New York, August 24, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") downgraded
the ratings of NCL Corporation Ltd. ("NCL") including
its Corporate Family Rating to B2 from Ba2, Probability of Default
Rating to B2-PD from Ba2-PD, senior secured rating
to B1 from Ba2, and senior unsecured rating to Caa1 from B1.
The company's Speculative Grade Liquidity rating of was upgraded to SGL-2
from SGL-3. The outlook is negative. This concludes
the review for downgrade that was initiated on July 14, 2020.
"The downgrade reflects Moody's expectation that NCL's
metrics will remain weak over at least the next two years with debt/EBITDA
of above 7.0x and EBITA/interest expense below 2.5x,"
stated Pete Trombetta, Moody's lodging and cruise analyst.
"The downgrade also reflects our assumption that NCL's available
capacity will be modest in the first half of 2021 as the industry puts
in place acceptable guidelines that satisfy the requirements for the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to lift its no sail order put
in place in March," added Trombetta. The upgrade in
NCL's speculative grade liquidity rating to SGL-2 reflects the
steps the company has taken to enhance its cash balances which now stand
at about $3.1 billion (pro forma for transactions subsequent
to June 30), which provide it sufficient runway to get through this
period of unprecedented earnings pressure.
The rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak, deteriorating global
economic outlook, and high asset price volatility have created an
unprecedented credit shock across a range of sectors and regions.
We regard the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework,
given the substantial implications for public health and safety.
Today's action reflects the impact on NCL from the deterioration
in credit quality it has triggered, given its exposure to travel
restrictions in the US, which has left it vulnerable to shifts in
market demand and sentiment in these unprecedented operating conditions.
Downgrades:
..Issuer: NCL Corporation Ltd.
.... Probability of Default Rating,
Downgraded to B2-PD from Ba2-PD
.... Corporate Family Rating, Downgraded
to B2 from Ba2
....Senior Secured Bank Credit Facility,
Downgraded to B1 (LGD3) from Ba2 (LGD3)
....Senior Secured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Downgraded to B1 (LGD3) from Ba2 (LGD3)
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Downgraded to Caa1 (LGD6) from B1 (LGD6)
Upgrades:
..Issuer: NCL Corporation Ltd.
.... Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating,
Upgraded to SGL-2 from SGL-3
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: NCL Corporation Ltd.
....Outlook, Changed To Negative From
Rating Under Review
RATINGS RATIONALE
NCL's credit profile is supported by its market position as the third
largest ocean cruise operator worldwide, as well as its well-known
brand names -- Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises,
and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, as well as the strong performance
of its new ships in terms of pricing and bookings relative to its other
ships which enables the company to compete against larger rivals across
all its price points. Moody's view that over the long run,
the value proposition of a cruise vacation relative to land-based
destinations as well as a group of loyal cruise customers supports a base
level of demand once health safety concerns have been effectively addressed.
In the short run, NCL's credit profile will be dominated by the
length of time that cruise operations continue to be highly disrupted
and the resulting impact on the company's cash consumption and its liquidity
profile. The normal ongoing credit risks include its high leverage,
the highly seasonal and capital intensive nature of cruise companies and
the cruise industry's exposure to economic and industry cycles,
weather incidents and geopolitical events.
The negative outlook reflects NCL's high leverage and the uncertainty
around the pace and level of recovery in demand that will enable the company
to reducle leverage to below 6.0x.
NCL has good liquidity represented by its pro forma cash balance of about
$3.1 billion (pro forma for transactions subsequent to June
30). This liquidity provides the company with sufficient coverage
of its current cash burn through 2021. The company has fully drawn
its committed $875 million revolver due 2024. The company's
credit facilities contain one covenant that is not tested unless total
liquidity drops to below $100 million. We do not expect
the covenant will be tested. Most of NCL's assets are encumbered
either to ship level debt, the revolving credit facilities and term
loans, or secured notes. Also considered is that while we
view cruise ships as valuable long-term assets, we do not
believe the company could sell ships quickly to raise cash, if necessary.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
The ratings could be downgraded further in the near term if the company's
liquidity weakened in any way or if the recovery is delayed beyond our
base assumptions which include a resumption of US cruising in the first
half of 2021 with capacity days reaching at least 65% of their
2019 levels and occupancy reaching at least 70% by the second quarter
with continued improvement from there. The ratings could also be
downgraded if there are indications that the company is not on a path
to restoring leverage to a sustainable level. The outlook could
be revised to stable if the impacts from the spread of the coronavirus
stabilizes and cruise operations resume at a level that enables the company
to maintain debt/EBITDA below 6.0x. Ratings could be upgraded
if the company is able to maintain leverage below 5.5x with EBITA/interest
expense sustained above 2.0x.
NCL Corporation Ltd., headquartered in Miami, FL,
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings,
Ltd. Norwegian operates 28 cruise ships with approximately 59,150
berths under three brand names; Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania
Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Net revenues were
about $5.0 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2019.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Business and Consumer
Service Industry published in October 2016 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1037985.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
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.
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
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same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant
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provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional
rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may
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to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
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Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social
and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.
At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s)
announced and described above.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed
by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt
am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
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for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Peter Trombetta
Asst Vice President - 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
Margaret Taylor
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
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JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
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