Singapore, April 01, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service has downgraded HT Global IT Solutions
Holdings Limited's corporate family rating (CFR) and the senior unsecured
rating on its $368 million 7% senior notes due 2021 to B1
from Ba3.
At the same time, Moody's has placed the ratings on review
for further downgrade.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The downgrade to B1 reflects the company's exposure to refinancing
risk for its bond due in July 2021 as capital market access remains uncertain
for speculative grade companies in the current economic environment ,"
says Sweta Patodia, a Moody's Analyst.
HT Global has a $368 million bond outstanding that is due for repayment
in July 2021. The company does not yet have definitive funding
sources in place to address the upcoming bond maturity.
A prolonged outbreak of the coronavirus combined with further deterioration
in the global economic outlook could disrupt the company's access
to capital markets and intensify its liquidity risk.
"The review for downgrade reflects the possibility that we could
further downgrade HT Global's ratings, by at least one notch,
if it fails to arrange for sufficient funds over the next three months
to address its bond maturity," adds Patodia, who is
also Moody's Lead Analyst for HT Global.
In addition to the refinancing risk described above, HT Global's
B1 CFR reflects the medium-sized scale of Hexaware Technologies
Limited -- its principal operating company - when compared
with large, top-tier global IT and business process management
service providers, as well as its high customer and geographic concentration.
At the same time, the rating also considers HT Global's dependence
on dividends from Hexaware to service its interest obligations.
However, HT Global's B1 CFR is supported by its 62.4%
controlling interest in Hexaware, and the latter's robust
operating performance, as evidenced by strong revenue growth and
high EBITDA-to-cash flow conversion.
Moody's also notes that the underlying business operations of Hexaware
remain largely unaffected by the coronavirus outbreak given the ability
of the company to deliver it services remotely.
Given the recent market sell-off, Hexaware's share
price, as of 31 March 2020, has declined by around 32%
compared to its share prices in December 2019. This has reduced
the value of the HT Global's stake in Hexaware to around $561
million from around $866 million over the same period. While
this has no direct impact HT Global's ratings, it does make
it difficult for the company to monetize its stake in Hexaware to repay
the bonds.
In terms of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations,
the ratings consider HT Global's concentrated ownership structure
as well as its aggressive financial policies, as reflected by high
shareholder returns. This risk is partially mitigated by the company's
bond indenture that limits additional debt at the holding and operating
companies through dual incurrence tests.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Business and Consumer
Service Industry published in October 2016 and available at https://www.moodys.com/research/Business-and-Consumer-Service-Industry--PBC_1037985.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Factors that would lead to an upgrade or downgrade of the ratings:
Given the review for downgrade, a ratings upgrade is unlikely.
Moody's could confirm the ratings if the company arranges for definitive
funding sources to refinance the bonds maturing in July 2021.
On the other hand, Moody's could downgrade the ratings by at least
one notch if the company is unable to arrange for funds over the next
three months to address its upcoming bond maturity.
HT Global IT Solutions Holdings Limited is a company incorporated under
the laws of Mauritius. It was formed by Baring Private Equity Asia
V Mauritius Holdings (4) Limited (BPEA) to invest in the IT and business
process and management (BPM) service provider Hexaware Technologies Limited.
HT Global IT Solutions has no other operations, employees or real
investments.
Incorporated in India, Hexaware provides IT and BPM outsourced services
largely to US-based multinational corporations. Hexaware
listed on the Mumbai Stock Exchange in 2001.
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.
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and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed
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Sweta Patodia
Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
50 Raffles Place #23-06
Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 48623
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Ian Lewis
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
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Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
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