Hong Kong, April 01, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service has changed to negative from stable the outlook
for China ZhengTong Auto Services Holdings Limited's (ZhengTong)
Ba3 corporate family rating.
Moody's has also affirmed ZhengTong's Ba3 corporate family rating.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The negative rating outlook reflects ZhengTong's weakened credit
metrics and the increase in execution and financial risks from its new
auto finance business," says Gerwin Ho, a Moody's Vice President
and Senior Analyst.
ZhengTong's results for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2015 were
weaker when compared with its results for fiscal year 2014. Its
sales fell by 5% year-on-year to RMB29.4 billion
and inventory days on hand increased to 51 days from 45 days in 2014.
In addition, its total adjusted debt rose to about RMB9.3
billion, which represented a RMB1.8 billion increase versus
the level seen at end-2014. Moody's estimates that
about RMB1.4 billion of the increase in debt was related to the
funding of its new auto finance business.
Excluding its auto finance business, the company's car dealership
business showed an adjusted debt/EBITDA of around 3.9x and EBITDA/interest
of around 3.6x in 2015; results which were worse than the
3.4x and 3.8x seen in 2014.
Moody's expects ZhengTong to see a nominal revenue growth in its
car dealership business in 2016.
Moody's notes that ZhengTong's credit metrics in 2015 were
weak for its Ba3 corporate family rating. Moody's does not
expect this situation to improve substantially in the near term.
Moody's is also concerned over ZhengTong's new auto finance
business because such operations are associated with increased execution
and financial risks.
Moody's understands that the company's 95%-owned
subsidiary, Shanghai Dongzheng Automotive Finance Co.,
Ltd. (SDAFC, unrated), is an auto financing joint venture
with Dongfeng Motor Corporation (unrated). The joint venture began
operations in April 2015. SDAFC's principal businesses include
lending to both vehicle buyers and auto dealers.
ZhengTong does not have an established track record of managing an auto
finance business.
SDAFC is currently the only auto finance company in China (Aa3 negative)
that is primarily owned and operated by an auto dealer. SDAFC's
ability to manage credit underwriting, monitoring, collection,
repossession, charge-offs and recovery is yet to be proven.
Any material bad debt or charge-offs in the auto finance business
will impact directly ZhengTong's income statement, representing
a new risk to ZhengTong.
ZhengTong has borrowed to fund SDAFC's business. Such funding
reached RMB1.4 billion, representing 17% of ZhengTong's
reported debt at end-2015. If SDAFC's business grows
further, ZhengTong will be pressured to use its available bank credit
facilities to support such growth. This situation will raise ZhengTong's
overall debt levels, and the company's liquidity position
will weaken.
ZhengTong's adjusted debt/EBITDA—including borrowings for
financial services—rose to about 4.5x in 2015 from 3.4x
in 2014. Such a situation leaves little buffer against its rating
downgrade trigger of an adjusted debt/EBITDA in excess of 4.0x--4.5x.
ZhengTong's Ba3 rating reflects its: 1) strong position in
China's fast-growing luxury car dealership market; 2) large
network; 3) strong geographic coverage; and 4) diverse brand
offerings.
The rating is also supported by its continued focus on luxury brands.
This approach has led to solid growth in sales and stronger margins than
those of low-end and middle-market brands.
However, ZhengTong's rating is constrained by the funding and execution
risks arising from its rapid expansion and auto finance business,
the intense competition in the car dealership industry in China,
and the increasing but small contribution of its after-sales services
business.
ZhengTong's liquidity profile is characterized by high refinancing risk,
due to its small cash holdings when compared with its substantial amount
of short-term debt. At end-2015, it held unrestricted
cash totaling RMB1.6 billion versus short term debt of RMB5.7
billion.
Nonetheless, Moody's expects that the company will retain its ability
to roll over its debt with domestic banks, given its profitable
operations, strong market position, and inventory of globally
branded luxury cars.
Rating upgrade pressure is limited, given the negative outlook.
Nevertheless, the rating outlook could return to stable if ZhengTong
can demonstrate an ability to: (1) lower its debt leverage such
that its debt/EBITDA stays below 4.0x--4.5x; and
(2) reduce the financial burden from its auto finance business.
Rating downgrade pressure could emerge if ZhengTong: (1) takes on
further material debt-funded expansions or acquisitions; (2)
faces revenue and/or margin declines due to lower operating efficiency,
or deteriorating market conditions; or (3) fails to improve its debt
maturity profile.
Credit metrics indicative of downgrade pressure would include debt/EBITDA
in excess of 4.0x-4.5x and EBITDA/interest below
3.0x on a consistent basis.
The principal methodology used in this rating was Retail Industry published
in October 2015. Please see the Ratings Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
China ZhengTong Auto Services Holdings Limited is a top auto dealership
group in China. The company focuses primarily on the luxury and
ultra-luxury car market. It operated 112 dealership stores
in China at end-2015, and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
in 2010.
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.
Gerwin Ho
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Corporate Finance 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
Gary Lau
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance 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 the outlook on China ZhengTong Auto Services' Ba3 rating to negative