New York, April 25, 2011 -- Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the ratings of 42 tranches and
confirmed the rating of one tranche from three prime jumbo deals issued
by Washington Mutual. The collateral backing these deals consists
primarily of first-lien, fixed prime jumbo residential mortgages.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The actions are a result of deteriorating performance of prime jumbo pools
securitized before 2005. Although most of these pools have paid
down significantly, the remaining loans are affected by the housing
and macroeconomic conditions that remain under duress.
The principal methodology used in these ratings is described in the Monitoring
and Performance Review section in "Moody's Approach to Rating US
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities" published in December 2008.
Other methodologies used to project losses on the pools include "Pre-2005
US RMBS Surveillance Methodology" published in January 2011, which
accounts for the deteriorating performance and outlook.
To assess the ratings on the bonds, Moody's considered the level
of credit enhancement available for each tranche relative to updated pool-level
loss expectations. Within the senior note waterfalls, Moody's
took into account credit enhancement provided by seniority, cross-collateralization,
excess spread, principal payment waterfall, and other structural
features.
The above mentioned approach "Pre-2005 US RMBS Surveillance Methodology"
is adjusted slightly when estimating losses on pools left with a small
number of loans to account for the volatile nature of small pools.
Even if a few loans in a small pool become delinquent, there could
be a large increase in the overall pool delinquency level due to the concentration
risk. To project losses on pools with fewer than 100 loans,
Moody's first estimates a "baseline" average rate of new delinquencies
for the pool that varies from 3% to 5% on average.
The baseline rates are higher than the average rate of new delinquencies
for larger pools for the respective vintages.
Once the baseline rate is set, further adjustments are made based
on 1) the number of loans remaining in the pool and 2) the level of current
delinquencies in the pool. The fewer the number of loans remaining
in the pool, the higher the volatility in performance. Once
the loan count in a pool falls below 75, the rate of delinquency
is increased by 1% for every loan less than 75. For example,
for a pool with 74 loans with a base rate of new delinquency of 3.00%,
the adjusted rate of new delinquency would be 3.03%.
in addition, if current delinquency levels in a small pool is low,
future delinquencies are expected to reflect this trend. To account
for that, the rate calculated above is multiplied by a factor ranging
from 0.75 to 2.5 for current delinquencies ranging from
less than 2.5% to greater than 10% respectively.
Delinquencies for subsequent years and ultimate expected losses are projected
using the approach described in the methodology publication.
The primary source of assumption uncertainty is the current macroeconomic
environment, in which unemployment levels remain high, and
weakness persists in the housing market. Overall, Moody's
assumes a further 5% decline in home prices with stabilization
in late 2011, accompanied by continued stress in national employment
levels through that timeframe.
Moody's Investors Service received and took into account one or more third
party due diligence reports on the underlying assets or financial instruments
in this transaction and the due diligence reports had a neutral impact
on the rating.
For more information, please see www.moodys.com
Complete rating actions are as follows
Issuer: WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series
2004-S1
Cl. 1-A-1, Confirmed at Aaa (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-2, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-3, Downgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-4, Downgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-5, Downgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-6, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-9, Downgraded to Baa3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-10, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-11, Downgraded to Baa3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-12, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-1, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-2, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. P, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously on Apr 15,
2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Issuer: WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series
2004-S2
Cl. 1-A-1, Downgraded to A1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-2, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-3, Downgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-4, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 1-A-5, Downgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-1, Downgraded to A1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-2, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-3, Downgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-4, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-5, Downgraded to A2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-6, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aa1 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 3-A-1, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 3-A-2, Downgraded to Baa2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 3-A-3, Downgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. P, Downgraded to Baa1 (sf); previously on Apr 15,
2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Issuer: WaMu Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series
2004-S3
Cl. 1-A-1, Downgraded to Aa3 (sf); previously
on Aug 23, 2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. 1-A-2, Downgraded to A1 (sf); previously
on Aug 23, 2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. 1-A-3, Downgraded to A2 (sf); previously
on Aug 23, 2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. 1-A-4, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Aug 23, 2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. 1-A-5, Downgraded to A1 (sf); previously
on Aug 23, 2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. 1-A-6, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aa1 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 2-A-5, Downgraded to Aa3 (sf); previously
on Aug 23, 2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. 2-A-6, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Aug 23, 2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. 2-A-7, Downgraded to Aa3 (sf); previously
on Aug 23, 2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. 2-A-8, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aa1 (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 3-A-1, Downgraded to A1 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 3-A-2, Downgraded to A3 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. 3-A-3, Downgraded to A2 (sf); previously
on Apr 15, 2010 Aaa (sf) Placed Under Review for Possible Downgrade
Cl. X, Downgraded to Aa3 (sf); previously on Aug 23,
2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. P, Downgraded to A2 (sf); previously on Aug 23,
2004 Assigned Aaa (sf)
A list of these actions including CUSIP identifiers may be found at:
http://www.moodys.com/viewresearchdoc.aspx?docid=PBS_SF244110
A list of updated estimated pool losses and sensitivity analysis is being
posted on an ongoing basis for the duration of this review period and
may be found at:
http://www.moodys.com/viewresearchdoc.aspx?docid=PBS_SF243269
For more information please see www.moodys.com.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
Information sources used to prepare the credit rating are the following:
parties involved in the ratings, public information, confidential
and proprietary Moody's Investors Service information, and confidential
and proprietary Moody's Analytics information.
Moody's Investors Service considers the quality of information available
on the issuer or obligation satisfactory for the purposes of maintaining
a credit rating.
Moody's adopts all necessary measures so that the information it uses
in assigning a credit rating is of sufficient quality and from sources
Moody's considers to be reliable including, when appropriate,
independent third-party sources. However, Moody's
is not an auditor and cannot in every instance independently verify or
validate information received in the rating process.
Please see ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on Moodys.com
for the last rating action and the rating history.
The date on which some Credit Ratings were first released goes back to
a time before Moody's Investors Service's Credit Ratings were fully digitized
and accurate data may not be available. Consequently, Moody's
Investors Service provides a date that it believes is the most reliable
and accurate based on the information that is available to it.
Please see the ratings disclosure page on our website www.moodys.com
for further information.
Please see the Credit Policy page on Moodys.com for the methodologies
used in determining ratings, further information on the meaning
of each rating category and the definition of default and recovery.
New York
Ola Hannoun-Costa
Analyst
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
New York
Deepika Kothari
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's Investors Service
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's takes action on $462 million of Prime RMBS issued by Washington Mutual in 2004
