NOTE: On May 20, 2013, the press release was revised as follows: added a hybrid indicator “(hyb)” to the Preferred Stock ratings of AGFC Capital Trust I. Revised release follows.
New York, June 01, 2012 -- Moody's Investors Service today downgraded Springleaf Finance Corporation's
senior unsecured and corporate family ratings to Caa1 from B3.
The rating outlook is negative.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The downgrade reflects Springleaf's funding constraints and uncertain
liquidity outlook, increased operational stresses, and record
of operating losses since early 2008.
Springleaf has $2 billion of long-term debt maturing in
the second half of 2012 and an additional $1.8 billion due
in 2013. Moody's estimates that Springleaf has sufficient
liquidity to meet its obligations in 2012 but that it will need to generate
significant additional liquidity to cover 2013 needs. The company's
sources of liquidity include cash balances, net proceeds from portfolio
runoff, and operating cash flow. Unrestricted cash totaled
$1.2 billion at the end of the first quarter and ongoing
runoff of Springleaf's real estate portfolio is currently generating
about $300 million of cash per quarter. However, the
company has no committed borrowing capacity to supplement these sources
to support its operating and financial requirements.
In April, Springleaf added $367 million to cash after completing
a securitization of home loans, the third such transaction since
2010. Springleaf has about $5.5 billion of unencumbered
real estate loans and consumer receivables that it could securitize or
pledge to obtain additional secured financing. However, there
is no assurance that additional transactions of a size necessary for Springleaf
to meet its upcoming needs can be executed.
"Springleaf's plans to generate incremental liquidity involve
significant execution risk," said Moody's senior analyst
Mark Wasden. "We can't rule out the possibility of
a distressed debt exchange as a means for Springleaf to reduce the near-term
demands on its liquidity resources," he added.
Springleaf has reported operating losses since 2008. Lower finance
revenues from declining portfolio balances, high credit costs,
and increasing cost of funds have all pressured earnings. Springleaf
has taken steps to rationalize operating costs by closing non-core
and under-performing branches and by improving efficiency,
but operating losses will likely continue through the intermediate term
while the company works through portfolio credit performance and funding
issues.
Moody's believes that Springleaf's franchise positioning has
weakened as a consequence of its funding constraints and the actions it
has been forced to take. Springleaf ceased originating home mortgage
loans in January of this year and is now focusing exclusively on providing
consumer loans to customers that either prefer not to borrow from banks
or who don't qualify for bank loans. With its multi-state
branch network, Springleaf is well situated to address the large
market for such loan products, but the firm has not yet established
a sustainable source of funding for this business.
Moody's said that Springleaf's long-term ratings could be
upgraded if the company demonstrates improved access to funding,
strengthens its liquidity runway, and returns operations to profitability.
Conversely, ratings could be downgraded if it is unable to execute
a funding strategy that leads to a sustainable improvement in its liquidity
position or if it seems likely to pursue a distressed debt exchange or
restructure.
Ratings affected by today's action include:
Springleaf Finance Corporation:
Corporate Family: to Caa1 from B3
Senior Unsecured: to Caa1 from B3
Springleaf Financial Funding Company:
Senior Secured Bank Loan: to B3 from B2
AGFC Capital Trust I:
Preferred Stock: to Caa3(hyb) from Caa2(hyb)
In its last AGFC rating action on August 11, 2010, Moody's
downgraded Springleaf's corporate family rating of B3 from B2.
Springleaf Finance Corporation, headquartered in Evansville,
Indiana, provides consumer finance and credit insurance products
to consumers through a multi-state branch network.
The principal methodology used in this rating was Finance Company Global
Rating Methodology published in March 2012. Please see the Credit
Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
The Global Scale Credit Ratings on this press release that are issued
by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU are endorsed by Moody's
Investors Service Ltd., One Canada Square, Canary Wharf,
London E 14 5FA, UK, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph
3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies.
Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's
office that has issued a particular Credit Rating is available on www.moodys.com.
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rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the
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Mark L. Wasden
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
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Robert Franklyn Young
MD - Financial Institutions
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
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U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's downgrades Springleaf to Caa1 from B3