$650 million of rated debt instruments
New York, May 23, 2018 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") assigned
a Caa1 rating to International Seaways, Inc.'s ("INSW")
proposed senior unsecured notes due 2023. Concurrently, Moody's
affirmed the company's B3 Corporate Family Rating ("CFR")
and the ratings of the senior secured bank credit facilities it guarantees,
including the revolving credit facility (due 2021) at Ba3 and the first-lien
term loan (due 2022) at B3. Moody's also affirmed the SGL-3
Speculative Grade Liquidity rating and withdrew the B3-PD Probability
of Default Rating. The ratings outlook remains negative.
RATING RATIONALE
The affirmation of the B3 rating reflects Moody's expectation of
constrained credit metrics for some time amid persistent freight rate
pressures. The company's debt-to-EBITDA is
high for its operating profile following debt-funded fleet acquisitions,
and is likely to remain above 7x (after Moody's standard adjustments)
absent a meaningful recovery in the pricing environment, which seems
unlikely in the near term. Given these factors, the rating
does not anticipate further (debt) leveraging actions following the company's
planned acquisition of six very large crude carriers for $434 million,
including the assumption of about $305 million in debt, expected
to close during the second quarter of 2018. The rating is constrained
by the company's relatively small size, highly cyclical markets
and vulnerability to freight rate volatility as its vessels trade primarily
in the spot market. The adequate liquidity profile and company's
position as a leading player in its transportation markets are positive
rating considerations.
The negative outlook reflects the likelihood that soft freight rate conditions
will continue to weigh on earnings and cash flow over the next year,
amid tanker oversupply, balanced against expectations of at least
adequate liquidity as denoted by the SGL-3 rating. This
is based on cash balances of over $100 million (expected following
close of the transaction), an undrawn $50 million revolver
and expectations of modestly positive free cash flow generation with moderating
capex spend.
The Caa1 rating on the proposed senior unsecured notes reflects Moody's
expectation of recovery in the company's liability structure and
relative position of this debt in the priority of claim, in a default
scenario.
The ratings could be downgraded with a material deterioration in the liquidity
profile or if business conditions remain subdued and lead to weaker than
expected credit metrics, including FFO + Interest to Interest
sustained at 2x or lower or a lack of progress with reducing debt-to-EBITDA
towards 6x. Additional debt financed acquisitions or shareholder-friendly
initiatives could also drive downwards rating pressure.
Upward ratings momentum could occur if INSW deploys its cash in a manner
that would limit potential increases in debt, such as for fleet
investments rather than shareholder returns. Improving market conditions
that drive sustained growth in revenues and earnings with a financial
profile that results in sustained FFO + Interest to Interest above
3x, stronger liquidity and a capital structure that is supportive
of higher ratings could lead to an upgrade.
Moody's took the following actions:
Assignments:
Issuer: International Seaways, Inc.
.Senior unsecured notes due 2023, at Caa1
Affirmations:
Issuer: International Seaways, Inc.
.... Corporate Family Rating, at B3
.... Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating,
at SGL-3
Issuer: International Seaways Operating Corporation
....Senior Secured First Lien Term Loan due
2022, at B3
....Senior Secured First Lien Revolving Credit
Facility due 2021, at Ba3
Withdrawals:
..Issuer: International Seaways, Inc.
.... Probability of Default Rating,
Withdrawn , previously rated B3-PD
The ratings outlook is negative.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Shipping Industry
published in December 2017. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
International Seaways, Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation,
is a leading provider of ocean-based transportation of crude oil
and refined petroleum in the international market. It operates
its business under two segments: international crude tankers and
international product carriers. The company will have a fleet of
55 vessels of varying classes (pro forma), including ownership interests
in 4 LNG carriers and 2 FSO vessels through joint partnerships.
Total revenues were approximately $253 million as of the last twelve
months ended March 31, 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.
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.
Yvonne Njogu
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Robert Jankowitz
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653