Email Research
Thank you for your interest in sharing Moody's Research. You have reached the daily limit of Research email sharings.
Thank you!
You have successfully sent the research.
Please note: some research requires a paid subscription in order to access.
Already a customer?
LOG IN
Don't want to see this again?
REGISTER
Accept our to continue to Moodys.com:
PLEASE READ
AND SCROLL DOWN!
By clicking “I AGREE” [at the end of this document],
you indicate that you understand and intend these terms and conditions to be
the legal equivalent of a signed, written contract and equally binding, and
that you accept such terms and conditions as a condition of viewing any and all
Moody’s information that becomes accessible to you [after clicking “I AGREE”] (the
“Information”). References herein to “Moody’s” include Moody’s
Corporation, Inc. and each of its subsidiaries and affiliates.
Terms of One-Time Website Use
1. Unless
you have entered into an express written contract with Moody’s to the contrary,
you agree that you have no right to use the Information in a commercial or
public setting and no right to copy it, save it, print it, sell it, or publish
or distribute any portion of it in any form.
2. You
acknowledge and agree that Moody’s credit ratings: (i) are current opinions of
the future relative creditworthiness of securities and address no other risk; and
(ii) are not statements of current
or historical fact or recommendations to purchase, hold or sell particular
securities. Moody’s credit ratings and
publications are not intended for retail investors, and it would be reckless
and inappropriate for retail investors to use Moody’s credit ratings and
publications when making an investment decision. No
warranty, express or implied, as the accuracy, timeliness, completeness,
merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose of any Moody’s credit
rating is given or made by Moody’s in any form whatsoever.
3. To the extent permitted by law, Moody’s and its directors,
officers, employees, representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim
liability for: (i) any indirect, special, consequential, or incidental losses
or damages whatsoever arising from or in connection with use of the
Information; and (ii) any direct or compensatory damages caused to any person
or entity, including but not limited to by any negligence (but excluding fraud
or any other type of liability that by law cannot be excluded) on the part of
Moody’s or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives,
licensors or suppliers, arising from or in connection with use of the
Information.
4. You agree to read [and
be bound by] the more detailed disclosures regarding Moody’s ratings and the
limitations of Moody’s liability included in the Information.
5. You agree that any disputes relating to this agreement or your use of
the Information, whether sounding in contract, tort, statute or otherwise,
shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York and shall be subject to
the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in
the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan.
I AGREE
19 Feb 2016
New York, February 19, 2016 -- Issue: 2016 General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series A (Dedicated Unlimited Ad Valorem Property Tax Bonds); Rating: Aa2; Sale Amount: $575,000,000; Expected Sale Date: 03/01/2016; Rating Description: General Obligation
Issue: General Obligation Bonds, Election of 2008, Series A (2016) (Dedicated Unlimited Ad Valorem Property Tax Bonds); Rating: Aa2; Sale Amount: $650,000,000; Expected Sale Date: 03/01/2016; Rating Description: General Obligation
Summary Rating Rationale
Moody's Investors Service has assigned an Aa2 rating to Los Angeles Unified School District, CA's General Obligation Bonds, Election of 2008, Series A (2016) totaling approximately $650.0 million and to the district's 2016 General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series A totaling approximately $575.0 million. We have also affirmed the Aa2 rating on the district's outstanding general obligation bonds totaling approximately $10.3 billion and the A1 rating on the district's outstanding lease-backed securities totaling approximately $295.9 million.
The Aa2 rating reflects the district's exceptionally large and diverse tax base that is poised for moderate growth in the near term and the below-average socioeconomic profile of the district's residents. The district currently benefits from improved revenues from the state, which have helped to bolster the district's general fund reserves and liquidity to healthy levels for a district of this size. Fiscal challenges still remain, however, including expenditure pressures for salary and benefit increases, pension rate increases, and funding the district's oversized unfunded OPEB liability, which has been considered in the current rating review. The district's trend of declining enrollment creates an additional hurdle management will need to overcome to address its fiscal challenges. The district has a high debt burden and a substantial amount of authorized, but unissued, general obligation debt remaining. The district's pension burden is average relative to other California school districts.
Important to the district's Aa2 rating is the strength of the district management and the demonstrated ability to financially guide the district through periods of revenue uncertainty and severe state budget challenges, which, given the cyclical nature of the California economy, will occur periodically. We feel management will prudently address its long term fiscal challenges, though may need to address long term challenges with short term, one-time solutions, which is a credit weakness.
Also considered in the Aa2 rating is the strength of the California general obligation pledge. The general obligation offering is secured by an unlimited property tax pledge of all taxable property within the district boundaries. Debt service on the rated debt is secured by the district's voter-approved unlimited property tax pledge. The county rather than the district will levy, collect, and disburse the district's property taxes, including the portion constitutionally restricted to pay debt service on general obligation bonds.
The A1 lease-supported obligations are secured by standard, California abatement leases. The two notch distinction between the general obligation rating represents the weaker security pledge for lease-backed obligations and the additional risk to creditors from the district's financial, operational, and economic conditions compared to the more secure general obligation pledge.
Rating Outlook
The district has a stable outlook on all of its ratings, reflecting the strength of the district's local economy and improved revenues that will help to offset the district's budgetary challenges.
Factors that Could Lead to an Upgrade
Sustained improvement in general fund reserve levels and diminished long term expenditure pressures
Significant socioeconomic improvement
Significantly diminished unfunded OPEB liability
Factors that Could Lead to a Downgrade
Trend of declining reserves
Protracted decline in assessed value
Material increase in debt burden
Moody's changed opinion on pension and/or OPEB liabilities
Legal Security
The general obligation offering is secured by an unlimited property tax pledge of all taxable property within the district boundaries. Debt service on the rated debt is secured by the district's voter-approved unlimited property tax pledge. The county rather than the district will levy, collect, and disburse the district's property taxes, including the portion constitutionally restricted to pay debt service on general obligation bonds.
Use of Proceeds
Proceeds from the Election of 2008, Series A (2016) bonds will be used to finance the modernization and repair of aged and deteriorated schools. The district has largely completed its capital program for new construction.
The 2016A Refunding Bonds will be used to refund and defease outstanding general obligation bonds with a call date of July 1, 2016 for substantial present value savings.
Obligor Profile
The District encompasses approximately 710 square miles in the western section of Los Angeles County. The District is located in and includes virtually all of the City of Los Angeles and all or significant portions of the cities of Bell, Carson, Commerce, Cudahy, Gardena, Hawthorne, Huntington Park, Lomita, Maywood, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Fernando, South Gate, Vernon, and West Hollywood, in addition to considerable unincorporated territories devoted to homes and industry. Total enrollment for the district is 582,430 as of fiscal 2015.
Methodology
The principal methodology used in this rating was US Local Government General Obligation Debt published in January 2014. An additional methodology used in the lease-backed rating was the The Fundamentals of Credit Analysis for Lease-Backed Municipal Obligations published in December 2011. Please see the Ratings 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.
Christian Ward
Lead Analyst
Regional PFG West
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
One Front Street
Suite 1900
San Francisco 94111
US
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Kristina Cordero
Additional Contact
Regional PFG West
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's assigns Aa2 to Los Angeles Unified School District, CA's GO Bonds; outlook is stable
No Related Data.
© 2020 Moody's Corporation, Moody's Investors Service, Inc., Moody's Analytics, Inc. and/or their licensors and affiliates (collectively, "MOODY'S"). All rights reserved.
CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. AND/OR ITS CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE MOODY'S CURRENT OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS, OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODY'S (COLLECTIVELY, "PUBLICATIONS") MAY INCLUDE SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE DEFINES CREDIT RISK AS THE RISK THAT AN ENTITY MAY NOT MEET ITS CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME DUE AND ANY ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT OR IMPAIRMENT. SEE MOODY'S RATING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS PUBLICATION FOR INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ADDRESSED BY MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE CREDIT RATINGS. CREDIT RATINGS DO NOT ADDRESS ANY OTHER RISK, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LIQUIDITY RISK, MARKET VALUE RISK, OR PRICE VOLATILITY. CREDIT RATINGS, NON-CREDIT ASSESSMENTS ("ASSESSMENTS"), AND OTHER OPINIONS INCLUDED IN MOODY'S PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT STATEMENTS OF CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACT. MOODY'S PUBLICATIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE QUANTITATIVE MODEL-BASED ESTIMATES OF CREDIT RISK AND RELATED OPINIONS OR COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY MOODY'S ANALYTICS, INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT CONSTITUTE OR PROVIDE INVESTMENT OR FINANCIAL ADVICE, AND MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AND DO NOT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PURCHASE, SELL, OR HOLD PARTICULAR SECURITIES. MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT COMMENT ON THE SUITABILITY OF AN INVESTMENT FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR. MOODY'S ISSUES ITS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLISHES ITS PUBLICATIONS WITH THE EXPECTATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EACH INVESTOR WILL, WITH DUE CARE, MAKE ITS OWN STUDY AND EVALUATION OF EACH SECURITY THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR PURCHASE, HOLDING, OR SALE.
MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS , ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS, AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY RETAIL INVESTORS AND IT WOULD BE RECKLESS AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR RETAIL INVESTORS TO USE MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS OR PUBLICATIONS WHEN MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION. IF IN DOUBT YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR FINANCIAL OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVISER.
ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS PROTECTED BY LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COPYRIGHT LAW, AND NONE OF SUCH INFORMATION MAY BE COPIED OR OTHERWISE REPRODUCED, REPACKAGED, FURTHER TRANSMITTED, TRANSFERRED, DISSEMINATED, REDISTRIBUTED OR RESOLD, OR STORED FOR SUBSEQUENT USE FOR ANY SUCH PURPOSE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN ANY FORM OR MANNER OR BY ANY MEANS WHATSOEVER, BY ANY PERSON WITHOUT MOODY'S PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.
MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS , ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY ANY PERSON AS A BENCHMARK AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED FOR REGULATORY PURPOSES AND MUST NOT BE USED IN ANY WAY THAT COULD RESULT IN THEM BEING CONSIDERED A BENCHMARK.
All information contained herein is obtained by MOODY'S from sources believed by it to be accurate and reliable. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error as well as other factors, however, all information contained herein is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind. MOODY'S adopts all necessary measures so that the information it uses in assigning a credit rating is of sufficient quality and from sources MOODY'S considers to be reliable including, when appropriate, independent third-party sources. However, MOODY'S is not an auditor and cannot in every instance independently verify or validate information received in the rating process or in preparing its Publications.
To the extent permitted by law, MOODY'S and its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim liability to any person or entity for any indirect, special, consequential, or incidental losses or damages whatsoever arising from or in connection with the information contained herein or the use of or inability to use any such information, even if MOODY'S or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors or suppliers is advised in advance of the possibility of such losses or damages, including but not limited to: (a) any loss of present or prospective profits or (b) any loss or damage arising where the relevant financial instrument is not the subject of a particular credit rating assigned by MOODY'S.
To the extent permitted by law, MOODY'S and its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim liability for any direct or compensatory losses or damages caused to any person or entity, including but not limited to by any negligence (but excluding fraud, willful misconduct or any other type of liability that, for the avoidance of doubt, by law cannot be excluded) on the part of, or any contingency within or beyond the control of, MOODY'S or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors or suppliers, arising from or in connection with the information contained herein or the use of or inability to use any such information.
NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF ANY CREDIT RATING, ASSESSMENT, OTHER OPINION OR INFORMATION IS GIVEN OR MADE BY MOODY'S IN ANY FORM OR MANNER WHATSOEVER.
Moody's Investors Service, Inc., a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of Moody's Corporation ("MCO"), hereby discloses that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to Moody's Investors Service, Inc. for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from $1,000 to approximately $2,700,000. MCO and Moody's investors Service also maintain policies and procedures to address the independence of Moody's Investors Service credit ratings and credit rating processes. Information regarding certain affiliations that may exist between directors of MCO and rated entities, and between entities who hold credit ratings from Moody's Investors Service and have also publicly reported to the SEC an ownership interest in MCO of more than 5%, is posted annually at www.moodys.com under the heading "Investor Relations — Corporate Governance — Director and Shareholder Affiliation Policy."
Additional terms for Australia only: Any publication into Australia of this document is pursuant to the Australian Financial Services License of MOODY'S affiliate, Moody's Investors Service Pty Limited ABN 61 003 399 657AFSL 336969 and/or Moody's Analytics Australia Pty Ltd ABN 94 105 136 972 AFSL 383569 (as applicable). This document is intended to be provided only to "wholesale clients" within the meaning of section 761G of the Corporations Act 2001. By continuing to access this document from within Australia, you represent to MOODY'S that you are, or are accessing the document as a representative of, a "wholesale client" and that neither you nor the entity you represent will directly or indirectly disseminate this document or its contents to "retail clients" within the meaning of section 761G of the Corporations Act 2001. MOODY'S credit rating is an opinion as to the creditworthiness of a debt obligation of the issuer, not on the equity securities of the issuer or any form of security that is available to retail investors.
Additional terms for Japan only: Moody's Japan K.K. ("MJKK") is a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of Moody's Group Japan G.K., which is wholly-owned by Moody's Overseas Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of MCO. Moody's SF Japan K.K. ("MSFJ") is a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of MJKK. MSFJ is not a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization ("NRSRO"). Therefore, credit ratings assigned by MSFJ are Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings. Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings are assigned by an entity that is not a NRSRO and, consequently, the rated obligation will not qualify for certain types of treatment under U.S. laws. MJKK and MSFJ are credit rating agencies registered with the Japan Financial Services Agency and their registration numbers are FSA Commissioner (Ratings) No. 2 and 3 respectively.
MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) hereby disclose that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from JPY125,000 to approximately JPY250,000,000.
MJKK and MSFJ also maintain policies and procedures to address Japanese regulatory requirements.
|
|
