Singapore, January 14, 2019 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned a backed senior unsecured rating
of B2 to the proposed senior unsecured notes to be issued by Alam Synergy
Pte. Ltd. The proposed notes are guaranteed by Alam Sutera
Realty Tbk (P.T.) (B2 negative) and most of its subsidiaries
and rank pari passu with the 2020 notes and 2022 notes.
The rating outlook is negative.
Alam Sutera will use the net proceeds from the proposed issuance towards
partial refinancing of its 2020 notes and general corporate purposes.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The rating on the notes is in line with Alam Sutera's B2 corporate
family rating, as the proposed notes are not exposed to either legal
or structural subordination risk," says Jacintha Poh, a Moody's
Vice President and Senior Credit Officer.
At 31 October 2018, 89% of Alam Sutera's total debt was unsecured,
and the majority of Alam Sutera's borrowings were at the holding company.
Furthermore, the notes are guaranteed by all major subsidiaries.
"The successful issuance of the proposed notes would be credit positive,
because it will improve Alam Sutera's liquidity, and partially
address the company's refinancing risk," adds Poh,
who is also Moody's Lead Analyst for Alam Sutera.
Alam Sutera held cash and cash equivalents of IDR408 billion ($27
million) at 31 October 2018. While Moody's expects the company
to generate around IDR1.7 trillion in cash from operations in 2019,
Alam Sutera will not accumulate sufficient cash to cover the repayment
of its $235 million notes in March 2020.
Moody's expects Alam Sutera's adjusted debt/homebuilding EBITDA will remain
around 3.5x in 2019 while the company's homebuilding EBIT/interest
expense will weaken to around 3.3x from 3.6x for the 12
months ended 30 September 2018.
Alam Sutera's B2 ratings reflect the company's ownership of a large
and low-cost land bank, a situation which has allowed it
to generate strong gross profit margins exceeding 50%. The
ratings also take into account the increased volatility in Alam Sutera's
earnings and cash flow over the last two years, driven by larger
contributions from one-off transactions instead of income from
the company's core business of property development.
The ratings are constrained by Alam Sutera's small scale and limited
geographic diversity. The company is also exposed to the cyclical
property sector, with limited contributions from the more stable,
recurring income stream from its investment properties.
The negative outlook on Alam Sutera's ratings reflect Moody's expectation
that the company's liquidity will weaken significantly over the
next 12-18 months, owing to the maturity of its 2020 notes.
Given the negative ratings outlook, Moody's will unlikely
upgrade Alam Sutera's ratings over the next 12-18 months.
Nevertheless, the ratings outlook could return to stable if the
company: (1) successfully refinances its $235 million bond
due March 2020; (2) continues to execute its business plans,
in particular, its land sales to China Fortune Land Development
Co., Ltd (CFLD); and (3) maintains stable financial
metrics, such that adjusted debt/ homebuilding EBITDA is below 5.0x
and adjusted homebuilding EBIT/interest expense is above 2.0x.
Moody's could downgrade the ratings if Alam Sutera's financial
and liquidity profiles weaken owing to: (1) an inability to proactively
address the refinancing of its $235 million bond due March 2020;
(2) a failure to execute its business plans, in particular,
its land sales to CFLD; (3) a deterioration in the property market,
leading to a protracted weakness in the company's operations;
and (4) a material depreciation in the Indonesian rupiah, which
could increase the company's debt servicing obligations.
Metrics indicative of downward ratings pressure include: (1) adjusted
debt/homebuilding EBITDA exceeding 5.0x; (2) adjusted homebuilding
EBIT/interest expense falling below 2.0x; or (3) insufficient
cash to cover short-term debt obligations.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Homebuilding And Property
Development Industry published in January 2018. Please see the
Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of
this methodology.
Established in November 1993 and listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange
in December 2007, Alam Sutera Realty Tbk (P.T.) is
an integrated property developer in Indonesia that focuses on the sale
of land lots in accordance with township planning requirements,
as well as property development in residential and commercial segments
in Indonesia. At 30 September 2018, the family of The Ning
King owned around 47% of the company.
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.
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.
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.
Jacintha Poh
VP - Sr Credit Officer
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
Laura Acres
MD - Corporate Finance
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