New York, November 17, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service placed the Ba1 corporate family rating of AerCap
Holdings N.V. on review for upgrade. The ratings
of AerCap's subsidiaries were also placed on review for upgrade (see the
complete list of affected ratings below).
RATINGS RATIONALE
Moody's is reviewing AerCap's ratings based on the company's progress
solidifying its leading competitive positioning in commercial aircraft
leasing, improving its fleet composition, and managing liquidity
risks leading up to the increase in scheduled delivery of new aircraft
from Boeing and Airbus over the next three years. The review also
reflects the company's positive record of earnings and capital generation
since acquiring larger competitor International Lease Finance Corporation
in 2014.
AerCap has improved the risk profile of its fleet of over 1,000
owned aircraft by aggressively selling older models and investing in newer
ones, reducing impairment and lease-up risks. The
company is on pace to sell $3 billion of aircraft this year,
on top of $2 billion of sales in 2015, with an average age
of 12 years, reducing the firm's exposure to riskier out-of-production
models. Delivery of aircraft featuring the newest fuel-saving
designs and engines over the next few years should also reduce the risk
profile of the company's fleet, reducing weighted average
fleet age. During its review, Moody's will evaluate
the evolving risk profile of AerCap's fleet and its effect on the
firm's financial and operational stability.
AerCap has strengthened its liquidity cushion in advance of an increase
in new aircraft deliveries over the next three years. The company
had $12.3 billion of liquidity at 30 September 2016,
including cash, committed borrowing availability and estimated operating
cash flow, which provides the company ample resources to manage
$3.9 billion of debt maturities and $4.4 billion
of capital expenditures over the coming year. The company's ratio
of liquidity sources to debt service and capital expenditures (12 months)
measured 1.5x at 30 September 2016, above its 1.2x
target, and liquidity sources currently provide more than 20 months
of liquidity runway. AerCap has committed nearly all new aircraft
delivering in 2017 and 2018 to leases and about 40% of 2019 deliveries,
which reduces the financing risks of these aircraft. During the
ratings review, Moody's will assess AerCap's prospects
for maintaining strong liquidity as new deliveries occur over the next
three years.
AerCap's operating results over the past two years reflect a net
finance margin that compares favorably to industry peers, helped
by high average yields and a cost of funds lower than peer average.
AerCap's profit margins are expected to weaken modestly in connection
with its sale of older but higher yielding aircraft and higher depreciation
expense related to newly acquired aircraft. In its review,
Moody's will consider the strength and stability of AerCap's
earnings and cash flow margin, particularly given the transition
in the company's fleet composition. Maintaining profitability
consistently above the peer median is a key rating consideration.
Moody's could upgrade AerCap's ratings if full year 2016 results are consistent
with expectations for continued above peer median profitability and if
Moody's expects that the company will continue to maintain a liquidity
runway in excess of 18 months. An upgrade would also require that
AerCap remain committed to maintaining leverage (the company's measure
of net debt/equity) comfortably within its target range of 2.7-3.0x
(2.7x actual at 30 September 2016), reflecting a balanced
use of capital generation.
Ratings placed on review include:
AerCap Holdings N.V.:
Corporate Family: Ba1, rating under review
AerCap Ireland Capital Limited:
Backed senior unsecured shelf: (P)Ba1
Backed senior unsecured: Ba1, rating under review
AerCap Global Aviation Trust
Backed Junior Subordinate: Ba3(hyb), rating under review
International Lease Finance Corporation:
Senior secured: Baa3, rating under review
Senior unsecured: Ba1, rating under review
Senior unsecured shelf: (P)Ba1
Preferred stock: Ba3(hyb), rating under review
Delos Finance SARL:
Backed senior secured bank credit facility: Baa3, rating under
review
Flying Fortress Inc.:
Backed senior secured bank credit facility: Baa3, rating under
review
ILFC E-Capital Trust I:
Backed preferred stock: Ba3(hyb), rating under review
ILFC E-Capital Trust II:
Backed preferred stock: Ba3(hyb), rating under review
AerCap is a major commercial aircraft leasing company listed on the New
York Stock Exchange (AER). The company reported total assets of
$41.8 billion at 30 September 2016.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Finance Companies
published in October 2015. 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 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.
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
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Robert 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
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653