Paris, April 24, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, (Moody's) has today changed
EDF Trading's outlook to negative from stable and affirmed the Baa2
Issuer rating.
The rating action follows the change of outlook for Electricite de France
(EDF) (A3 negative), after EDF's announcement, on 16
April 2020, significantly reducing its guidance for nuclear output
as a result of confinement and staff protection measures which will disrupt
planned maintenance of the nuclear fleet and 10-year inspection
outages. For information on the EDF rating action please refer
to Moody's press release dated 24 April 2020 https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-changes-outlook-on-EDF-to-negative-affirms-ratings--PR_423462.
RATINGS RATIONALE
RATIONALE FOR THE NEGATIVE OUTLOOK
The rapid and widening spread of the coronavirus outbreak, a 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. Although the sector as
a whole has reduced its exposure to commodity-driven activities,
electricity utilities are facing depressed demand, lower wholesale
power prices and operational challenges with elevated political risk as
governments seek to shield consumers from the economic fallout.
Moody´s regards the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under
its ESG framework, given the substantial implications for public
health and safety.
Today's change in outlook follows the change in outlook for its
ultimate parent. It reflects EDFT's linkages to EDF given its strategic
importance as the group's trading arm and significant integration
into EDF, as evidenced by the French group's close oversight of
the company's trading activities, risk management and finances,
as well as the funding and liquidity support provided.
AFFIRMATION OF RATING
The rating affirmation reflects its standalone financial profile in combination
with its membership of the group headed by EDF. In the context
of the liquidity risks and cash flow volatility that characterise wholesale
energy trading, EDFT's credit profile is supported by its strategic
importance derived from its exclusive right to transact energy for EDF
on the European wholesale energy markets. This underpins resilient
trading income and the solid standalone financial profile of the trading
business.
EDFT is financed by EDF and has access to contingency funding from EDF
in case of emergency. Moody's expects that EDF will continue to
provide support to EDFT as the latter pursues its mandate to optimize
the group's access to wholesale energy markets.
The rating differential between EDFT and EDF nevertheless continues to
reflect that EDFT's counterparty trading obligations are not guaranteed
by EDF.
LIQUIDITY
EDFT manages its liquidity risk by monitoring its liquidity resources
and needs. Liquidity is stressed using various scenarios taking
into account market movements, LCs being withdrawn, rating
triggers, etc. The company also performs additional liquidity
stress scenarios based on short-term (1 to 20 days) to medium-term
(3 to 6 months) Cash-at-Risk modelling. If needed,
EDFT can draw on the RCF from EDF at short notice. In addition,
a large proportion of EDFT's inventories (mostly comprised of gas after
the coal business was sold) could be liquidated quickly if required.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING
Upward rating pressure is unlikely in the medium term, given the
group's negative outlook. Nevertheless, EDFT's outlook could
be changed to stable if Moody's were to stabilise EDF's outlook.
A downgrade of EDF's ratings would likely result in a corresponding downgrade
of EDFT's rating. EDFT rating could also be downgraded following
financial performance issues (e.g. trading losses) or an
increase in external debt at EDFT.
EDF Trading Limited is an energy trading company with a focus on power
and gas. It is 100%-owned by Electricite de France
S.A. (A3 negative) and is a core part of the French group
as the vehicle through which its trading activities are conducted.
Notably, EDFT has the exclusive right to transact energy for EDF
on the European wholesale energy markets. It primarily operates
in Europe and the US through its affiliate EDFT North America.
The latter is equity-consolidated under IFRS as it is only 17.5%-owned
by EDFT, the rest being owned indirectly by EDF.
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Trading Companies
published in June 2016 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_190422.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
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 rating has been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s)
and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.
This rating is 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.
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.
Celine Cherubin
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Infrastructure Finance Group
Moody's France SAS
96 Boulevard Haussmann
Paris 75008
France
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Neil Griffiths-Lambeth
Associate Managing Director
Infrastructure Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's France SAS
96 Boulevard Haussmann
Paris 75008
France
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454