Hong Kong, March 31, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service has changed to negative from stable the
outlook on the ratings of DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited and OCBC Wing Hang
Bank Limited.
At the same time, Moody's has affirmed the two banks' baseline credit
assessments (BCAs), adjusted BCAs, counterparty risk assessments
(CR assessments), and all of their ratings.
Moody's rating actions follow the similar rating actions taken on the
two banks' parents, DBS Bank Ltd. (Aa1 negative) and Oversea-Chinese
Banking Corp Ltd (OCBC, Aa1 negative), and the change of Moody's
Macro Profile for Hong Kong's banking system to "Strong"
from "Strong+". Please refer to the press releases
on the rating actions on DBS Bank and OCBC dated 31 March 2016,
and on Hong Kong's Macro Profile dated 17 March 2016.
Outlooks provide an opinion on the likely rating directions over the medium
term, and are assigned only to a bank's long-term deposit,
issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings.
A list of the affected ratings is provided at the end of this press release.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The change in outlook to negative from stable for DBS Bank (Hong Kong)
and OCBC Wing Hang Bank reflects the similar change in outlook to negative
on their parents' ratings, and Moody's expectations of a more challenging
operating environment for banks in Hong Kong.
DBS Bank (Hong Kong) and OCBC Wing Hang Bank's long-term deposit
ratings incorporate multiple notches of uplift based on Moody's assessment
of a very high level of affiliate support in times of need. The
outlook on their ratings is therefore affected by the change in outlook
for DBS Bank's and OCBC's ratings, respectively.
The change of Hong Kong's Macro Profile has led Moody's to reassess DBS
Bank (Hong Kong)'s and OCBC Wing Hang Bank's financial metrics and
standalone credit profiles. The banks' BCAs are not immediately
affected by this change in Hong Kong's Macro Profile, although the
change exerts downward pressure on their standalone profiles.
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING UP/DOWN
In view of the negative outlook, Moody's does not expect any upward
pressure on the ratings of these two Hong Kong subsidiaries of Singapore
banks in the near term. Nevertheless, their outlook could
be revised to stable if their parents' outlook revised to stable
and macroeconomic conditions in Hong Kong improve and the banks maintain
sound financial metrics.
DBS Bank (Hong Kong) and OCBC Wing Hang Bank's ratings could be downgraded
if their parents' ratings are downgraded. The subsidiary banks'
standalone BCA could be adjusted downward if their fundamentals weaken,
as evidenced by a more challenging operating environment and/or deteriorating
financial metrics.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Banks published in
January 2016. Please see the Ratings Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
Issuer: DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited
.... BCA affirmed at a2
.... Adjusted BCA affirmed at aa3
.... CR Assessment affirmed at Aa2(cr)/P-1(cr)
.... Deposit rating affirmed at Aa3/P-1
Ratings outlook for the bank revised to negative from stable.
Issuer: OCBC Wing Hang Bank Limited
.... BCA affirmed at a2
.... Adjusted BCA affirmed at aa3
.... CR Assessment affirmed at Aa2(cr)/P-1(cr)
.... Deposit rating affirmed at Aa3/P-1
.... Subordinate MTN Program rating affirmed
at (P)A1
Junior Subordinate MTN Program rating affirmed at (P)A2
Junior Subordinate note rating affirmed at A2(hyb)
Ratings outlook for the bank revised to negative from stable.
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.
Sherry Zhang
Analyst
Financial Institutions 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
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Stephen Long
MD - Financial Institutions
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (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
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Moody's changes outlook for DBS Bank (Hong Kong) and OCBC Wing Hang Bank to negative; affirms ratings