Mexico, September 14, 2015 -- Moody's de Mexico changed the outlook on the Municipality of Merida's
issuer ratings to negative from stable. At the same time,
Moody's affirmed the municipality's Aa3.mx (Mexico National Scale)
and Baa3 (Global Scale, local currency) ratings.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Moody's revision of the outlook of the Municipality of Merida's
issuer ratings to negative from stable reflects the deterioration of its
gross operating margins and the risks that a lawsuit against the municipality
will cost MXN 203 million or 9.9% of its operating revenues.
Merida registered a gross operating margin equivalent to 4.5%
of operating revenues in 2014 compared to the 11.7% in 2013.
The deterioration reflects partially that the municipality had to invest
an additional amount to replace 72,000 lamps. However,
as of July 2015, operating expenditures growth is still higher than
operating revenues growth and it is very likely that the gross operating
balance will remain tight and at level lower than Baa3 national peers.
A controversy between AB&C Leasing, the company contracted for
changing the public lights with more efficient LED lamps, and Merida
ended in a lawsuit and in August 2015, the State Court´s verdict
imposed a MXN 203 million payment to the company. Moody's
will monitor the new administration's decision to either file the
case to the Federal Courts or pay this amount. Moody's considers
that if the municipality has to cover such amount, its liquidity
and/or debt metrics could face pressure. The payment could cause
debt levels to reach a still moderate 16% of operating revenues
or net working capital could deteriorate to a 4% of total expenditures
compared to a 11.6% of 2014.
The affirmation of the Baa3/Aa3.mx ratings reflects Merida still
low net direct and indirect debt levels equivalent to 7.5%
of operating revenues as of December 2014 and its strong liquidity position
of 11.6% of total expenditures at the end of 2014,
a strong level compared to national peers.
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING UP/DOWN
The strengthening of gross operating margins along with the maintenance
of low debt levels and a solid liquidity position, could lead to
the outlook's stabilization. Further deterioration of operating
margins, and an important weakening of the municipality's
liquidity or debt levels as a result of the lawsuit or the progressive
deterioration of consolidated financial results could exert downward pressure
on the ratings.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Regional and Local
Governments published in January 2013. Please see the Credit Policy
page on www.moodys.com.mx for a copy of this methodology.
The period of time covered in the financial information used to determine
Municipality of Merida's rating is between 01/01/2010 and 31/12/2014
(source: Municipality of Merida).
Moody's National Scale Credit Ratings (NSRs) are intended as relative
measures of creditworthiness among debt issues and issuers within a country,
enabling market participants to better differentiate relative risks.
NSRs differ from Moody's global scale credit ratings in that they are
not globally comparable with the full universe of Moody's rated entities,
but only with NSRs for other rated debt issues and issuers within the
same country. NSRs are designated by a ".nn" country modifier
signifying the relevant country, as in ".za" for South Africa.
For further information on Moody's approach to national scale credit ratings,
please refer to Moody's Credit rating Methodology published in June 2014
entitled "Mapping Moody's National Scale Ratings to Global Scale Ratings".
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
Information sources used to prepare the ratings are the following:
parties involved in the ratings, parties not involved in the ratings,
public information, and confidential and proprietary Moody's
information.
The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity prior to public dissemination.
A general listing of the sources of information used in the rating process,
and the structure and voting process for the rating committees responsible
for the assignment and monitoring of ratings can be found in the Disclosure
tab in www.moodys.com.mx.
The date of the last Credit Rating Action was 02/07/2014.
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
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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
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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
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For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
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whose ratings may change as a result of this rating action, the
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to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
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accepting any liability as a result.
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rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
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Roxana Munoz
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Sub-Sovereign Group
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Moody's revises the Municipality of Merida's outlook to negative, affirms Baa3/Aa3.mx ratings