Moody's changes PNC's outlook to negative and reviews National City for upgrade
New York, October 24, 2008 -- Moody's Investors Service changed the rating outlook on PNC Financial
Services Group, Inc. (PNC) and its subsidiaries to negative
from stable. The holding company is rated A1 for senior debt and
the lead bank, PNC Bank, N.A., is rated
B for bank financial strength and Aa3 for deposits. In a related
action, Moody's placed the ratings of National City Corporation
(NCC) and its subsidiaries on review for possible upgrade. NCC
is rated A3 for senior debt and its lead bank, National City Bank,
is rated C+ for bank financial strength and A2 for deposits.
The Prime-2 short-term rating of National City Credit Corporation
is also on review for possible upgrade.
The rating action follows PNC's announcement that it has agreed
to acquire 100% of NCC in an all stock transaction. The
proposed acquisition will materially enlarge PNC's direct banking
franchise. PNC will strengthen its existing market position in
western Pennsylvania and Ohio and also gain entry into new markets,
primarily in the Midwest. Overall, PNC will rank 5th in U.S.
domestic deposits.
Moody's said the negative outlook on PNC reflects the integration challenges
of the acquisition as well as the incremental credit risk associated with
NCC's large portfolio of troubled real estate assets, both
residential and commercial. NCC represents PNC's largest
acquisition. Though business lines are similar, the magnitude
of the task, particularly in a weak economic environment,
could prove challenging. With regard to the credit risk of the
acquired NCC portfolios, Moody's notes that PNC will significantly
mark down NCC's assets in its accounting for the acquisition,
thereby limiting PNC's future provisioning needs. Nonetheless,
a substantially weaker housing and overall economic environment could
further impact these portfolios, as well as NCC's other loan
exposures and PNC's own loan book in 2009.
PNC will support its pro forma capital position by issuing $7.7
billion in preferred shares and common stock warrants to the U.S.
Treasury under its new Capital Purchase Program. This, combined
with some issuance of common stock, will result in PNC maintaining
healthy regulatory capital ratios, said Moody's. Nonetheless,
PNC's tangible common equity ratio will be comparatively low,
though Moody's expects PNC to rebuild the strength of this metric
over time as it retains earnings.
In placing NCC's ratings under review for possible upgrade, Moody's
said NCC's creditors are expected to benefit from becoming part
of an entity that has demonstrated comparatively stable performance during
an historically challenging credit cycle. The review of NCC will
focus on the transaction's close and the integration plan, including
the legal structure of the entities post-closing. To the
extent these progress in accordance with Moody's expectations, it
is probable that NCC's ratings will rise to PNC's level.
The review process will last until the completion of the transaction.
On Review for Possible Upgrade:
..Issuer: First of America Capital Trust I
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa1
..Issuer: Merchants National Corp
....Senior Unsecured Medium-Term Note
Program, Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently
A3
..Issuer: National City Bank
....Bank Financial Strength Rating,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently C+
....Issuer Rating, Placed on Review
for Possible Upgrade, currently A2
....OSO Senior Unsecured OSO Rating,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A2
....Multiple Seniority Bank Note Program,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently a range of A3 to
A2
....Subordinate Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A3
....Senior Unsecured Deposit Program,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A2
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A2
....Senior Unsecured Deposit Rating,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A2
..Issuer: National City Bank of Kentucky
....Subordinate Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A3
..Issuer: National City Bank of Pennsylvania
....Subordinate Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A3
..Issuer: National City Bank, Indiana
....Subordinate Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A3
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A2
..Issuer: National City Capital Trust I
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa1
..Issuer: National City Capital Trust II
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa1
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Upgrade, currently (P)Baa2
..Issuer: National City Capital Trust III
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa1
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Upgrade, currently (P)Baa2
..Issuer: National City Capital Trust IV
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa1
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Upgrade, currently (P)Baa2
..Issuer: National City Corporation
....Junior Subordinated Shelf, Placed
on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently (P)Baa1
....Multiple Seniority Shelf, Placed
on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently a range of (P)Baa2 to
(P)A3
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa2
....Subordinate Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa1
....Senior Unsecured Conv./Exch.
Bond/Debenture, Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently
A3
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A3
..Issuer: National City Credit Corporation
....Commercial Paper, Placed on Review
for Possible Upgrade, currently P-2
..Issuer: National City Preferred Capital Trust I
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa2
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Upgrade, currently (P)Baa2
..Issuer: National City Preferred Capital Trust II
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Upgrade, currently (P)Baa2
..Issuer: National City Preferred Capital Trust III
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Upgrade, currently (P)Baa2
..Issuer: PFGI Capital Corporation
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa2
..Issuer: Provident Bank
....Subordinate Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A3
..Issuer: Provident Capital Trust I
....Preferred Stock Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently Baa1
..Issuer: Provident Capital Trust III
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Upgrade, currently (P)Baa1
..Issuer: Provident Financial Group, Inc.
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Upgrade, currently A3
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Mercantile Bankshares Corporation
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: National City Credit Corporation
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Stable
..Issuer: PNC Bank, Delaware
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Bank, N.A.
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Capital Trust C
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Capital Trust D
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Capital Trust E
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Capital Trust F
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Capital Trust G
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Capital Trust H
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Funding Corporation
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Institutional Capital Trust A
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Preferred Funding Trust I
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Preferred Funding Trust II
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: PNC Preferred Funding Trust III
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: Riggs National Corporation
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
Confirmations:
..Issuer: National City Bank
....OSO Rating, Confirmed at P-1
....Deposit Rating, Confirmed at P-1
....Multiple Seniority Bank Note Program,
Confirmed at P-1
PNC, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, reported
assets of $146 billion at September 30, 2008.
National City, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, reported
assets of $145 billion at September 30, 2008.
New York
Robert Young
Managing Director
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
New York
Allen H. Tischler
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653