New York, April 17, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") today
affirmed all ratings of Penske Automotive Group, Inc. ("Penske")
including the Ba1 corporate family rating. The outlook was changed
to negative from stable. The SGL-2 speculative grade liquidity
rating is unchanged.
"The outlook change to negative considers the potential for deterioration
in Penske's credit metrics due to the various coronavirus containment
measures," stated Moody's Vice President Charlie O'Shea.
"Heading into 2020, Penske's metrics were already weakly
positioned relative to the downward rating triggers with EBIT/interest
of 3.1 times already below the 3.5 times trigger,
with Moody's expectation that they would gradually improve during
the year, which is now uncertain," continued O'Shea.
"The affirmation recognizes Penske's size, flexible
auto dealer operating model, and its diversity outside of auto retail,
particularly its sizeable ownership stake of Penske Truck Leasing,
and highly-experienced management team," added O'Shea.
Affirmations:
..Issuer: Penske Automotive Group, Inc.
.... Probability of Default Rating,
Affirmed Ba1-PD
.... Corporate Family Rating, Affirmed
Ba1
....Senior Subordinated Regular Bond/Debenture,
Affirmed Ba3 (LGD6)
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Penske Automotive Group, Inc.
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
RATINGS RATIONALE
Penske's Ba1 corporate family rating considers its position as the world's
largest auto dealer by revenue, with balance between its US and
International divisions, its diverse business model outside of the
auto retail business, especially the positive impact of its 29%
ownership stake in Penske Truck Leasing, the ability to "flex" its
business model for fluctuating macroeconomic conditions, which is
being tested during the present coronavirus pandemic, and opportunities
for future prudent growth across its numerous platforms. Ratings
also consider Penske's financial strategy, which has become more
balanced in recent years, particularly where shareholder distributions
are concerned, and its good liquidity. The negative outlook
considers the recent softening in Penske's credit metrics, with
interest coverage of 3.1 times below the 3.5 times downgrade
trigger at FYE 2019 and uncertainty as to a path to improvement given
the inherent risks emanating from the coronvirus countermeasures.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
Ratings could be upgraded if operating performance improves and financial
strategy remains balanced such that debt/EBITDA is maintained below 3.5
times and EBIT/interest is sustained above 5 times, with liquidity
remaining at least good. In addition, Penske would need to
demonstrate a commitment to policies consistent with an investment grade
rating.
Ratings could be downgraded if liquidity were to weaken, or if either
softening operating performance or a more aggressive financial strategy
resulted in debt/EBITDA rising above 4.75 times or EBIT/interest
sustained below 3.5 times.
The rapid and widening spread of the coronavirus outbreak, deteriorating
global economic outlook, falling oil prices, and asset price
declines are creating a severe and extensive credit shock across many
sectors, regions and markets. The combined credit effects
of these developments are unprecedented. New auto sales are one
of the sectors most significantly affected by the shock given its sensitivity
to consumer demand and sentiment. More specifically, Moody's
believes Penske's new vehicle sales are vulnerable to shifts in market
sentiment in these unprecedented operating conditions and Penske's level
of new vehicle sales remain vulnerable to the outbreak continuing to spread.
We regard the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework,
given the substantial implications for public health and safety
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Retail Industry published
in May 2018 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1120379.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, MI, Penske Automotive Group
is a leading global retailer and servicer of new and used vehicles,
including passenger vehicles, light trucks, and commercial
vehicles, and maintains a 28.9% ownership interest
in Penske Truck Leasing. Annual revenues are around $21
billion.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's
Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security 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.
The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated
agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.
These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy
for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on
its website www.moodys.com.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social
and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.
At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s)
announced and described above.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed
by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt
am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's
office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.
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.
Charles O'Shea
VP - Senior Credit Officer
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
Margaret Taylor
Associate Managing Director
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