Action follows the change of the outlook on Belarus' B3 sovereign rating to negative
London, 05 October 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") today changed
to negative from stable the outlooks on Belinvestbank's B3 long-term
deposit ratings, OAO "Sber Bank's" B2 long-term
local-currency (LC) deposit rating and its B3 long-term
foreign currency (FC) deposit rating, as well as the two banks'
issuer outlooks. All of the banks' ratings and assessments
were affirmed.
For a detailed list of ratings affected, please refer to the end
of this press release.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The rating actions follow the change of the outlook on Belarus's B3 sovereign
rating to negative from stable on 1 October 2021. (Please see "Moody's
changes outlook on Belarus to negative; affirms ratings"; https://www.moodys.com/research/--PR_454385).
The negative outlooks on the two banks' long-term deposit ratings
reflect Moody's expectations that their ratings will likely be downgraded
in case of a downgrade of the sovereign rating.
BANK-SPECIFIC FACTORS
-- BELINVESTBANK
Belinvestbank's B3 long-term local and foreign currency deposit
ratings incorporate its caa1 Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA) and Moody's
assessment of a high probability of government support, which results
in a one-notch rating uplift.
Belinvestbank's BCA is constrained by its unstable operating environment,
thin core equity capital buffer and substantial dollarisation of deposits
amid constrained foreign-currency liquidity. At the same
time, it is supported by the bank's ample liquidity buffers,
its strong loan-loss reserve coverage of problem loans and the
strong linkage of its asset quality to the sovereign creditworthiness.
-- OAO "SBER BANK"
A very high probability of affiliate support from Russia's Sberbank
(Baa3 stable, ba1) results in a one-notch uplift of OAO "Sber
Bank's" B2 long-term local-currency (LC) deposit
rating above its b3 BCA, while the bank's B3 long-term
foreign-currency (FC) deposit rating is constrained by the country's
FC deposit ceiling of B3. Both LC and FC deposit ratings of the
bank are currently positioned at the levels of the respective country
ceilings, which are based on the Government of Belarus' B3 (negative)
rating. A downgrade of the sovereign rating would likely lead to
both ceilings being lowered, and hence it would result in a downgrade
of OAO "Sber Bank's" deposit ratings.
OAO "Sber Bank's" b3 BCA is constrained by its operating
environment characterised by increased political uncertainty, high
external vulnerability and a weak economic outlook; the bank's
large stock of problem loans and narrowed net interest margin.
Factors underpinning OAO "Sber Bank's" BCA are its solid
capital and reserves buffer and access to stable funding sources and the
parent's liquidity in case of need.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
A positive rating action on the two banks' ratings is currently
unlikely, given the negative outlooks. However, the
outlooks may be changed to stable, if the sovereign outlook is stabilized
and there is no severe deterioration of the banks' standalone credit
profiles in the next 12-18 months.
The banks' long-term deposit ratings could be downgraded
in case of a downgrade of the sovereign rating, restrictions on
payments to customers or severe deterioration in the banks' standalone
credit profiles. A significant weakening of the banks' operating
environment, their liquidity, asset quality or capital adequacy
beyond our current expectations would result in a downgrade of their Baseline
Credit Assessments (BCAs).
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
..Issuer: Belinvestbank
Affirmations:
....Adjusted Baseline Credit Assessment,
Affirmed caa1
....Baseline Credit Assessment, Affirmed
caa1
....Long-term Counterparty Risk Assessment,
Affirmed B3(cr)
....Short-term Counterparty Risk Assessment,
Affirmed NP(cr)
....Long-term Counterparty Risk Ratings,
Affirmed B3
....Short-term Counterparty Risk Ratings,
Affirmed NP
....Short-term Bank Deposit Ratings,
Affirmed NP
....Long-term Bank Deposit Ratings,
Affirmed B3, Outlook Changed To Negative From Stable
Outlook Action:
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
..Issuer: OAO ''Sber Bank''
Affirmations:
....Adjusted Baseline Credit Assessment,
Affirmed b2
....Baseline Credit Assessment, Affirmed
b3
....Short-term Bank Deposit Ratings,
Affirmed NP
....Long-term Bank Deposit Rating (Foreign
Currency), Affirmed B3, outlook changed to Negative from Stable
....Long-term Bank Deposit Rating (Local
Currency), Affirmed B2, outlook changed to Negative from Stable
Outlook Action:
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Banks Methodology
published in July 2021 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1269625.
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 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 unsolicited.
a.With Rated Entity or Related Third Party Participation:
YES
b.With Access to Internal Documents: NO
c.With Access to Management: YES
For additional information, 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 http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1288435.
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.
Svetlana Pavlova, CFA
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Limited, Russian Branch
7th floor, Four Winds Plaza
21 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya St.
Moscow 125047
Russia
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Yaroslav Sovgyra, CFA
Associate Managing Director
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5FA
United Kingdom
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