Hong Kong, August 21, 2019 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has assigned
a P-1 short-term foreign-currency rating to the euro-commercial
paper (CP) component and (P)A1/(P)P-1 foreign-currency ratings
to the certificate of deposit (CD) component of the US$2.5
billion euro-commercial paper and certificate of deposit programme
proposed by Bank of China (Dubai) Branch.
The P-1 short-term foreign-currency rating applies
to CP notes to be denominated in EUR, USD, JPY, Sterling,
CHF, CNY, AUD, CAD, NZD and HKD.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The assigned ratings are in line with long-term and short-term
deposit ratings of Bank of China Limited (BOC), and reflect the
structure of the proposed programme. The CP notes and CDs to be
issued under the programme will constitute direct, unconditional,
unsubordinated, and unsecured obligations of BOC, which holds
significant amount of liquid resources in convertible currencies in both
Asian and European time zones to support the proposed programme.
BOC's standalone Baseline Credit Assessment (BCA) is baa1. BOC's
Adjusted BCA, which incorporates no affiliate support, is
the same as its BCA. China does not have an operational resolution
regime. Therefore, we apply a basic Loss Given Failure approach
in rating Chinese banks' debt securities. The Preliminary Rating
Assessment on senior unsecured debts, representing our view of the
expected loss of the senior unsecured debts in the absence of government
support and before considerations of debt ceilings, is at the same
level as the Adjusted BCA. We assess that, in times of need,
BOC would receive a very high level of Chinese government support,
uplifting the Preliminary Rating Assessment by three notches to A1 for
the senior unsecured debts.
WHAT COULD MOVE THE RATING UP/DOWN
The assigned ratings are in line with long-term and short-term
deposit ratings of BOC. Any changes in BOC's deposit ratings will
lead to a similar rating action on the programme.
BOC's long-term deposit rating is at the same level of the senior
unsecured debt rating of the Government of China, after factoring
in a very high level of government support. Hence, there
could be upward pressure on BOC's long-term deposit rating should
the capability to support the bank, as reflected in the senior unsecured
debt rating of the Government of China, strengthen.
BOC's BCA could experience upward pressure if (1) its asset quality,
as measured by the rate of the formation of problem loans, improves;
(2) its profitability, as measured by the return on assets,
improves; and (3) its capital strengthens, with an improvement
in its tangible common equity capital ratio.
There could be downward pressure on BOC's long-term deposit rating
should the Chinese government's capability or willingness to support the
bank weaken. Furthermore, should the operating environment
weaken materially, for example, if China's economic growth
moderates or corporate financial leverage continues to increase,
then there could be downward pressure on BOC's BCA.
In addition, BOC's BCA could experience downward pressure if (1)
its asset quality and profitability weaken materially; or (2) its
capital weakens, with a deterioration in its tangible common equity
capital ratio.
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Banks published in
August 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Bank of China Limited is headquartered in Beijing. It reported
total assets of RMB21.6 trillion and total equity of RMB1.8
trillion as of the end of March 2019.
The assigned ratings are subject to receipt of final documentations,
the terms and conditions of which are not expected to change in any material
way from the draft documents that Moody's has reviewed.
The local market analyst for these ratings is Nicholas Zhu, +86
(10) 6319-6536.
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 entity is participating and the rated entity or its agent(s)
generally provides 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.
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.
Ray Heung
Senior Vice President
Financial Institutions 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
Minyan Liu, CFA
Associate Managing Director
Financial Institutions 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