Hong Kong, December 12, 2018 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Ba3 rating to the proposed
senior unsecured USD notes to be issued by Greenland Hong Kong Holdings
Limited (Ba2 stable).
The rating outlook is stable.
The proceeds from the proposed issuance will be used to refinance existing
debt.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The proposed note issue will not materially affect the company's financial
profile and its Ba2 corporate family rating (CFR), because the proceeds
will be used to refinance existing debt," says Danny Chan,
a Moody's Analyst, and also Moody's Lead Analyst for Greenland Hong
Kong.
Greenland Hong Kong's Ba2 CFR includes a two-notch rating uplift,
based on Moody's expectations that the company will receive strong support
from Greenland Holding in times of need.
Greenland Hong Kong's standalone credit profile reflects its developing
but well-located land bank, and Moody's expectation that
it will grow in size through organic expansion and increased levels of
operational integration with its parent.
Its standalone credit profile also takes into consideration Greenland
Holding's support for Greenland Hong Kong's operations and access to funding.
Moody's expects Greenland Hong Kong's debt leverage, as measured
by revenue/adjusted debt, to stay stable at about 80% over
the next 12-18 months, similar to the level in 2017.
And for the same period, its adjusted EBIT/interest is likely to
remain around 3.3x-3.4x over the next 12-18
months, compared with around 3.3x for the 12 months ended
June 2018 and 2017.
These projected credit metrics support its final CFR of Ba2 and stable
outlook.
Greenland Hong Kong's liquidity is adequate, with cash/short-term
debt at 100% at the end of June 2018.
The company's liquidity profile is also supported by the state-owned
background of its parent.
Greenland Holding's status as a state-owned enterprise of the Shanghai
municipal government and its own refinancing track record provide a certain
level of assurance that it can refinance its debt through domestic and
offshore channels and provide support to Greenland Hong Kong in times
of need.
The Ba3 senior unsecured rating for the proposed notes is one notch lower
than the company's Ba2 CFR, reflecting the risk of structural subordination,
given the fact that the majority of claims are at the operating subsidiaries
and have priority over claims at the holding company in a bankruptcy scenario.
In addition, the holding company lacks significant mitigating factors
for structural subordination, reducing the expected recovery rate
for claims at the holding company level.
The stable outlook for Greenland Hong Kong's ratings reflects Moody's
expectation that Greenland Holding will provide Greenland Hong Kong with
financial and operational support in times of need, and that Greenland
Hong Kong's standalone credit profile will remain stable over the next
12-18 months.
In addition, Greenland Hong Kong's CFR could be upgraded if
(1) Greenland Holding is upgraded and (2) the company can: (a) successfully
implement its business plan; b) improve its scale and diversity;
and (c) improve its credit metrics, such that debt leverage —
as measured by revenue/adjusted debt — is above 85%-90%,
and adjusted EBITDA/interest rises above 3x-3.5x on a consistent
basis.
On the other hand, Greenland Hong Kong's ratings could come under
downward pressure if the company: (1) fails to generate operating
cash flow to maintain its liquidity buffer; (2) fails to maintain
contracted sales and revenue growth; or (3) materially accelerates
development, and executes an aggressive land acquisition plan or
acquisitions, such that debt leverage — as measured by revenue/adjusted
debt — falls below 60%-65% on a sustained basis.
Any evidence of a reduction in ownership or weakening of support from
its parent, or a downgrade of Greenland Holding's rating,
will result in a downgrade of Greenland Hong Kong's ratings.
The principal methodology used in this rating 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.
Greenland Hong Kong Holdings Limited is principally engaged in the development
of large-scale, high-quality residential communities,
city center integrated projects, and travel and leisure projects
that target the middle- to high-end customer segment.
At 30 June 2018, the company's land bank totaled 20 million square
meters, located in key cities in the Pan-Yangtze River Delta
and Pan-Pearl River Delta. Greenland Holding owned 59.07%
of Greenland Hong Kong at 30 June 2018.
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.
Danny Chan
Analyst
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.)
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Franco Leung
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Chris Park
Associate Managing Director
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