Hong Kong, November 21, 2017 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") has
assigned a Baa3 senior unsecured rating to the proposed USD notes to be
issued by Chouzhou International Investment Limited and guaranteed by
Yiwu State-owned Capital Operation Co., Ltd.
(YSCO, Baa3 stable).
The rating outlook is stable.
The proceeds will be used to invest in key infrastructure construction
projects and for general corporate purposes.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The bond issuance is part of YSCO's debt-funded investment
plan and will not materially change our expectation of a rise in leverage
over the next 12-18 months," says Franco Leung, a Moody's
Vice President and Senior Credit Officer, and also the International
Lead Analyst for YSCO.
Moody's expects the company's debt leverage — as measured by adjusted
debt/capitalization — will rise to around 70% over the next
12-18 months from 60% in 2016 due to its sizeable debt-funded
investment plan, principally for infrastructure construction and
shantytown development projects. Such a level of leverage would
position the company's baseline credit assessment (BCA) in the low
ba range.
YSCO's Baa3 issuer rating combines: (1) its ba3 BCA; and (2)
Moody's assessment of a high likelihood that the company will receive
extraordinary support from the Yiwu City Government in times of need,
which provides a three-notch uplift to its rating.
This support assessment reflects (1) YSCO's dominant role in the
city's development, with its projects being partly commercially
viable as well as linked to the Yiwu Government's public policy
goals; (2) the close supervision by the Yiwu Government; (3)
continued large government subsidies and capital injections; and
(4) a high portion of debt raised for public welfare projects and commercial
public projects supported by the Yiwu Government's annual budgets.
YSCO's ba3 BCA is driven by its diversified business profile, which
consolidates the majority of Yiwu city's state-owned operating
assets; the stable recurring rental income from its widely and internationally
recognized small commodity trading centers; and its strong access
to domestic funding.
On the other hand, YSCO's BCA is constrained by its high debt leverage,
because of its sizable investment plan for infrastructure construction
and shantytown renovation projects over the next 2-3 years.
The stable rating outlook incorporates Moody's expectation that
over the next 12-18 months (1) the company's credit metrics
will be maintained at levels that are appropriate for its ba3 BCA;
and (2) its importance to the Yiwu Government, and the Yiwu Government's
ability to provide support, will remain intact.
Moody's will upgrade YSCO's rating if the company improves
its financial profile by increasing earnings and reducing debt.
Metrics indicative of upward rating pressure include funds from operations
(FFO) interest coverage, after government grants and subsidies,
exceeding 3.0x, and adjusted debt/capitalization below 50%
on a sustained basis. Moody's will also upgrade the rating
if the company's importance to the Yiwu Government strengthens,
or the Yiwu Government's ability to support YSCO improves.
Moody's will downgrade the rating if the company experiences a material
deterioration in its business or financial profile, without any
material changes in the assessment of support from the Yiwu Goverment.
Specifically, Moody's would downgrade the rating if FFO interest
coverage falls below 1.0x-1.2x, or adjusted
debt/capitalization rises above 70%-75% on a sustained
basis. Moody's will also downgrade the rating in case of
a decline in the company's importance to the Yiwu Government,
or if there is a weakening in the Yiwu Government's ability to provide
support.
The methodologies used in this rating were Business and Consumer Service
Industry published in October 2016, and Government-Related
Issuers published in August 2017. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
Yiwu State-owned Capital Operation Co., Ltd.
(YSCO) is 100%-owned and directly supervised by the State-Owned
Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the Yiwu City Government
(Yiwu SASAC).
As the sole investment platform of the Yiwu SASAC, the company consolidates
Yiwu City Government's major state-owned operational assets,
including its trading centers, urban infrastructure construction,
shantytown renovation projects development, warehousing and logistics,
water services, and public transportation.
At the end of 2016, the company's registered capital totaled RMB1.68
billion, with total assets of RMB98.4 billion.
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.
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.
Franco Leung
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.)
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Gary Lau
MD - Corporate Finance
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