First-time ratings
London, 01 February 2013 -- Moody's Investors Service has today assigned a first-time long-term
deposit rating of Aa2 with a negative outlook and a short-term
deposit rating of Prime-1 to Societe de Financement Local (SFIL).
Simultaneously, Moody's has assigned a standalone credit assessment
of baa1 to SFIL, which we consider to be a Government Related-Issuer
(GRI).
Moody's says that the baa1 standalone credit assessment reflects
SFIL's low-risk profile and that its business will be restricted
to lending to French local authorities and hospitals, as imposed
by the European Commission (EC).
SFIL's Aa2 long-term deposit rating incorporates five notches
of rating uplift from the baa1 standalone credit assessment. This
reflects Moody's assumption that SFIL would benefit from a very
high likelihood of extraordinary support from the government of France,
in case of need.
SFIL has been recently incorporated as a public limited liability company
(societe anonyme), at the government's initiative with a view
to providing financing to French local governments and hospitals.
The EC approved this decision on 28 December 2012. SFIL is 75%
owned directly by the French State (Aa1 negative), 20% by
the Caisse des Depots et Consignations (Aa1/Prime-1 negative) and
5% by La Banque Postale (LBP, unrated).
RATINGS RATIONALE
--- STANDALONE CREDIT ASSESSMENT
SFIL is part of the new structure defined by the French State for the
financing of French local authorities and public hospitals, as follows:
(1) The Caisse Française de Financement Local (CFFL, formerly
known as Dexia Municipal Agency; DMA) is the financing vehicle for
the issuance of French covered bonds. CFFL is 100% owned
by SFIL and chartered as a Societe de Credit Foncier (SCF);
(2) A joint-venture between LBP (65%) and CDC (35%)
will originate the loans;
(3) LBP will warehouse the new loans before it transfers them to CFFL;
and,
(4) SFIL will provide services to the three above entities (e.g.
commercial support, financial monitoring, risk control as
well as back office management) and will act as sponsor bank for CFFL.
Moody's has assigned a standalone credit assessment of baa1 to SFIL,
which reflects SFIL's low-risk profile based on the quality
of the lending portfolios of DMA following the transfer of this entity
from its former owner, Dexia Credit Local (DCL; deposits Baa2
negative/Prime-2; bank financial strength rating E/baseline
credit assessment, ca stable) to SFIL, and an adequate funding
structure, as SFIL is currently funded by CDC and will also benefit
from LBP funding over time as new production develops. Moody's
positively notes that SFIL's business will be restricted to lending
to French local authorities and hospitals as imposed by the EC.
The standalone credit assessment of baa1 also reflects the expectation
that this new entity will hold a significant position in French local
public-sector financing, supported by the systems and experience
of staff transferred from DCL.
However, these positive factors are partly offset by SFIL's
(1) relatively high borrower concentration risk, inherent to public-sector
financing, but also attributable to some large exposures inherited
from DCL; (2) the entity's very high leverage; and (3)
low profitability, although Moody's recognises that this is
consistent with SFIL's assigned public-service mission.
--- SENIOR DEPOSIT RATINGS UNDERPINNED BY STATE SHAREHOLDING
AND PUBLIC-SERVICE MISSION
SFIL's Aa2 long-term deposit rating incorporates a five-notch
uplift from the standalone credit assessment of baa1. This reflects
a very high likelihood of extraordinary support from the government of
France, reflecting (1) the 75% direct state ownership and
25% indirect ownership of SFIL through the CDC and LBP, and
its commitment to remaining its reference shareholder; (2) the State's
commitment to supporting SFIL's solvency and liquidity through a
letter of comfort which has been submitted to the French Supervisor (Autorite
de Controle Prudentiel); (3) the key role that SFIL is expected to
play in the financing of the French local authorities and hospitals;
and (4) the economic and reputational damage that would result from a
default of SFIL.
WHAT COULD MOVE THE RATINGS UP/DOWN
Upwards pressure would develop on SFIL's standalone credit assessment,
following a combination of (1) a significant decrease in leverage;
and (2) a material lowering in borrower concentration risk.
Given the multi-notch rating uplift incorporated into SFIL's
long-term rating, a gradual strengthening of its standalone
credit profile is unlikely to lead to upwards rating pressure of the long-term
rating. However, SFIL's long-term deposit rating
could be upgraded as a result of an upgrade of the rating of the French
government. Nevertheless, absent any explicit guarantee from
the French government, SFIL's long-term ratings are
unlikely to be aligned with the government's ratings.
Downwards pressure could develop on SFIL's standalone credit assessment
following (1) worse-than-expected asset performance;
(2) consequent weakening in capitalisation and/or a further increase in
leverage; (3) lower-than-expected profitability;
or (4) deterioration in its funding and liquidity profile.
SFIL's long-term deposit rating could be downgraded as a
result of (1) a downgrade of France's government bond rating;
or (2) Moody's assessment of a lower probability of government support;
or (3) a downgrade of SFIL's standalone credit strength.
METHODOLOGIES
The methodologies used in this rating were Moody's Consolidated
Global Bank Rating Methodology published in June 2012, and Government-Related
Issuers: Methodology Update Published in July 2010. Please
see the Credit Policy 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 rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
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 rating action, and
whose ratings may change as a result of this 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.
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.
Yasuko Nakamura
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's France SAS
96 Boulevard Haussmann
Paris 75008
France
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
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Carola Schuler
MD - Banking
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
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Moody's assigns Aa2 to Societe de Financement Local; outlook negative