Actions follow downgrade of Puerto Rico's GO bond rating to Ba2
NOTE: On March 13, 2014, the press release was revised as follows: At the beginning of the press release, the list of ratings placed on review was revised .
In addition, in the list of affected ratings at the end of the press release, under the heading “On Review for Possible Downgrade”, for issuers Banco Santander Puerto Rico, Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and FirstBank Puerto Rico, removed reference to Baseline Credit Assessment and Adjusted Baseline Credit Assessment.
Revised release follows:
New York, February 11, 2014 -- Moody's Investors Service placed on review for downgrade certain ratings
of three Puerto Rican banks, including Banco Santander Puerto Rico
(BSPR), Popular, Inc. and FirstBank Puerto Rico (FirstBank).
The following ratings were placed on review:
- BSPR's standalone bank financial strength rating (BFSR) of D+, mapping to a baseline credit assessment (BCA) of ba1
- - The long-term ratings of Popular, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as 'Popular'), including Banco Popular de Puerto Rico's (the lead bank) standalone BFSR of D, mapping to a BCA of ba2
- The long-term ratings of FirstBank, including its standalone BFSR of E+, mapping to a BCA of b2
Additionally, the following ratings were affirmed:
- BSPR's supported deposit and debt ratings because those
ratings benefit from the bank's affiliation with its US affiliate,
Santander Bank, N.A. (deposits Baa1 stable,
standalone BFSR/BCA C-/baa1 stable). Following the affirmation,
the outlook on the supported ratings is stable.
- The ratings of Doral Financial Corporation (senior unsecured
debt at Caa3 negative)
- The short-term ratings of Popular and FirstBank
- The ratings of the senior bonds issued by BSPR and Doral Financial
Corporation through the Puerto Rico Industrial, Tourist, Educational,
Medical and Environmental Control Facilities Financing Authority (AFICA)
Today's actions follow Moody's 7 February 2014 action to downgrade
the general obligation (GO) rating of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
to Ba2 with a negative outlook from Baa3 (see press release "Moody's
downgrades Puerto Rico GO and related bonds to Ba2, notched bonds
to Ba3 and COFINA bonds to Baa1, Baa2; outlook negative,"
available on moodys.com).
RATINGS RATIONALE
Moody's said the reviews for downgrade will focus on the potential
effect of further deterioration in the Puerto Rican economy and/or the
commonwealth's fiscal condition on the credit profiles of BSPR,
Popular and FirstBank.
Puerto Rico's economy is in the midst of a protracted recession
that began in 2006, and it continues to be challenged by high unemployment,
low workforce participation, high poverty levels compared to the
US mainland, a declining population, and weakness in its key
pharmaceutical sector. This economic weakness, combined with
years of deficit financing, pension underfunding and budgetary imbalance,
have now put the commonwealth in a position where its debt load and fixed
costs are high, its liquidity is narrow, and its market access
has become constrained.
During the review, Moody's will re-evaluate the potential
credit losses in the banks' loan and securities portfolios,
including direct and indirect exposures to the commonwealth, under
more adverse scenarios. The rating agency is concerned that the
banks' high levels of non-performing assets could lead to
significant losses if conditions do not improve. Moody's
will also consider the banks' willingness to take on additional
exposure to the commonwealth.
Moody's added that it will assess the impact of ongoing market volatility
on the banks' funding positions. Although the banks'
deposit flows have remained steady during this period of heightened volatility,
Moody's will assess each bank's contingency funding plans in light of
further prolonged market uncertainties.
On Review for Possible Downgrade:
..Issuer: Banco Santander Puerto Rico
....Bank Financial Strength Rating,
Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently D+
..Issuer: Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
....Bank Financial Strength Rating,
Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently D
....Senior Unsecured Deposit Rating,
Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently Ba2
....Issuer Rating, Placed on Review
for Possible Downgrade, currently Ba3
....OSO Rating, Placed on Review for
Possible Downgrade, currently Ba3
..Issuer: Popular, Inc.
....Senior Unsecured Medium-Term Note
Program, Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently
(P)B1
....Multiple Seniority Medium-Term
Note Program, Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently
(P)B1
....Multiple Seniority Medium-Term
Note Program, Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently
(P)B2
....Junior Subordinated Shelf, Placed
on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently (P)B3
....Non-cumulative Preferred Stock,
Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently Caa1 (hyb)
..Issuer: Popular Capital Trust I
....Preferred Stock, Placed on Review
for Possible Downgrade, currently B3 (hyb)
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Downgrade, currently (P)B3
..Issuer: Popular Capital Trust II
....Preferred Stock, Placed on Review
for Possible Downgrade, currently B3 (hyb)
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Downgrade, currently (P)B3
..Issuer: Popular Capital Trust III
....Preferred Stock Shelf, Placed on
Review for Possible Downgrade, currently (P)B3
..Issuer: Popular North America Capital Trust I
....Preferred Stock, Placed on Review
for Possible Downgrade, currently B3 (hyb)
..Issuer: Popular North America, Inc.
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently B1
....Senior Unsecured Medium-Term Note
Program, Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently
(P)B1
....Multiple Seniority Medium-Term
Note Program, Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently
(P)B1
....Multiple Seniority Medium-Term
Note Program, Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently
(P)B2
..Issuer: BanPonce Trust I
....Preferred Stock, Placed on Review
for Possible Downgrade, currently B3 (hyb)
..Issuer: FirstBank Puerto Rico
....Bank Financial Strength Rating,
Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently E+
....Senior Unsecured Deposit Rating,
Placed on Review for Possible Downgrade, currently B2
....Issuer Rating, Placed on Review
for Possible Downgrade, currently B3
....OSO Rating, Placed on Review for
Possible Downgrade, currently B3
Outlook Actions:
..Issuer: Banco Santander Puerto Rico
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Stable(m)
..Issuer: Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: Popular, Inc.
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: Popular Capital Trust I
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: Popular Capital Trust II
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: Popular Capital Trust III
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: Popular North America Capital Trust I
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: Popular North America, Inc.
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: BanPonce Trust I
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: FirstBank Puerto Rico
....Outlook, Changed To Rating Under
Review From Negative
..Issuer: Doral Financial Corporation
....Outlook, Remains Negative
Affirmations:
..Issuer: Banco Santander Puerto Rico
....Adjusted Baseline Credit Assessment,
Affirmed baa1
....Senior Unsecured Deposit Rating,
Affirmed Baa1
....Short-term Deposit Rating,
Affirmed P-2
....Issuer Rating, Affirmed Baa1
....OSO Rating, Affirmed Baa1
....Short-term OSO Rating, Affirmed
P-2
....Senior Unsecured Bank Note Program,
Affirmed (P)Baa1
....Senior Unsecured Bank Note Program,
Affirmed (P)P-2
....Senior Unsecured Commercial Paper,
Affirmed P-2
..Issuer: Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
....Short-term Deposit Rating,
Affirmed NP
....Short-term OSO Rating, Affirmed
NP
..Issuer: FirstBank Puerto Rico
....Short-term Deposit Rating,
Affirmed NP
....Short-term OSO Rating, Affirmed
NP
..Issuer: Doral Financial Corporation
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture,
Affirmed Caa3
..Issuer: P.R. Ind Tour Ed Med &
Env Ctl Facs Fin Auth (AFICA)
....Senior Unsecured Revenue Bonds Jun 1,
2018, Affirmed Baa1
....Senior Unsecured Revenue Bonds Dec 1,
2019, Affirmed Baa1
....Senior Unsecured Revenue Bonds Dec 1,
2021, Affirmed Baa1
....Senior Secured Revenue Bonds Dec 1,
2014, Affirmed Caa3
....Senior Secured Revenue Bonds Jun 1,
2026, Affirmed Caa3
....Senior Secured Revenue Bonds Dec 1,
2029, Affirmed Caa3
....Senior Unsecured Revenue Bonds Dec 1,
2029, Affirmed Caa3
The principal methodology used in this rating was Global Banks published
in May 2013. Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt 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 rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular
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 rating action, and
whose ratings may change as a result of this 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.
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.
Joseph Pucella
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Robert Franklyn Young
MD - Financial Institutions
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's reviews for downgrade the ratings of three Puerto Rican banks