London, 26 March 2015 -- Moody's Investors Service has today downgraded the corporate family
rating (CFR) and the probability of default rating (PDR) of Power Machines
OJSC (PM) to Ba2 from Ba1 and to Ba2-PD from Ba1-PD,
respectively. The outlook on the ratings is negative.
The action concludes the review for downgrade of PM's ratings,
which was part of the review for downgrade of ratings of 45 Russian non-financial
corporates launched by Moody's on 23 December 2014. The review
was prompted by the severe and rapid deterioration in the operating environment
in Russia and the heightened risk of a more prolonged and acute economic
downturn than originally expected.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Today's downgrade reflects Moody's expectation that PM,
a leading Russian manufacturer of equipment and integrated solution for
power generation businesses, will be negatively affected by the
weakening of Russia's economic and financial environment,
as captured by Moody's downgrade of Russia's sovereign rating and
country ceiling to Ba1 from Baa3 with negative outlook on 20 February
2015. In Moody's view, in this environment, the
company's financial flexibility will weaken and leverage may increase
to levels not commensurate with the Ba1 rating category for PM's
high business risk profile.
Moody's expects a reduction in demand for PM's products and
unfavourable adjustments to the company's contractual arrangements
with largest government-controlled customers in the Russian power
generation sector. Encouraged by the government, these customers
are significantly reducing or postponing their capex programmes in the
weak economy as well as increasing pressure on suppliers to achieve lower
prices and better payment terms, which are likely to translate into
heightened working capital requirements for PM. PM's ability
to withstand pressure is limited, given the company's modest
size, high country, product and customer concentration.
As a result, the company's cash flow generation is likely
to become more volatile, both reducing the liquidity cushion and
driving leverage up to 2x debt/EBITDA or above from 1.5x at end-2014,
including Moody's standard adjustments.
Similar to other heavy manufacturers, risks related to contract
execution and disputes with customers will continue adding to PM's
cash flow volatility. More specifically for PM's developing
corporate governance and single ownership, large debt-funded
dividend payments of the recent past resulted in a sizeable negative free
cash flow. A new dividend policy, if any, aligned with
the market environment has yet to materialise.
PM's liquidity remains dependent on the company's cash flow
generation, actual capex and dividend policy. PM has significant
(over 50% of the total debt portfolio) short-term debt maturities
of around $425 million as of end-2014, which were
not fully covered by end-2014 cash reserves of $334 million.
The gap was covered by availabilities of $335 million under long-term
committed facilities, primarily with state-owned banks.
However, noted cash generation volatilities continue to weigh on
the liquidity buffer.
At the same time, PM's Ba2 rating continues to benefit from
(1) the company's dominant position in Russia's market for
equipment and solutions for domestic power generators and a sizeable order
book valued at around $5.4 billion at end-2014;
(2) historically high margins, which implies some level of flexibility
for the company in the weak market environment; (3) a cushion under
financial metrics for the current Ba2 rating.
RATIONALE FOR NEGATIVE OUTLOOK
The outlook on PM's rating is negative, reflecting PM's
exposure to the deteriorating Russian operating environment, which
is also captured by the negative outlook on Russia's government
bond rating. As a result, PM may face a more severe and rapid
reduction of demand and more unfavourable revision of terms of cooperation
by its large state-owned customers from the domestic power generation
sector, which could lead to negative free cash flow generation,
as well as higher leverage and weaker liquidity than anticipated for the
Ba2 rating. Moody's will also be monitoring whether a new dividend
policy will be introduced to take into account the weak market environment.
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING DOWN/UP
The rating is likely to be downgraded if (1) Russian operating environment
deteriorates further resulting in further downgrade of the sovereign rating
and/or lowering the sovereign ceiling; (2) PM's financial metrics
weaken with debt/EBITDA exceeding 2.5x on a sustained basis,
coupled with a strained liquidity.
Given the deteriorating operating environment in Russia and pressure on
the sovereign credit quality, PM's weak key markets and the
risk of the company's financial profile and liquidity deteriorating,
upward pressure on PM's rating is unlikely at present.
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Global Manufacturing
Companies published in July 2014. Please see the Credit Policy
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Russia, Power Machines
OJSC (PM) is a manufacturer of a wide range of electric power generating
equipment (turbines, generators, boilers and other equipment)
and integrated solutions for electric power plants of all types and sizes.
100% of PM's share capital is indirectly controlled by Mr.
Aleksey A. Mordashov. In 2014, PM generated revenue
and adjusted EBIT of $1.8 billion and $0.4
billion, respectively.
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 rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
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 rating action, and
whose ratings may change as a result of this 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.
Ekaterina Botvinova
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Limited, Russian Branch
7th floor, Four Winds Plaza
21 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya St.
Moscow 125047
Russia
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
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Victoria Maisuradze
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
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Moody's downgrades Power Machines to Ba2; negative outlook