New York, March 06, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") confirmed Hunt Oil Co. of
Peru L.L.C., Suc. Del Peru's ("Hunt
Peru") corporate family rating at Ba2. The outlook is negative.
The rating actions were prompted by the downgrade on March 5, 2020
of Hunt Peru's parent, Hunt Oil Company's ("Hunt") B3 issuer
rating. These rating actions conclude the ratings review initiated
on January 8, 2020.
The actions on the ratings of Hunt were based on its weak credit metrics
and high level of structural subordination of its creditors to debts outstanding
at its subsidiaries; Hunt's ratings are buttressed by the financial
support provided by its parent company, Hunt Consolidated,
and its financial capacity to provide further support, if needed.
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Hunt Oil Co. of Peru L.L.C.,
Suc. Del Peru
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Rating Under Review
Confirmations:
..Issuer: Hunt Oil Co. of Peru L.L.C.,
Suc. Del Peru
.... Corporate Family Rating, Confirmed
at Ba2
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Confirmed at Ba2
RATINGS RATIONALE
The Ba2 corporate family rating on Hunt Peru and its senior unsecured
notes are restrained by Hunt's capital control of the Peruvian company
and Hunt's dependence on cash flow from its subsidiary to service its
own large debt obligations. In addition, the ratings also
consider Hunt Peru's small production size; asset concentration in
only two gas blocks; operating dependence on only two pipelines,
owned by Transportadora de Gas del Peru (Baa1 stable); no operating
control over the gas blocks; vulnerability to commodities prices;
Moody's view of weak natural gas and natural gas liquids prices;
and high dividend payout rate.
On the other hand, Hunt Peru's ratings are also based on the company's
large proved gas reserves, equivalent to 17 years of life;
solid asset base in the world-class, prolific Camisea gas
fields; low volume risk given solid demand both in the local and
international markets; the strategic importance of the Camisea fields
to the Government of Peru (A3 stable); and the company's experienced
management team.
Moody's considers the debt agreement's provisions in Hunt Peru's unsecured
notes, that help ring-fence Hunt Peru from its parent,
to be beneficial to its credit profile since the notes represent 100%
of the company's debt.
Hunt Peru has good liquidity. Cash in the amount of about $35
million in December 2019 plus around $200 million in cash from
operations in the next 18 months, as expected by Moody's,
will fund $41 million in capital spending plus $155 million
in shareholders distributions in the period. The company also counts
on a $30 million three-year committed revolving credit facility
that matures in 2021. Hunt Peru will start to amortize its senior
unsecured notes in late 2021.
Hunt Peru's ratings negative outlook mirrors Hunt's rating negative
outlook, which reflects the latter's lack of its own committed
revolving credit facility to meet is liquidity requirements. The
negative outlook on Hunt Peru's ratings also reflects the challenges
of weak commodity prices and their effect on the company's cash
flow-based credit metrics.
Hunt Peru's Ba2 ratings could be downgraded if it faces extended
operational disruptions or if its production declines. An interest
coverage ratio, as measured by EBITDA/interest expense, below
5 times could also trigger a negative rating action. A negative
action on Hunt's rating could also lead to a negative action on Hunt Peru's
rating.
Hunt Peru's Ba2 ratings could be upgraded if Hunt's rating
is upgraded, provided that Hunt Peru at least maintains its current
credit profile.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Independent Exploration
and Production Industry published in May 2017. Please see the Rating
Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this
methodology.
Hunt Peru is a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of Hunt,
one of the largest privately-owned hydrocarbon companies in the
United States. Hunt Peru is one of the leading exploration and
production companies in Peru, with a focus on the exploitation of
hydrocarbons and related activities, such as the purchase,
sale, processing and fractionation of hydrocarbons, mostly
natural gas.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
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.
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.
Nymia C. Almeida
Senior Vice President
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's de Mexico S.A. de C.V
Ave. Paseo de las Palmas
No. 405 - 502
Col. Lomas de Chapultepec
Mexico, DF 11000
Mexico
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Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Marianna Waltz, CFA
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 0 800 891 2518
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
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