New York, October 03, 2018 -- Moody's Investors Service has revised the State of Mississippi's outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the Aa2 ratings on all outstanding GO bonds and the Aa3 ratings on Mississippi's lease-appropriation debt issued through the Mississippi Development Bank. In conjunction with the rating action, Moody's has assigned Aa2 ratings to the State of Mississippi's $203.1 million General Obligation Bonds, Series 2018A (Tax Exempt) and $153.0 million Taxable General Obligation Bonds, Series 2018B.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Mississippi's Aa2 GO rating reflects historically stable revenues and strong financial controls that have led to healthy fund balances and renewed contributions to the rainy day fund, which were supported by conservative fiscal discipline. The Aa2 rating also incorporates low income levels, elevated debt levels, rising pension costs and a stable but low-growth economy.
The Aa3 lease-appropriation rating reflects the subject-to-appropriation nature of the payment obligation, strong legal structure and the essentiality of the financed transportation projects.
RATING OUTLOOK
The state's stable outlook, which applies to its GO as well as its appropriation debt, is supported by stabilization of revenue and economic trends and a resumption of deposits to the rainy day fund. The outlook also incorporates the expected continuance of conservative fiscal management, which will help manage elevated debt levels and potential future revenue weakness.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE
- Growth in state wealth levels reflecting a sustained progress trending to national average
- Sustained increase in fund balance
- Substantial decrease in debt and pension liabilities
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE
- Depletion of financial reserves
- Economic underperformance
- Persistent growth in retiree benefit liabilities
LEGAL SECURITY
Mississippi's general obligation bonds are secured by a pledge of the state's full faith and credit.
Mississippi's lease-appropriation bonds are secured by agreements between the state transportation commission, acting through the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), and the local governments, where the projects being financed are located. The commission covenants to budget for and pay debt service out of any legally available funds.
Underlying the transaction is a loan of the bond proceeds from the Mississippi Development Bank to the local government. As repayment of the loan, the local government pledges the revenues due to it from the commission, subject to availability. The local government assigns all rights to these revenues to the trustee, insulating bondholders from the credit risk of the local government.
As further security, an intercept agreement between the development bank and the local government directs the trustee to notify the state if revenues due to the local government under the commission agreement are insufficient. The intercept agreement authorizes the state to cure the insufficiency with moneys due under the commission agreement. The agreement limits the moneys subject to intercept to those the state has in its possession that MDOT has included in its annual budget and that have been appropriated by the legislature, which slightly reduces the additional bondholder protection provided.
USE OF PROCEEDS
The proceeds of General Obligation Bonds, Series 2018A will be used for capital improvement projects within the state, including for higher education institutions, road and bridge projects and state capital projects.
The proceeds of Taxable General Obligation Bonds, Series 2018B will be used for economic development loans, grants and programs, as well as capital projects.
PROFILE
Mississippi is the 31st-largest state, with a population of 3.0 million, and is the 32nd-largest in area. With a nominal GDP of $111.7 billion, it had the 36th-largest economy in the union. Per-capita income was just 72.1% of the US level, making Mississippi the poorest state in the country.
METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in the general obligation ratings was US States and Territories published in April 2018. The principal methodology used in the lease ratings was Lease, Appropriation, Moral Obligation and Comparable Debt of US State and Local Governments published in July 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
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.
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.
Joshua Grundleger
Lead Analyst
State Ratings
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
7 World Trade Center
250 Greenwich Street
New York 10007
US
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Edward Hampton
Additional Contact
State Ratings
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
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JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653