New York, February 25, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service has today downgraded Ambev S.A.'s
issuer ratings to Baa3 (global scale foreign currency and local currency)
from Baa1 (global scale foreign currency) and A3 (global scale local currency).
The outlook for the ratings is negative.
The rating action follows Moody's downgrade on February 24, 2016
of Brazil's government bond rating to Ba2 from Baa3. In addition
to downgrading Brazil's government bond rating, Moody's also downgraded
the country's senior unsecured debt rating to Ba2 from Baa3, and
the senior unsecured shelf rating to (P)Ba2 from (P)Baa3. The outlook
was changed to negative. The rating agency also changed Brazil's
country ceiling that went to Ba1 from Baa2.
This rating action concludes the review for downgrade initiated on December,
2015. Please see " Moody's downgrades Brazil's issuer and bond
ratings to Ba2 with a negative outlook" on moodys.com for more
information.
Ratings downgraded:
Issuer: Ambev S.A.
- LT Issuer Rating: to Baa3 from Baa1 (foreign currency)
and A3 (local currency)
The outlook for the ratings is negative.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The downgrade of Ambev's ratings was prompted by the downgrade of
Brazil's issuer and bond ratings to Ba2 from Baa3. This concludes
the review process initiated on December 11 2015.
Ambev is rated above Brazil's issuer rating and above the country's foreign
currency ceiling for bonds and notes of Ba1, which is granted only
under exceptional circumstances when an issuer's fundamentals are stronger
than those of the sovereign. In the case of Ambev this is evidenced
by its exceptionally strong credit metrics, ample liquidity,
limited reliance on the local banking system for funding and meaningful
cash generation outside Brazil, which is sufficient to service the
company's foreign currency debt. These factors outweigh Ambev's
links with the Brazilian economy. Nonetheless, with 59%
of the revenues dependent on the domestic market and the deteriorating
economic and political environment Ambev's ratings are unlikely
to stand more than two notches above Brazil's bond ratings.
Ambev's ratings are supported by its scale as one of the world's largest
brewers, its leading position in large markets, such as Brazil
and Canada, its geographic diversification and a cost-competitive
own distribution network. In Brazil, its dominant position
and execution capabilities will allow it to advance in terms of market
share in a more challenging macroeconomic scenario. The company's
continued investments in product innovation and marketing, coupled
with prudent cost management and financial strategy, translate into
sound and relatively stable EBITDA margins and very comfortable leverage
and liquidity levels.
Offsetting these positive factors are prospects for more subdued volume
growth, given current economic slowdown in some of the countries
where it operates, mainly Brazil. Also, there is a
likelihood of continued high dividend payouts to ABI, although these
are expected to match cash flow generation. The commodity-like
nature and volatility of input costs and Ambev's reliance on effective
hedging strategies are also incorporated in the ratings.
The negative outlook on Ambev's ratings mirrors Brazil's sovereign
ratings outlook.
Ambev's rating or outlook could suffer negative pressure if its overall
operating performance were to deteriorate due to greater than expected
volatility in any of its major markets, or if the company's leverage
were to significantly increase due to a change in capital structure or
a debt-financed acquisition. Furthermore, a decrease
in the coverage of foreign currency EBITDA to foreign currency debt or
a perceived reduction in the company's ability to service foreign currency
debt outside of Brazil would weaken notching considerations and could
prompt a downgrade of the foreign currency ratings. Quantitatively,
a downgrade could be considered if EBITA/Interest fell below 4.0x
or debt to EBITDA increased to above 3.5x on a sustainable basis.
(All metrics according to Moody's standard adjustments and definitions.)
Although unlikely in the short term, an upgrade would depend on
an upgrade on Brazil's sovereign ratings and on the maintenance
by Ambev of steady and strong credit metrics.
Headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, Ambev S.A.
operates in the production, distribution and sales of alcoholic
and non-alcoholic beverages in 16 countries across the Americas.
For the last twelve months ending September 2015, Ambev reported
net sales of BRL 43.7 billion (approximately USD 14.5 billion
at average exchange rates for the period) with EBITDA margin of 48%
in the same period.
Ambev is the largest brewer in Latin America and the world's fourth largest
beer producer in terms of volume, in addition to being PepsiCo's
largest bottler. Its large portfolio includes well-known
brands, such as Skol, Brahma, Stella Artois, Budweiser,
Antarctica, Quilmes, among others, as well as Gatorade,
Pepsi Cola, H2OH! and Lipton Ice Tea, sold under license
from PepsiCo. Since 2004, Ambev has been controlled by Anheuser-Busch
InBev (ABI), a leading global brewer and one of the world's top
five beverage producers.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Global Alcoholic Beverage
Industry published in October 2013. Please see the Ratings Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
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 rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
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 rating action, and
whose ratings may change as a result of this 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.
Erick Rodrigues
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's America Latina Ltda.
Avenida Nacoes Unidas, 12.551
16th Floor, Room 1601
Sao Paulo, SP 04578-903
Brazil
JOURNALISTS: 800-891-2518
SUBSCRIBERS: 55-11-3043-7300
Marianna Waltz, CFA
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 800-891-2518
SUBSCRIBERS: 55-11-3043-7300
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Moody's downgrades Ambev's ratings to Baa3; negative outlook