New York, February 19, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") downgraded
Lifetime Brands, Inc.'s (Lifetime) Corporate Family
Rating (CFR) to B1 from Ba3, Probability of Default Rating (PDR)
to B1-PD from Ba3-PD, and senior secured term loan
rating to B2 from B1. The outlook is negative, and the Speculative
Grade Liquidity is unchanged at SGL-2.
"Today's ratings downgrade and outlook change to negative
reflect the company's subdued pace of deleveraging versus our expectations
because of ongoing operating and execution challenges. The challenges
include margin pressure due to tariffs and operational issues Lifetime
experienced with consolidating its UK operations, resulting in still
elevated financial leverage" said Moody's lead analyst Oliver
Alcantara. "Considering our expectation for only modest earnings
growth over the next 12 months, credit metrics will remain weak
with debt-to-EBITDA leverage at around 5.0x"
added Alcantara.
Downgrades:
..Issuer: Lifetime Brands, Inc.
....Corporate Family Rating, Downgraded
to B1 from Ba3
....Probability of Default Rating, Downgraded
to B1-PD from Ba3-PD
....Gtd Senior Secured Term Loan B,
Downgraded to B2(LGD4) from B1(LGD4)
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Lifetime Brands, Inc.
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Stable
RATINGS RATIONALE
Lifetime's B1 CFR broadly reflects its relatively small scale with
annual revenue under $1.0 billion, and its weak credit
metrics profile with elevated debt/EBITDA leverage that Moody's
estimates at around 5.4x at fiscal year-end December 31,
2019. Moody's projects leverage will fall over the next year
due to modest earnings growth and debt repayment, but debt/EBITDA
will remain high at around 5.0x at the end of fiscal 2020.
The credit profile also reflects Lifetime's relatively low mid-single
digits operating profit margins, and its geographic and customer
concentration. The company's concentration in the homeware
product category and susceptibility to discretionary consumer spending
also constrain the rating. In addition, Lifetime competes
with significantly larger, global, and well-known manufacturers
in mature product categories with limited growth prospects.
However, the credit profile is broadly supported by the company's
strong market position in the homewares industry with many leading brands
in narrowly defined product categories, and its good brand and product
diversification. Lifetime's well-diversified retail
distribution channel, which includes e-commerce, positions
the company well to benefit from the continued shift of consumer spending
to online. Lifetime's good liquidity is supported by access
to a $150 million ABL revolving facility due March 2023,
Moody's expectation for positive free cash flow of around $30
million in fiscal 2020, and lack of near term debt maturities until
its revolver is due. The extended maturity of the approximately
$270 million first lien term loan due February 2025 provides flexibility
to execute on the growth initiatives the company outlined at its January
2020 investor day. The company also has a reasonably conservative
3.0x net debt-to-EBITDA target (based on the company's
calculation).
The negative outlook reflects the company's elevated financial leverage
and the uncertainty regarding the company's ability to materially
grow revenue and earnings such that debt/EBITDA leverage is below 5.0x
over the next 12 months.
Ratings could be downgraded if the company's operating results do
not improve or if the company does not reduce debt/EBITDA leverage below
5.0x by fiscal 2020. Additional factors that could lead
to a downgrade include a deterioration of liquidity, or if the company's
financial policies become more aggressive, in particular regarding
a material debt-funded acquisition or shareholder returns.
Ratings could be upgraded if Lifetime materially increases its revenue
scale and generates consistent organic revenue growth with a stable to
higher EBITDA margin. Debt/EBITDA sustained below 4.0x and
free cash flow/debt above 10% would also be necessary for an upgrade.
Lifetime Brands, Inc. designs, sources and sells branded
kitchenware, tableware and other products used in the home.
Lifetime Brands is publicly traded, with annual revenue of approximately
$736 million for the twelve months period ended September 30,
2019.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Consumer Durables
Industry published in April 2017. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
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.
Oliver Alcantara
Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
John E. Puchalla, CFA
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653