Hong Kong, July 22, 2019 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Ba1 senior unsecured rating to
the proposed USD notes to be issued by Changde Economic Construction Investment
Group Co., Ltd. (CECIG, Ba1 stable).
The ratings outlook is stable.
The proceeds will be used for project construction in China, to
repay onshore debt and to supplement working capital.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The Ba1 rating on the proposed USD notes reflects the fact that the notes
will rank pari passu with CECIG's other senior unsecured obligations,
improve the company's debt maturity profile, and have no impact
on its financial profile," says Chenyi Lu, a Moody's Senior
Credit Officer, and also Moody's International Lead Analyst
for CECIG.
CECIG's Ba1 CFR combines (1) its b1 Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA);
and (2) Moody's assessment of a strong likelihood of support from and
high level of dependence on the Government of China (A1 stable) in times
of need, which results in a rating that is three notches above its
BCA.
Moody's assessment of strong government support reflects CECIG's (1) 100%
ownership by the Changde City Government in Hunan Province; (2) status
as a key government-owned entity in Changde City, with an
important role in city development and the provision of some public services;
and (3) track record of receiving financial support from the Changde City
Government.
CECIG's BCA is driven by (1) its policy function and key role in
city development and the provision of public services in the Changde City;
(2) the cash payments it receives from the Changde City Government to
fund its policy-related business; and (3) its good access
to domestic funding channels, including bank loans and the debt
capital markets.
These credit strengths are partly offset by CECIG's elevated debt
leverage because of the urban infrastructure projects it undertakes for
the government. The company also has provided guarantees on debt
of other local government-owned entities in Changde City.
Moody's estimates CECIG's adjusted (funds from operation [FFO]
from non-government transactions + government cash payments
+ interest)/interest will stay around 1.3x in 2019.
Such a level still positions the company's BCA at b1 relative to the other
rated local government-owned entities in China.
The Ba1 rating has also considered CECIG's limited exposure to environmental,
social and governance (ESG) risks. As a local government financing
vehicle wholly owned by the Changde SASAC, the company's operations
and financial policies are closely supervised by the local government.
The stable outlook reflects Moody's expectation that there will be no
change in (1) the stable outlook on China's A1 sovereign rating;
(2) the company's ownership by the Changde City Government;
(3) the key role that CECIG plays in the development of Changde City and
the provision of public services in the city; (4) the company's access
to the banks and capital markets; and (5) the financial support it
receives from the government.
Moody's could upgrade CECIG's rating if (1) the likelihood of government
support further strengthens; and/or (2) the company's BCA improves.
Moody's could raise CECIG's BCA if the company's financial profile improves,
and its exposure to trust and lease financing and guaranteed debt reduces
materially.
Factors indicative of an improvement in the company's BCA include adjusted
(FFO from non-government transactions + government cash payments
+ interest)/interest exceeding 2.5x on a sustained basis.
Moody's could downgrade the rating if (1) the likelihood of government
support for CECIG weakens; or (2) CECIG's BCA deteriorates.
Moreover, Moody's could lower CECIG's BCA if its financial profile
or liquidity position further deteriorates.
A worsening BCA could be indicated by adjusted (FFO from non-government
transactions + government cash payments + interest)/interest
falling below 1.0x on a sustained basis, or if the company's
exposure to trust and lease financing and its guaranteed debt levels continue
to increase.
The methodologies used in this rating were Business and Consumer Service
Industry published in October 2016, and Government-Related
Issuers published in June 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
Established in 1992, Changde Economic Construction Investment Group
Co., Ltd. is 100% owned by the State-owned
Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the Changde Government.
The company is a key government-owned entity in Changde,
a prefecture-level city in Hunan Province.
The local market analyst for this rating is Cindy Yang, +86
(10) 6319-6570.
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.
Moody's considers a rated entity or its agent(s) to be participating
when it maintains an overall relationship with Moody's. Unless
noted in the Regulatory Disclosures as a Non-Participating Entity,
the rated entity is participating and the rated entity or its agent(s)
generally provides Moody's with information for the purposes of
its ratings process. Please refer to www.moodys.com
for the Regulatory Disclosures for each credit rating action under the
ratings tab on the issuer/entity page and for details of Moody's
Policy for Designating Non-Participating Rated Entities.
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.
The first name below is the lead rating analyst for this Credit Rating
and the last name below is the person primarily responsible for approving
this Credit Rating.
Chenyi Lu
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
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Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Gary Lau
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Peter Choy
Senior Vice President
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077