Hong Kong, March 27, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service has today placed the ratings of four Chinese
and Korean Automotive parts suppliers under review for downgrade.
The four companies are Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.,
Johnson Electric Holdings Limited, Nexteer Automotive Group Limited,
and Yanfeng Global Automotive Interior Systems Co., Ltd.
A full list of the affected ratings can be found at the end of this press
release.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The rapid and widening spread of the coronavirus outbreak is creating
a severe and extensive credit shock for Chinese and Korean automotive
parts suppliers," said Gerwin Ho, a Vice President and
Senior Credit Officer at Moody's. "The review for downgrade
will focus on the impact on manufacturing operations, consumer demand,
as well as on any government support and countermeasures taken by individual
companies."
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 auto parts supplier
sector -- and issuers within other sectors that rely on auto parts
suppliers, such as the automotive original equipment manufacturer
sector -- have been some of the sectors most significantly affected
by the shock, given their sensitivity to consumer demand and sentiment.
More specifically, the weaknesses in the companies' credit
profiles, including their exposure to final consumer demand for
automobiles, have left them vulnerable to shifts in market sentiment
in these unprecedented operating conditions and the companies remain vulnerable
to the outbreak continuing to spread. Moody's regards the
coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under its environmental, social
and governance (ESG) framework, given the substantial implications
for public health and safety. Today's action reflects the
impact on the companies of the breadth and severity of the shock,
and the broad deterioration in credit quality it has triggered.
The rating action on Hyundai Mobis also follows Moody's decision
to place the ratings of its affiliate automakers Hyundai Motor Company
(Baa1 review for downgrade) and Kia Motors Corporation (Baa1 review for
downgrade) on review for downgrade, given the close linkages between
the companies both from an operational and ownership perspective.
The reviews for downgrade will consider (i) the outbreak's impact
on the manufacturing operations of the Chinese and Korean automotive parts
suppliers and related issuers, as these issuers have largely globalised
operations. A number of automotive original equipment manufacturers
and auto parts suppliers have already temporarily closed facilities in
order to ensure the safety of their employees. The review will
assess the impact from facility closures and global automotive production
declines these issuers are experiencing and will experience in the coming
quarters.
The review will also consider (ii) the lingering impact of diminished
consumer demand, resulting from consumer concerns surrounding the
coronavirus outbreak, and government policies restricting consumer
movement over coming quarters, (iii) the impact of government measures
to support corporates and consumers in the companies' main markets,
and (iv) the impact of potential countermeasures of the individual issuers.
The review will aggregate these effects in conjunction with the liquidity
profiles of these issuers placed under review for downgrade. The
level of cash, availability under liquidity facilities, financial
maintenance covenant pressure, and the pressure of refinancing debt
maturities coming due over the next 12-24 months will be major
considerations in Moody's review of liquidity profiles. Moody's
expects to conclude the review within 90 days.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Automotive Supplier
Methodology published in January 2020. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
List of Affected Credit Ratings
..Issuer: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
(Lead Analyst: Wan Hee Yoo)
.... Long-term Issuer Rating (Local
Currency), Placed on Review for Downgrade, currently Baa1
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: Johnson Electric Holdings Limited (Lead
Analyst: Stephanie Lau)
.... Long-term Issuer Rating (Foreign
and Local Currency), Placed on Review for Downgrade, currently
Baa1
....Long-term Senior Unsecured (Foreign
Currency), Placed on Review for Downgrade, currently Baa1
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Stable
..Issuer: Nexteer Automotive Group Limited (Lead Analyst:
Gerwin Ho)
.... Long-term Issuer Rating (Foreign
and Local Currency), Placed on Review for Downgrade, currently
Baa3
....Long-term Senior Unsecured (Foreign
Currency), Placed on Review for Downgrade, currently Baa3
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Stable
..Issuer: Yanfeng Global Automotive Interior Systems
Co., Ltd. (Lead Analyst: Gerwin Ho)
.... Long-term Issuer Rating (Foreign
and Local Currency), Placed on Review for Downgrade, currently
Baa3
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Stable
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.
Moody's considers a rated entity or its agent(s) to be participating
when it maintains an overall relationship with Moody's. Unless
noted in the Regulatory Disclosures as a Non-Participating Entity,
the rated entities are participating and the rated entities or their agent(s)
generally provide Moody's with information for the purposes of its
ratings process. Please refer to www.moodys.com for
the Regulatory Disclosures for each credit rating action under the ratings
tab on the issuer/entity page and for details of Moody's Policy
for Designating Non-Participating Rated Entities.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
The below contact information is provided for information purposes only.
Please see the ratings tab of the issuer page at www.moodys.com,
for each of the ratings covered, Moody's disclosures on the
lead rating analyst and the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the ratings.
The person who approved Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd. and
Johnson Electric Holdings Limited's credit ratings is Chris Park,
Associate Managing Director, Corporate Finance Group, 852
3758 1350, 852 3551 3077. The person who approved Nexteer
Automotive Group Limited and Yanfeng Global Automotive Interior Systems
Co., Ltd.'s credit ratings is Clement Wong,
Associate Managing Director, Corporate Finance Group, 852
3758 1350, 852 3551 3077.
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.
The first name below is the lead rating analyst for this Credit Rating
and the last name below is the person primarily responsible for approving
this Credit Rating.
Gerwin Ho
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Clement Cheuk Yiu Wong
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077