GBP3,500 million of debt securities affected
Paris, July 08, 2009 -- Moody's Investors Service has confirmed the Class A1, A2 and A3
notes issued by Gracechurch Corporate Loans Series 2007-1 and downgraded
all other classes of notes. A detailed list of the rating actions
can be found at the end of this press release.
Today's rating action concludes the review for downgrade, which
was initiated on 17 February 2009, as a result of the continued
deterioration in economic conditions and expectations of further contraction
in GDP output in the UK and Moody's revision of its methodology
for SME granular portfolios in EMEA.
Moody's notes that as of June 2009, the total amount of defaulted
reference obligations was GBP2.7 million, relating to five
borrowers (0.076% of the total pool balance as of June 2009
compared with 0.064% as of December 2008).with most
of the defaults occurring in 2008. An increase in the defaulted
reference obligation rate is expected given the high correlation between
the GDP growth rate and the company liquidation rate in the UK.
As of June 2009, no principal deficiency ledger had been recorded.
The severe downturn in Britain's housing market may also lead to
worst portfolio credit quality assumptions than initially expected given
the exposure of the pool to the real estate sector -- either through
the security in the form of a mortgage or debtors operating in the real
estate sector.
Moody's has consequently revised the weighted-average equivalent
rating of the pool, which was initially set at Ba2. The default
probability of the pool has been changed to be equivalent to B1.
Following the methodology for SME granular portfolios in EMEA, the
default probability of the pool results from a specific notching approach
of the transaction rating assumption derived from RiskCalc. The
ratings were first notched down to bring the weighted-average default
probability of the pool to be equivalent to a Ba2/Ba3 for Barclays UK
SME. Moody's then applied a one notch upgrade for large debtors
(corporates with a turnover higher than GBP50 million), one
notch downgrade to debtors in the first four industrial sectors (Construction
& Building, Hotel, Gaming & Leisure, Services:
Business, Retail) and a one notch downgrade as a cycle adjustment
factor.
For modelling purposes, Moody's used CDOROM v2.5 but
did not apply the embedded 30% default probability stress as the
above approach already includes a cycle adjustment to set the default
probability assumption for the pool.
Gracechurch Corporate Loans Series 2007-1 is a fully funded synthetic
transaction, arranged by Barclays Capital, in which investors
are exposed to the credit risk related to a portfolio of loans extended
by Barclays Bank PLC (Aa3/C/Prime-1) to UK small and medium-sized
companies. The credit risk transferred by Barclays Bank PLC through
this transaction relates to a total portfolio of GBP3.5 billion.
At closing, the reference pool comprised 1343 separate obligors.
The revolving period will end in February 2010.
The average life of the outstanding portfolio is 4.85 years,
with the longest maturity 17.91 years. As of June 2009,
the reference pool comprised 1456 separate obligors with the highest obligor
concentration being 0.7%. The concentration in the
"Building and Real Estate" sector according to Moody's
industry classification was 19.76%.
Moody's assigned definitive ratings in February 2007. Moody's ratings
address the expected loss posed to investors by the legal final maturity
of the notes. Moody's ratings address only the credit risks associated
with the transaction. Other non-credit risks have not been
addressed, but may have a significant effect on yield to investors.
The principal methodologies used in rating and monitoring the transaction
is "Moody's Approach to Rating Corporate Collateralized Synthetic
Obligations", published in December 2008 and "Refining the
ABS SME Approach: Moody's Probability of Default Assumptions in
the Rating Analysis of Granular Small and Mid-Sized Enterprise
Portfolios in EMEA", published in March 2008. Such methodologies
can be found on www.moodys.com in the Credit Policy &
Methodologies directory, in the Ratings Methodologies subdirectory.
Other methodologies and factors that may have been considered in the process
of rating this issue can also be found on this page.
Moody's is closely monitoring the transaction. To obtain a copy
of Moody's New Issue Report or periodic Performance Overviews, please
visit Moody's website at www.moodys.com or contact our Client
Service Desk in London (+44-20-7772 5454).
The detailed list of rating actions is as follows:
- GBP1,046,000,000 Class A1 Secured Floating
Rate Notes, confirmed at Aaa; previously on 17 February 2009
Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- EUR1,058,750,000 Class A2 Secured Floating
Rate Notes, confirmed at Aaa; previously on 17 February 2009
Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- USD2,290,000,000 Class A3 Secured Floating
Rate Notes, confirmed at Aaa; previously on 17 February 2009
a Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- GBP106,750,000 Class AB1 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Aa3 from Aaa; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- EUR103,750,000 Class AB2 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Aa3 from Aaa; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- GBP32,600,000 Class B1 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Baa1 from Aa2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- EUR65,150,000 Class B2 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Baa1 from Aa2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- USD10,000,000 Class B3 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Baa1 from Aa2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- GBP36,400,000 Class C1 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Ba1 from A2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- EUR70,600,000 Class C2 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Ba1 from A2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- USD23,000,000 Class C3 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Ba1 from A2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- GBP33,000,000 Class D1 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to B2 from Baa3; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- EUR40,250,000 Class D2 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to B2 from Baa3; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- GBP43,100,000 Class E1 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Caa1 from Ba2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- EUR40,950,000 Class E2 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Caa1 from Ba2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed
Under Review for Possible Downgrade;
- GBP28,050,000 Class F1 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Ca from B2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed Under
Review for Possible Downgrade;
- EUR26,500,000 Class F2 Secured Floating Rate Notes,
downgraded to Ca from B2; previously on 17 February 2009 Placed Under
Review for Possible Downgrade.
London
Benedicte Pfister
Managing Director
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Paris
Mehdi Ababou
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Structured Finance Group
Moody's France S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Moody's downgrades notes issued by Gracechurch Corporate Loans Series 2007-1