Hong Kong, June 17, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Korea Resources Corporation's
(KORES) issuer and senior unsecured ratings to Aa3 from Aa2.
At the same time, Moody's has downgraded the rating on its
senior unsecured medium-term note program to (P)Aa3 from (P)Aa2.
Moody's has also downgraded the senior unsecured bond rating of Minera
y Metalurgica del Boleo S.A.P.I. de CV,
guaranteed by KORES to Aa3 from Aa2.
The outlook on the ratings is negative.
This concludes the review for downgrade initiated by Moody's on
14 March 2016.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The rating action is in response to the Korean government's (Aa2
stable) announcement on 14 June 2016 that it would (1) gradually reduce
KORES' overseas mining investment business; and (2) consolidate
its stockpiling and mining investment support functions with other related-entities
over the medium term.
"The downgrade was prompted by our assessment that KORES' policy
roles and strategic importance to the government will decrease and remain
less comparable with other rated core government-related issuers
(GRIs) in Korea over an extended period," says Wan Hee Yoo,
a Moody's Vice President and Senior Analyst.
"This view is based in turn on the government's intention to reduce
the scale of KORES' mining investment business and its loss-making
mining portfolio. The latter's financial difficulties have
been exacerbated by lower commodity prices and operational challenges,"
adds Yoo.
KORES' investments in overseas mines, which represent its
key policy role, have decreased materially in value terms over the
last 2 years, mainly because of large impairments.
On the other hand, Moody's believes the likelihood of extraordinary
governmental support remains very high, given (1) the company's
status as a wholly owned central GRI with a special founding Act;
(2) the government's low tolerance for reputational and contagion
risks arising from a default at KORES; and (3) the high integration
of its operations with the government's objectives.
Moody's assumption of government support is further underpinned by the
government's strong ability to provide support to KORES, given the
sovereign's ample financial reserves, as reflected by Korea's Aa2
rating.
KORES' baseline credit assessment of b3 mainly reflects the high
business risks associated with its overseas mine investments and very
weak financial profile, as highlighted by its poor cash flow and
very thin equity base. KORES reported a net loss of KRW2.1
trillion in 2015 owing to significant impairment charges of about KRW1.8
trillion, which stemmed from a steep decline in commodity prices.
In Moody's view, further write-downs cannot be ruled
out, given the weak quality of its mining portfolio and the prevailing
environment of low commodity prices.
But such weakness is partly offset by its strong and continued access
to the debt markets.
The negative ratings outlook reflects the uncertainties regarding whether
(1) the government will implement additional measures which further reduce
KORES' policy functions; and (2) the government will provide
equity or asset injections to replenish KORES' thin equity base
which will likely undergo a complete erosion in 2016.
The ratings outlook could return to stable if (1) KORES' policy
roles and strategic importance to the government improves; and (2)
the company's equity base strengthens meaningfully through sizable
financial assistance from the government.
On the other hand, the ratings could be downgraded if (1) KORES'
policy roles and strategic importance to the government continue to weaken,
driven by further government measures; or (2) the company's
capitalization deteriorates further in the absence of government financial
support.
In addition, any changes to Korea' sovereign rating could
trigger a review on KORES' rating.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Government-Related
Issuers published in October 2014. Please see the Ratings Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
Korea Resources Corporation is fully directly and indirectly owned by
the Korean government. The company is tasked with implementing
national mineral resources-related policies to promote stability
in the country's procurement of these resources.
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.
Wan Hee Yoo
Vice President - Senior 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 KORES to Aa3; outlook negative