Singapore, February 12, 2015 -- Moody's Investors Service has upgraded CapitaCommercial Trust's
(CCT) issuer rating to A3 from Baa1.
Moody's has also upgraded the senior unsecured debt ratings under
CCT MTN Pte. Ltd. to A3 from Baa1, and the program
rating to (P)A3 from (P)Baa1.
The outlook on the ratings is stable.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The upgrade reflects CCT's: (1) strong market position,
reinforced by its enlarged property portfolio of improved quality following
recent successful asset enhancement initiatives; (2) successful completion
and leasing trends for CapitaGreen, a new office building developed
in conjunction with its sponsor, CapitaLand Limited (unrated);
(3) healthy operating performance, supported by its track record
of active lease management; and (4) strong financial profile with
headroom to make debt-funded acquisitions for future growth.
"CCT is a major office landlord that has successfully enhanced the
value and competitiveness of its older properties, Raffles City
Singapore, Six Battery Road and Capital Tower through asset enhancement
initiatives, and also redeveloped its former Market Street Car Park
into CapitaGreen," says Jacintha Poh, a Moody's
Assistant Vice President and Analyst.
CapitaGreen is a Grade A office building that obtained its temporary occupation
permit on 18 December 2014. As of 31 December 2014, the office
building had a committed occupancy rate of 69.3%,
with over 90% of its lease expiring in 2019 and beyond.
CCT, which owns a 40% interest in CapitaGreen, developed
the office building with its joint venture partners CapitaLand Limited,
with a 50%-interest, and Mitsubishi Estate Asia (unrated),
with a 10%-interest.
"CCT has also demonstrated a good track record of active lease management,
renewing its leases ahead of expiry and maintaining a well-spread
lease expiry profile. This strategy has supported a committed portfolio
occupancy rate of consistently above 90% since listing in 2004,
in turn providing for greater income stability and visibility,"
adds Poh, who is also the Lead Analyst for CCT.
As of 31 December 2014, including CapitaGreen, CCT had a committed
portfolio occupancy rate of 96.8%. More importantly,
the trust managed its office lease expiry profile so that only a small
proportion of its leases will expire in 2016 and 2017, at a time
where supply of new office space in Singapore is expected to increase
significantly.
According to CBRE, approximately 3.7 million square feet
of new office space will become available in 2016, and another 1
million square feet in 2017.
In 2015, Moody's expects CCT's EBITDA to grow by 2%,
largely driven by increased contributions from its existing office properties.
We expect the growth to be more significant in the following year as CapitaGreen
becomes fully operational. The improvement in EBITDA will further
strengthen the trust's financial metrics, with an adjusted
debt/EBITDA ratio of 7.6x-7.8x and adjusted EBITDA
interest coverage ratio of 9.0x-9.3x.
Moody's also expects its adjusted debt/total deposited asset ratio
to remain below 35% and adjusted secured debt/total deposited assets
below 15%, positioning the trust well within the A3 rating
level.
CCT's strong financial profile provides the trust with headroom
to make debt-funded acquisitions for future growth, yet remain
within its current rating level. Although Moody's estimates
the trust to have sufficient capacity to acquire the remaining 60%-interest
in CapitaGreen on a fully debt-funded basis, we expect the
trust to adopt a prudent funding approach.
As of 31 December 2014, CCT had an adjusted debt/total deposited
assets of 29.0%, adjusted EBITDA interest coverage
of 9.5x, adjusted debt/EBITDA ratio of 7.8x,
and adjusted secured debt/total deposited assets of 12.5%.
The rating outlook is stable, reflecting Moody's expectation
of predictable cash generation from CCT's current portfolio,
driven by steady occupancy and low lease expiry. Moody's
also expects the trust to maintain financial discipline while pursuing
growth, and to keep its financial metrics within targeted parameters.
Upward ratings movement is unlikely, given CCT's asset size
relative to its global peers and the concentration of its portfolio in
Singapore.
CCT's ratings could be downgraded if: (1) the operating environment
deteriorates, leading to higher vacancy levels and declining operating
cash flows, and/or (2) the trust's financial metrics weaken,
with adjusted debt/total deposited assets exceeding 35%-40%,
adjusted EBITDA interest coverage falling below 3x, and adjusted
secured debt/total deposited assets exceeding 15% on a consistent
basis.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Global Rating Methodology
for REITs and Other Commercial Property Firms published in July 2010.
Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for
a copy of this methodology.
CapitaCommercial Trust is a Singapore-focused REIT, with
a portfolio of 10 commercial properties, including a 40%
interest in CapitaGreen. As of 31 December 2014, the properties
had a total appraised value of SGD7.4 billion. The trust
also holds a 30% stake in Quill Capita Trust (unrated), a
commercial REIT listed on the Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.
CCT's sponsor, CapitaLand Limited (unrated), is one
of the largest property developers in Asia, and held a 32%
interest in CCT as of 31 December 2014.
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.
Jacintha Poh
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
50 Raffles Place #23-06
Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 48623
Singapore
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Philipp L. Lotter
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
50 Raffles Place #23-06
Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 48623
Singapore
JOURNALISTS: (852) 3758 -1350
SUBSCRIBERS: (852) 3551-3077
Moody's upgrades CapitaCommercial Trust to A3; outlook stable