London, 07 March 2014 -- Moody's Investors Service has today reviewed RMAC Securities No.
1 PLC Series 2006 NS-1 (RMAC 2006 NS-1) and placed M2a,
M2c notes on review for upgrade and M1a, M1c notes on rating direction
uncertain. RMAC 2006 NS-1 is a UK non-conforming
residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) transaction.
M1a and M1c notes were placed on review for possible downgrade on the
14th November 2013, in relation to swap counterparty exposure following
the introduction of the rating agency's updated approach to assessing
swap counterparty linkage in structured finance transactions. (https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-reviews-for-downgrade-EMEA-RMBS-and-ABS-transactions-due--PR_286515).
At the same time, Moody's affirms the ratings on A2a,
A2c, and B1c.
For a detailed list of affected ratings, refer to the end of this
press release just before regulatory disclosures section.
The main drivers for today's action are the improved collateral
performance, the increased credit enhancement due to deleveraging,
and the linkage to currency swap counterparty.
RATINGS RATIONALE
-- Collateral Performance
Moody's conducted a loan by loan analysis on the securitized portfolio.
The percentage of outstanding loans more than 90 days in arrears has decreased
to below 15% from more than 25% in 2009. The cumulative
realized loss as a percentage of the collateral balance at transaction
issuance only increased from 0.56% at the end of 2008 to
1.76% at the end of 2013. Improving house prices
in the UK also helps improve the weighted average LTV of the portfolio.
As a result, Moody's reduces its MILAN assumption on the transaction
to 25% from 31%. The portfolio's expected loss
assumption remains at 3.2%.
-- Credit Enhancement
The transaction's pool factor is below 30%. Deleveraging
has resulted in the build-up of the credit enhancement.
Including the reserve fund amount, the available credit enhancements
are 41%, 24%, 15%, and 5%
for class A2, M1, M2, and B1 notes respectively.
Moody's conducted cash flow analysis reflecting the improved collateral
performance and the increased credit enhancement. Moody's
found upward rating pressure on class M1, M2 notes. Class
A2 rating, due to operational risk, as analyzed in July 2011
rating action, remain capped at Aa2 (sf). Class B1c rating
remains at B3 (sf).
-- Linkage to Swap Counterparty
Royal Bank of Scotland plc (RBS) (A3, possible downgrade/P-2)
is the currency swap counterparty to the transaction. As part of
this review, Moody's has incorporated the risk of additional losses
on the notes in the event of them becoming unhedged following the default
of the currency swap counterparty.
Moody's has received a confirmation from the Issuer that a collateral
account has been opened with BNP Paribas (A2/P-1) and RBS has posted
collateral to this account following the breach of the first counterparty
rating requirement at A1.
The exchange loss in the event of swap counterparty default is borne by
first the subordinate tranches, then the higher rank non-sterling
tranches. Hence, class A2a has no exposure to currency swap
counterparty.
With the linkage and exposure to swap counterparty, the scale of
possible rating upgrade on class M1 and M2 notes is reduced. Class
A2c and B1c notes are not impacted by swap counterparty risk due to sufficient
credit enhancement for A2c and the already low rating on B1c.
RBS is currently on review for downgrade. (https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-reviews-Royal-Bank-of-Scotlands-ratings-for-downgrade--PR_291987)
An actual downgrade of RBS and no transfer of swap counterparty will result
in further limited upgrades or even downgrades on M1 notes and further
limited upgrades on M2 notes. Consequently, Moody's
places M1 notes on rating direction uncertain, M2 notes on review
for upgrade, and affirms A2 notes at Aa2 (sf), B1c notes at
B3 (sf).
FACTORS THAT WOULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING:
Factors or circumstances that could lead to a downgrade of the ratings
affected by today's action would be the worse-than-expected
performance of the underlying collateral, and deterioration in the
credit quality of the counterparties.
Factors or circumstances that could lead to an upgrade of the ratings
affected by today's action would be the better-than-expected
performance of the underlying assets, and a decline in counterparty
risk.
The principal methodology used in this rating was "Moody's Approach to
Rating RMBS Using the MILAN Framework" published in November 2013.
Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for
a copy of this methodology.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
Issuer: RMAC SECURITIES No. 1 PLC Series 2006 NS-1
....GBP23.25M M2a Notes, Baa3
(sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade; previously on Feb
18, 2009 Downgraded to Baa3 (sf)
....EUR20M M2c Notes, Baa3 (sf) Placed
Under Review for Possible Upgrade; previously on Feb 18, 2009
Downgraded to Baa3 (sf)
....GBP30M M1a Notes, A1 (sf) Placed
Under Review Direction Uncertain; previously on Nov 14, 2013
A1 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
....EUR59M M1c Notes, A1 (sf) Placed
Under Review Direction Uncertain; previously on Nov 14, 2013
A1 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
....GBP385M A2a Notes, Affirmed Aa2
(sf); previously on Jul 20, 2011 Downgraded to Aa2 (sf)
....EUR400M A2c Notes, Affirmed Aa2
(sf); previously on Jul 20, 2011 Downgraded to Aa2 (sf)
....EUR60.5M B1c Notes, Affirmed
B3 (sf); previously on Feb 18, 2009 Downgraded to B3 (sf)
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions of the disclosure form.
Moody's did not receive or take into account a third-party
assessment on the due diligence performed regarding the underlying assets
or financial instruments related to the monitoring of this transaction
in the past six months.
The analysis relies on an assessment of collateral characteristics to
determine the collateral loss distribution, that is, the function
that correlates to an assumption about the likelihood of occurrence to
each level of possible losses in the collateral. As a second step,
Moody's evaluates each possible collateral loss scenario using a
model that replicates the relevant structural features to derive payments
and therefore the ultimate potential losses for each rated instrument.
The loss a rated instrument incurs in each collateral loss scenario,
weighted by assumptions about the likelihood of events in that scenario
occurring, results in the expected loss of the rated instrument.
Moody's did not use any stress scenario simulations in its analysis.
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.
Kevin Ma
Analyst
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5FA
United Kingdom
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Christophe de Noaillat
MD - Structured Finance
Structured Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5FA
United Kingdom
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Moody's places M2 notes on review for upgrade, M1 notes on rating direction uncertain, and affirms ratings on other notes in RMAC Securities No1. PLC Series 2006 NS-1