (4) prudent financial
policies in maintaining healthy credit metrics while growing through acquisitions.
At the same time, Ascendas REIT's rating is constrained by its acquisitive
growth strategy and use of short-term revolving credit facilities.
Moody's expects Ascendas REIT's credit metrics to remain within the A3
rating parameters over the next 12-18 months, with adjusted
net debt/EBITDA at 7.2x-7.8x and adjusted EBITDA/interest
expense at 5.0x-5.5x. Although the trust completed
more than SGD2 billion of acquisitions over the past 12 months,
these were mainly funded by equity raised of around SGD1.6 billion
and asset divestments of SGD145 million. These acquisitions will
be accretive to earnings over the next 12-18 months.
Ascendas REIT's liquidity is inadequate over the next 12-18 months.
Nonetheless, the trust's track record of access to funding and established
banking relationships will likely mitigate this refinancing risk.
As of 30 September 2021, the trust had cash and cash equivalents
of SGD434 million, compared to SGD555 million of utilized revolving
credit facilities as well as SGD765 million of medium-term notes
and term loans maturing over the next 18 months.
In terms of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors,
Moody's has considered the governance risk stemming from related-party
transactions between Ascendas REIT and its sponsor, CapitaLand Investment
Limited. This risk is mitigated by the regulatory oversight provided
by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and exercised through the board,
which consists mostly of independent directors. Further,
there is an alignment of interest between Ascendas REIT and CapitaLand
because the latter has an 18% stake in the trust.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING
Moody's could upgrade the rating if Ascendas REIT continues to improve
its geographic diversification while strengthening its credit metrics,
such that its adjusted debt/total deposited assets falls below 35%
and its adjusted net debt/EBITDA drops below 6.0x on a sustained
basis.
On the other hand, Moody's could downgrade Ascendas REIT's
rating if (1) the operating environment deteriorates, leading to
higher vacancy levels and a decline in the trust's operating cash
flow or a fall in asset valuations; or (2) the trust's credit metrics
weaken, such that its adjusted net debt/EBITDA rises above 8.0x
or its adjusted EBITDA/interest coverage falls below 3.5x.
In addition, a material change in Ascendas REIT's business risk
profile resulting from an expansion into higher-risk jurisdictions
could also pressure the trust's rating.
The principal methodology used in this rating was REITs and Other Commercial
Real Estate Firms Methodology published in July 2021 and available at
https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1272320.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust (Ascendas REIT) was listed on the
Singapore Stock Exchange in November 2002. As of 30 September 2021,
the trust had a diversified portfolio of 97 properties in Singapore,
34 in Australia, 49 in the UK and Europe as well as 30 in the US,
with a total valuation of SGD16.0 billion.
The trust's sponsor, CapitaLand Investment Limited, is a 52%-owned
subsidiary of Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited (Aaa stable), which
is wholly owned by the Government of Singapore (Aaa stable). As
of 30 September 2021, CapitaLand held an 18% stake in Ascendas
REIT.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's
Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security 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.
The rating has been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s)
and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.
This rating is solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy
for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on
its website www.moodys.com.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social
and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1288235.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed
by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt
am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's
office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed
by Moody's Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square,
Canary Wharf, London E14 5FA under the law applicable to credit
rating agencies in the UK. Further information on the UK endorsement
status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is
available on www.moodys.com.
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.
Hui Ting Sim
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
Vikas Halan
Associate Managing Director
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