London, 10 December 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") today upgraded
foreign currency bank deposit ratings of three banks in Belarus.
The rating actions are driven by changes in the foreign currency (FC)
country ceilings applied to the jurisdiction of the banks following the
publication of Moody's updated Country Ceilings Methodology on 7
December 2020. This methodology is available at this link:
https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1225594.
Today's rating actions cover Belarusbank, Belagroprombank JSC,
and Belinvestbank.
All other ratings and assessments of the banks are unaffected by today's
actions.
A list of affected ratings can be found at the end of this press release.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Today's rating actions on the three banks are driven by changes
in country ceilings under Moody's updated country ceilings methodology.
Country ceilings indicate the highest rating level that can generally
be assigned to the financially strongest obligations of issuers domiciled
in a country.
The updated ceilings methodology has unified deposit ceilings and the
typically higher debt ceilings, whereby local currency (LC) and
FC country ceilings no longer distinguish between deposit and debt.
These changes reflect Moody's view that the risks that affect access
to bank deposits are not materially different from those that affect the
ability of banks and non-banks to service their debt obligations.
FOREIGN CURRENCY CEILINGS
As a result of the methodology change, the FC ceiling as applied
to FC deposits was raised in Belarus, resulting in upgrades of FC
deposit ratings of the three banks.
OUTLOOK
The outlooks on the long-term deposit ratings of the three banks
affected by today's rating actions remains stable.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS
An upgrade of the ratings on the three banks is currently unlikely,
given the increased risks related to the coronavirus outbreak and domestic
political instability. Beyond the next 12-18 months,
the three banks' ratings could be upgraded in the event of improvements
in the Belarusian macroeconomic environment, resulting in a higher
sovereign rating and country ceilings. However, Moody's
considers this to be unlikely, given the increased risks related
to the coronavirus outbreak and domestic political instability.
A significant deterioration of the banks' liquidity or capital positions
would result in a downgrade of their Baseline Credit Assessments (BCAs).
The banks' long-term deposit ratings could be downgraded
in the event of a severe deterioration of their standalone credit profiles,
restrictions on payments to customers or a downgrade of the sovereign
rating.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
Issuer: Belagroprombank JSC
..Upgrade:
....Long-term Bank Deposits (Foreign
Currency), upgraded to B3 from Caa1, outlook remains Stable
..Outlook Action:
....Outlook remains Stable
Issuer: Belarusbank
..Upgrade:
....Long-term Bank Deposits (Foreign
Currency), upgraded to B3 from Caa1, outlook remains Stable
..Outlook Action:
....Outlook remains Stable
Issuer: Belinvestbank
..Upgrade:
....Long-term Bank Deposits (Foreign
Currency), upgraded to B3 from Caa1, outlook remains Stable
..Outlook Action:
....Outlook remains Stable
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Banks Methodology
published in November 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1147865.
Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
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 unsolicited.
a.With Rated Entity or Related Third Party Participation:
NO
b.With Access to Internal Documents: NO
c.With Access to Management: NO
For additional information, please refer to Moody's Policy
for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on
its website www.moodys.com.
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_1133569.
Items color coded in purple in this Press Release relate to unsolicited
ratings for a rated entity which is non-participating.
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.
Svetlana Pavlova, CFA
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Limited, Russian Branch
7th floor, Four Winds Plaza
21 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya St.
Moscow 125047
Russia
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Yaroslav Sovgyra, CFA
Associate Managing Director
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Ltd.
One Canada Square
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United Kingdom
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Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454