New York, April 01, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") placed
all of its ratings for International Seaways, Inc. ("INSW")
on review for downgrade, including the B3 Corporate Family Rating
(CFR) and Caa1 rating on its senior unsecured notes due 2023.
RATINGS RATIONALE / FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE
OF THE RATINGS
The rapid and widening spread of the coronavirus outbreak, deteriorating
global economic outlook, falling oil prices, and asset price
declines are creating a severe and extensive credit shock across many
sectors, regions and markets. The combined credit effects
of these developments are unprecedented. The shipping sector is
one of the sectors that will be significantly affected by the shock given
its sensitivity to consumer demand, general economic and industrial
activity. More specifically, INSW's credit profile,
including its high annual amortization requirements and its exposure to
highly cyclical markets and freight rate volatility, has left it
vulnerable to shifts in market sentiment in these unprecedented operating
conditions and INSW remains vulnerable to the outbreak continuing to spread.
We regard the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework,
given the substantial credit implications of public health and safety.
Today's action reflects the likely impact on INSW of the breadth
and severity of the shock, the broad deterioration in credit quality
it has triggered and its lingering uncertainty.
In its review, Moody's will consider: (i) the company's
liquidity profile, including prospects to cover its high mandatory
amortization approximating $72 million in 2020 and $82 million
in 2021; (ii) evolving market conditions, including the extent
and impact of the coronavirus outbreak and oil price dislocations on demand
and pricing conditions; (iii) the company's ability to adapt
its costs and investments to potentially sharp or prolonged negative changes
in freight rate conditions, including demand for the company's
services; and (iv) prospects for INSW to restore credit metrics when
economic activity recovers.
Moody's took the following actions:
Issuer: International Seaways, Inc.
..... Corporate Family Rating,
Placed on Review for Downgrade, currently at B3
.. Senior Unsecured Notes, Placed on Review
for Downgrade, currently at Caa1
. Senior Unsecured Shelf, Placed on Review for Downgrade,
currently at (P)Caa1
Outlook actions:
Issuer: International Seaways, Inc.
..... Outlook, Changed to Ratings
Under Review, from Stable
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Shipping Industry
published in December 2017 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1100802.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
International Seaways, Inc., a Marshall Islands corporation,
is a leading provider of ocean-based transportation of crude oil
and refined petroleum in the international market. It operates
its business under two segments: international crude tankers and
international product carriers. The company has a fleet of 40 vessels
of varying classes, including ownership interests in 2 FSO vessels
through joint venture partnerships. Total revenues were approximately
$366 million as of the last twelve months ended December 31,
2019.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's
Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.
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.
The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated
agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.
These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy
for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on
its website www.moodys.com.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social
and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1133569.
At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating outcome
announced and described above.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed
by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt
am Main 60322, Germany, 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 issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.
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.
Yvonne Njogu
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Robert Jankowitz
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653