New York, May 13, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service assigned a Caa1 rating to Boyd Gaming Corporation's
("Boyd") proposed $500 million unsecured notes due 2025.
The company's Corporate Family Rating ("CFR") of B2 and Probability
of Default Rating of B2-PD were affirmed. The company's
existing senior secured revolver and term loans were affirmed at Ba3,
and the company's existing senior unsecured notes were affirmed at Caa1.
The company's Speculative Grade Liquidity rating was downgraded to SGL-4
from SGL-3. The outlook remains negative.
Boyd will use proceeds from the $500 million unsecured notes,
net of related fees and expenses, for general corporate purposes,
including working capital.
The affirmation of Boyd's B2 CFR considers the good market access
the company has as demonstrated by the unsecured debt offering,
which will bolster cash balances to fund the cash burn while facilities
are closed and while visitation ramps up upon reopening. The affirmation
also considers the company's significant size and geographic diversification,
in terms of revenue and number of casinos, which should aid the
company when facilities reopen. The affirmation also reflects Moody's
expectation that the company will be able to address its 2021 maturities
at a reasonable cost.
Downgrades:
..Issuer: Boyd Gaming Corporation
.... Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating,
Downgraded to SGL-4 from SGL-3
Assignments:
..Issuer: Boyd Gaming Corporation
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Assigned Caa1 (LGD5)
Affirmations:
..Issuer: Boyd Gaming Corporation
.... Probability of Default Rating,
Affirmed B2-PD
.... Corporate Family Rating, Affirmed
B2
....Senior Secured Bank Credit Facility,
Affirmed Ba3 (LGD2)
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Affirmed Caa1 (LGD5)
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Boyd Gaming Corporation
....Outlook, Remains Negative
RATINGS RATIONALE
Boyd's B2 CFR reflects the meaningful earnings decline over the next few
months expected from efforts to contain the coronavirus and the potential
for a slow recovery once properties reopen. Moody's anticipates
regional properties open at the beginning of July and the downtown market
Las Vegas facilities open later in the year. Because of approaching
September 2021 maturities, the credit profile could deteriorate
meaningfully over the next three to six months if the company's operating
performance does not rebound quickly from the coronavirus outbreak.
The rating also reflects the company's significant size and geographic
diversification. The company is the second-largest regional
gaming operator in terms of net revenue and number of casino assets operated.
Key credit concerns include Boyd's significant leverage prior to the coronavirus
outbreak. Market saturation is another concern. While there
have been some recent improvements in overall gaming demand throughout
the US, Boyd and other U.S. regional gaming operators
face casino oversupply conditions and the resulting cannibalization of
customer dollars that is occurring throughout many US gaming markets.
Boyd's speculative-grade liquidity rating was downgraded
to SGL-4 from SGL-3 because of the approaching September
2021 maturity of the company's $945 million revolver and
approximate $230 million term loan A. As of March 31,
2020, the company had $831.2 million of cash,
including the full draw on the revolver. The proposed $500
million offering would increase cash on hand. Moody's estimates
the company could maintain sufficient internal cash sources after maintenance
capital expenditures to meet required annual amortization and interest
requirements assuming a sizeable decline in annual EBITDA. The
expected EBITDA decline will not be ratable over the next year and because
EBITDA and free cash flow will be negative for an uncertain time period,
liquidity and leverage could deteriorate quickly over the next few months.
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 gaming sector has
been one of the sectors most significantly affected by the shock given
its sensitivity to consumer demand and sentiment. More specifically,
the weaknesses in Boyd's credit profile, including its exposure
to travel disruptions and discretionary consumer spending have left it
vulnerable to shifts in market sentiment in these unprecedented operating
conditions and Boyd remains vulnerable to the outbreak continuing to spread.
Moody's regards the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our ESG
framework, given the substantial implications for public health
and safety. Boyd's ratings reflect the impact, breadth and
severity of the shock, and the broad deterioration in credit quality
it has triggered.
The negative outlook considers that Boyd remains vulnerable to travel
disruptions and unfavorable sudden shifts in discretionary consumer spending
and the uncertainty regarding the timing of facility re-openings
and the pace at which consumer and commercial spending at the company's
properties will recover. The negative outlook also reflects the
refinancing risk associated with the approaching September 2021 revolver
and term maturities.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
Ratings could be downgraded if liquidity deteriorates or if Moody's anticipates
Boyd's earnings declines to be deeper or more prolonged because of actions
to contain the spread of the virus or reductions in discretionary consumer
and commercial spending. The ratings could be downgraded if the
company does not proactively address the upcoming maturities or if the
cost of refinancing meaningfully increases interest costs.
A ratings upgrade is unlikely given the weak operating environment.
However, the ratings could be upgraded if the facilities reopen
and earnings recover such that positive free cash flow and reinvestment
flexibility is restored and debt-to-EBITDA is sustained
below 5.25x.
Boyd Gaming Corporation owns and operates 29 gaming properties in ten
states: Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio,
and Pennsylvania. Annual revenue was over $3 billion in
2019.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Gaming Industry published
in December 2017 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1099757.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
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Adam McLaren
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
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John E. Puchalla, CFA
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
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