Hong Kong, June 30, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service has downgraded China South City Holdings
Limited's (CSC) corporate family rating to B2 from B1.
The rating outlook is negative.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The downgrade reflects our expectation of continued weak contracted
sales and credit metrics for CSC in the next 12 to 18 months, which
will position the company in the mid-B rating range,"
says Stephanie Lau, a Moody's Assistant Vice President and
Analyst.
In the fiscal year ending 31 March 2016 (FYE03/2016), CSC's
contracted sales amounted to HKD6.6 billion, down 41%
year-on-year.
Moody's expects that CSC's contracted sales will likely remain
subdued over the next 12-18 months due to persistent slow growth
in China's (Aa3 negative) economy.
Weakened business sentiment and a delay in the completion of infrastructure
for its projects will continue to pressure the sales of CSC's trade
center units.
The company's weak contracted sales, high inventory level,
and need to fund new construction will result in rising gross debt.
As such, the company's credit metrics are not likely to improve
in the next 12--18 months.
In FYE03/2016, CSC's inventory level rose to 4.8x of
annual revenue from 2.7x in FYE03/2015, revenue/debt deteriorated
to 18% from 39%, and EBIT/interest coverage dropped
to 1.4x from 3.0x.
Moody's expects the company's revenue/debt and EBIT/interest
coverage to remain weak at around 16% and 1.4x, respectively,
in the next 12-18 months. Such levels position the company
in the mid-B rating range.
CSC's B2 corporate family rating reflects its unique business model,
which focuses on the development and operation of integrated logistics
and trade centers in China.
The rating also reflects CSC's stream of non-development recurring
income from rental, property management, logistics and warehouses
services, as well as e-commerce.
Such income is derived from the services that the company provides at
its logistics and trade centers, and is a stable source of debt-servicing
funds.
According to Moody's estimates, the company's non-development
recurring income covered about 0.7x of adjusted interest in FYE03/2016,
and this level will likely be maintained in the next 12 to 18 months.
In addition, the B2 corporate family rating considers CSC's ability
to access large suburban land plots at low cost. These low land
costs have helped the company achieve high gross margins that offer some
pricing flexibility during down cycles.
But the company has increased its development of residential properties,
which will reduce its overall profit margin further; the margin fell
to 48% in FYE03/2016 from 53% in FYE03/2015.
Moody's expects CSC's gross profit margin will decline below
48% in the next 12--18 months.
In addition, the company's liquidity risk is moderately high.
Despite cash on hand of HKD11.7 billion at end-March 2016,
it will have to raise new debt to refinance its short-term debt
of around HKD10 billion and capital expenditure of around HKD7 billion.
The negative outlook reflects the company's weak sales performance,
weak credit metrics and moderately high liquidity risk.
Given the negative outlook, there is limited upgrade pressure on
the rating.
However, the rating outlook could return to stable if the company
(1) improves its contracted sales performance; (2) reduces its inventory
level; and (3) improves its liquidity position through reduced debt
funding needs.
Downward rating pressure could arise if (1) CSC's liquidity position deteriorates
further due to a sales drop that is below expectations or due to increased
spending on land or construction; or (2) the company's credit
metrics deteriorate further such that EBIT/interest is below 1.5x--1.0x
or non-development recurring revenue/gross interest ratio stays
below 0.5x.
Any signs of weakened access to domestic bank funds will also pressure
the ratings.
The principal methodology used in this rating was Homebuilding And Property
Development Industry published in April 2015. Please see the Ratings
Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this
methodology.
China South City Holdings Limited, listed on the Hong Kong Stock
Exchange, is a developer and operator of large-scale integrated
logistics and trade centers in China. The company operates one
center in Shenzhen and is developing new trade centers in Nanning,
Nanchang, Xian, Harbin, Zhengzhou, Hefei and Chongqing.
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.
Stephanie Lau
Asst Vice President - 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 downgrades China South City to B2; outlook negative