New York, January 29, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned A3 to Austin (City of) TX - Airport Rental Car Special Facility's approximately $147 million Rental Car Special Facility Revenue Refunding Bonds, Taxable Series 2021. The outlook is stable.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The A3 rating reflects adequate financial coverage and liquidity metrics that will be around historic average levels for consolidated rental car facilities (ConRACs) that Moody's rates A3. The proposed transaction supports the rating by lowering near term debt service requirements to match much lower levels of rental car demand throughout the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite delaying maturities, the proposed restructuring achieves net present value savings while also reducing long-term debt service maturities, which is important given the long-term risks to rental cars posed by emerging ground transportation technologies. The rating also positively considers the continued corporate relocations and expansions in the Austin area, which will support demand for rental cars. Moody's expects the facility to maintain liquidity above 2x maximum annual debt service requirements over the next five years in the airport consultant's conservative demand recovery forecast, while producing DSCR above 2x. The rating also considers that the City of Austin plans to add light rail access to the airport to the downtown core over the next decade, however Moody's expects that will pose more of a competitive threat to taxi and transportation network companies (like Uber and Lyft) than to rental cars. Rental cars will still be demanded for the geographically dispersed local service area and tourism to the outer Hill Country region.
The new bonds will have different structural features than existing facility bonds, which will be fully refunded with the proposed transaction. The new trust indenture allows for liquidity in the customer facility charge (CFC) surplus fund to be used for up to 25% of debt service to meet the rate covenant. The ability to use CFC surplus funds has been credit positive to ConRACS to allow for the use of accumulated restricted CFC balances during the pandemic, but the practice could lead to credit weakness over an extended period of time through lower liquidity.
RATING OUTLOOK
The stable outlook reflects Moody's expectation of steadily improving air and business travel throughout the second half of 2021 and through 2022, lower debt service requirements, and adequate liquidity to protect against slower than expected recovery.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OF THE RATING
- DSCRs, without the benefit of account balances, over 2.0x on a sustained basis
- Continued and sustained growth in CFC collections above fiscal 2019 levels
- CFC balances (including debt service reserve fund) above 4.0x maximum annual debt service
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING
- DSCRs, without the benefit of account balances, below 1.50x on a sustained basis
- CFC balances (including debt service reserve fund) less than 2x maximum annual debt service
LEGAL SECURITY
The bonds are secured by pledged revenues of the facility, primarily customer facility charge (CFC) revenues net of administrative expenses and transportation O&M costs. The bonds are additionally supported by a cash funded debt service reserve fund. Bondholders also benefit from a rate covenant that requires rates to be set to produce debt service coverage of 1.25x, however 0.25x can come from the rate stabilization fund and up to 0.25x can come from transfers from the CFC surplus fund.
USE OF PROCEEDS
Proceeds will be used to fully refund Series 2013 revenue bonds, fund the debt service reserve account, and pay issuance costs.
PROFILE
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA), situated on a former air force base, was constructed in 1999 to replace Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. The airport is currently the second largest medium hub airport in the US. The airport has two parallel north-south runways at 9,000 and 12,250 feet respectively that are capable of handling all commercial service aircraft that are currently in service.
Completed in 2015, the five-level CONRAC facility consists of 4 levels of space for the RACs to use for customer ready/return areas, quick turnaround areas (QTA) to service vehicles, a customer service area, and additional vehicle space and storage. The new building includes expanded terminal area and one ground level public parking, which added approximately 1,058 of parking spaces.
METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in this rating was Publicly Managed Airports and Related Issuers published in March 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1140469. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
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.
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