Hong Kong, April 13, 2021 -- Moody's Investors Service has placed the A3 long-term and P-2
short-term issuer ratings, as well as the b1 baseline credit
assessment (BCA), of China Huarong Asset Management Co.,
Ltd. (Huarong AMC) under review for downgrade.
In addition, Moody's has placed the debt ratings and medium-term
note (MTN) program ratings of Huarong AMC's offshore financing vehicles
under review for downgrade. These include the Baa1 long-term
backed senior unsecured debt ratings and the (P)Baa1 backed senior unsecured
MTN program ratings of Huarong Finance 2017 Co., Ltd and
Huarong Finance II Co., Ltd, as well as the Baa1 long-term
backed senior unsecured debt rating, the (P)Baa1 long-term
and (P)P-2 short-term backed senior unsecured MTN program
ratings of Huarong Finance 2019 Co., Ltd.
A list of the affected ratings can be found at the end of this press release.
RATINGS RATIONALE / FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE
OF THE RATINGS
Today's rating actions reflect the uncertainty stemming from Huarong AMC's
announcement on 31 March 2021 that the publication of its 2020 annual
results would be delayed as a relevant transaction is still being finalised
and the auditor would need more information and time to complete the necessary
audit procedures[1].
It is unclear what the details of the relevant transaction are and when
its 2020 annual results will be published. The potential impact
on Huarong AMC's credit profile is uncertain, because there
are a number of diverse scenarios that could affect its BCA and potential
government support.
Moody's assesses that Huarong AMC may face increasing refinancing
risk due to market volatility following its announcement, which
is partially tempered by the fact that the amounts of maturing bonds over
the next 12 months are not significant when compared with Huarong AMC's
total assets. Huarong AMC relies heavily on confidence-sensitive
wholesale funding to support its assets.
Moody's regards Huarong AMC's delayed publication of its 2020
annual results as a governance risk under our environmental, social,
and governance (ESG) framework, given its implications for the company's
compliance and reporting. Today's actions reflect the impact
that such governance weakness can have on Huarong AMC's credit quality.
The review will focus on (1) the impact of the relevant transaction on
Huarong AMC's financial position and BCA; (2) implications
for the level of government support to be assumed for Huarong AMC and
its offshore funding platforms; and (3) whether Huarong AMC can maintain
diversified funding sources and adequate liquidity.
Given that Huarong AMC's ratings are under review for downgrade,
it is unlikely that they will be upgraded in the next 12-18 months.
Huarong AMC's ratings could be confirmed if (1) the relevant transaction
does not materially negatively affect its financial position and BCA,
and (2) the structure of the relevant transaction does not bring into
question the assumption of a very high level of support from the Government
of China (A1 stable) for Huarong AMC and its offshore funding platforms.
Huarong AMC's ratings could be downgraded if (1) the relevant transaction
significantly weakens its financial position and BCA, or (2) Moody's
assesses that there is a material weakening in the level of government
support for Huarong AMC and its offshore funding platforms.
Huarong AMC's BCA could be downgraded if (1) its asset quality,
profitability or capital base weakens materially because of significant
impairment losses or potential changes in its businesses and organizational
structure; (2) its funding and liquidity deteriorate due to the disruption
caused by the delayed publication of its 2020 annual results; or
(3) there is a major correction in China's property market, reducing
recovery prospects for the company's property-related exposures.
The ratings of Huarong AMC's offshore financing vehicles could be
downgraded if (1) Huarong AMC's long-term issuer rating is downgraded,
or (2) Moody's assesses that Huarong AMC's ability and willingness
to support its overseas subsidiaries has weakened.
The methodologies used in these ratings were Finance Companies Methodology
published in November 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1187099,
and Government-Related Issuers Methodology published in February
2020 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1186207.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of these methodologies.
Headquartered in Beijing, China Huarong Asset Management Co.,
Ltd. reported consolidated assets of RMB1,732 billion as
of 30 June 2020.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
China Huarong Asset Management Co., Ltd.:
Placed under review for downgrade
• Long-term (local and foreign currency) issuer rating,
currently A3
• Short-term (local and foreign currency) issuer rating,
currently P-2
• Entity-level outlook changed to rating under review from
stable
Huarong Finance 2017 Co., Ltd:
Placed under review for downgrade
• Long-term (local currency) backed senior unsecured MTN,
currently (P)Baa1
• Long-term (local currency) backed senior unsecured debt
rating, currently Baa1(hyb)
• Long-term (local and foreign currency) backed senior unsecured
debt rating, currently Baa1
• Entity-level outlook changed to rating under review from
stable
Huarong Finance II Co., Ltd:
Placed under review for downgrade
• Long-term (local currency) backed senior unsecured MTN,
currently (P)Baa1
• Long-term (local currency) backed senior unsecured debt
rating, currently Baa1
• Long-term (local currency) backed senior unsecured debt
rating, currently Baa1(hyb)
• Entity-level outlook changed to rating under review from
stable
Huarong Finance 2019 Co., Ltd.:
Placed under review for downgrade
• Long-term (local and foreign currency) backed senior unsecured
MTN, currently (P)Baa1
• Short-term (local and foreign currency) backed senior unsecured
MTN, currently (P)P-2
• Long-term (local currency) backed senior unsecured debt
rating, currently Baa1
• Entity-level outlook changed to rating under review from
stable
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.
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.
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_1243406.
At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s)
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.
The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was
issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed
by Moody's Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square,
Canary Wharf, London E14 5FA under the law applicable to credit
rating agencies in the UK. Further information on the UK endorsement
status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is
available on www.moodys.com.
REFERENCES/CITATIONS
[1] https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0401/2021033101720.pdf
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.
David Yin
Vice President - Senior Analyst
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
Sophia Lee, 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