Milan, August 02, 2019 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has today
placed Wind Tre SpA's ("Wind Tre" or "the company")
ratings on review for upgrade, following the announcement that the
newly created company CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings Limited ("CK
Hutchison Telecom", Baa1 stable) plans to repay Wind Tre's
outstanding debt by refinancing this debt at CK Hutchison Telecom level.
CK Hutchison Telecom is a new telecommunications holding company wholly-owned
by CK Hutchison Holdings Limited ("CKHH", A2 stable).
Affected ratings include the company's B1 corporate family rating (CFR),
the B1-PD probability of default rating (PDR), and the B1
rating on the senior secured notes and Term Loan A issued by Wind Tre.
"The decision to place Wind Tre's ratings on review for upgrade
reflects the expectation that Wind Tre's stand-alone credit
metrics could improve significantly following the refinancing of its debt
at CK Hutchison Telecom level, as well as increased evidence of
explicit support from Wind Tre's shareholder, CKHH,"
says Ernesto Bisagno, Vice President-Senior Credit Officer
and lead analyst for Wind Tre.
RATINGS RATIONALE
In July 2019, CKHH formed CK Hutchison Telecom, an entity
that consolidates CKHH's European and Hong Kong-based operations
(including Wind Tre, 3 UK, 3 Austria, 3 Sweden,
3 Denmark, 3 Ireland, and Telecom Hong Kong) under one holding.
CK Hutchison Telecom plans to repay all the existing external debt of
Wind Tre of approximately €10 billion and refinance it at CK Hutchison
Telecom level.
With no further details provided on the process, Moody's review
will focus on Wind Tre's capital structure after the refinancing,
as well as its financial policy and relationship with its parent CK Hutchison
Telecom. The review process may be concluded with a multi-notch
upgrade on the rating, reflecting the fact that its stand-alone
financial profile may be stronger after the refinancing, and that
Wind Tre remains an integral part and a strategic investment for the much
larger and Baa1-rated CK Hutchison Telecom group.
Wind Tre's B1 rating reflects (1) its position as one of the largest
mobile operators in Italy and its challenger position; and (2) the
full ownership by CKHH. The rating is constrained by (1) the highly
leveraged standalone capital structure before the proposed refinancing,
with Moody's adjusted debt/EBITDA at around 5.4x-5.5x
through 2021, pre-IFRS 16; (2) its weaker, although
improving, network quality compared with peers; (3) the future
gradual reduction in wholesale revenues from Iliad SA; and (4) the
still high competition in the Italian market.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
On Review for Upgrade:
..Issuer: Wind Tre S.p.A.
.... Corporate Family Rating, Placed
on Review for Upgrade, currently B1
.... Probability of Default Rating,
Placed on Review for Upgrade, currently B1-PD
....Senior Secured Bank Credit Facility,
Placed on Review for Upgrade, currently B1
....Senior Secured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Upgrade, currently B1
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Wind Tre S.p.A.
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Stable
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Telecommunications
Service Providers published in January 2017. Please see the Rating
Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this
methodology.
COMPANY PROFILE
Created from the merger of WIND Telecomunicazioni S.p.A.
and H3G S.p.A., Wind Tre S.p.A.
(Wind Tre) is a leading alternative integrated telecom operator in Italy.
The company provides wireless and fixed-line voice, internet,
broadband and data services. Based on the number of human subscriptions,
Wind Tre is the largest Italian mobile operator, with a 32.8%
market share, and the fourth-largest broadband provider,
with a 14.4% market share (all figures as of 31 December
2018; source: AGCOM).
In 2018, Wind Tre reported revenue and EBITDA, before integration
costs, of €5.6 billion and €2 billion, respectively.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security 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 credit rating action on the
support provider and in relation to each particular credit 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 credit rating action,
and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit 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.
Ernesto Bisagno, CFA
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Italia S.r.l
Corso di Porta Romana 68
Milan 20122
Italy
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Ivan Palacios
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's Italia S.r.l
Corso di Porta Romana 68
Milan 20122
Italy
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454