Please Note
We brought you to this page based on your search query. If this isn't what you are looking for, you can continue to Search Results for ""
The maximum number of items you can export is 3,000. Please reduce your list by using the filtering tool to the left.
Close
Está por salir del sitio local de México y comenzará a navegar en el sitio global. ¿Desea continuar?
No mostrar este mensaje nuevamente
Si
No
Close
Email Research
Recipient email addresses will not be used in mailing lists or redistributed.
Recipient's
Email

Use semicolon to separate each address, limit to 20 addresses.
Enter the
characters you see
Close
Email Research
Thank you for your interest in sharing Moody's Research. You have reached the daily limit of Research email sharings.
Close
Thank you!
You have successfully sent the research.
Please note: some research requires a paid subscription in order to access.
Email page
Email
print page
Print

Rating Action:

Moody’s upgrades FWD Limited’s issuer rating to Baa2, affirms FWD Life HK’s A3 IFSR; outlook stable

02 December 2022


Hong Kong , December 2, 2022 – Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has upgraded the issuer rating and senior unsecured debt rating of FWD Limited to Baa2 from Baa3, as well as the rating of the company's subordinated perpetual capital securities to Ba1(hyb) from Ba2(hyb). Moody's has also changed the outlook on FWD Limited to stable from positive.

At the same time, Moody's has affirmed the A3 insurance financial strength rating (IFSR) of FWD Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited (FWD Life HK). Outlook on FWD Life HK remains stable.

FWD Life HK is a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of FWD Limited, which is an intermediate holding company ultimately owned by FWD Group Holdings Limited (FWD Group).

RATINGS RATIONALE

Upgrade of FWD Limited's ratings

The upgrade reflects the increased group-level regulatory oversight on FWD Limited after the implementation of Hong Kong SAR, China's Group-Wide Supervision (GWS) framework and the strengthened capital position and financial flexibility of FWD Group, due to capital injections from shareholders and other investors over the past 12 months.

Following the designation of an entity within FWD Group as the Designated Insurance Holding Company (DIHC) by the Insurance Authority (IA) on 14 May 2021 (Designation), both FWD Limited and FWD Group Limited (the group's Japan and Southeast Asia operations) have been taking necessary steps to ensure the DIHC is compliant with the GWS requirements, including the capital requirements in relation to the whole group and other group-wide risk-assessment and risk-reporting requirements.

According to Moody's cross-sector methodology "Assigning Instrument Ratings for Insurers Methodology" (https://ratings.moodys.com/api/rmc-documents/183637 ), for insurance holding companies under enhanced group supervision, Moody's would apply narrower notching on insurance groups' issuer and senior unsecured ratings, which are two notches below the principal operating companies' IFSRs, compared with three notches under solo regulation. The narrower notching reflects the lower probability of default at the holding companies' levels.

In spite of the postponement of FWD Group's listing plan, FWD Group has received a total of around $1.6 billion capital injections from its shareholder, PCGI Holdings Limited, and other investors since the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2021, which strengthened the capital buffers at both the group and operating subsidiary levels. Through repayment of outstanding debts and borrowings, FWD Group also lowered its financial leverage and improved its financial flexibility. In addition, FWD Group has completed a full cycle of GWS filing requirements following Designation.

While FWD Group reported around a 50% decline in accounting shareholders' equity in the first half (H1) of 2022 owing to unrealized losses in its bond portfolio amid rising interest rates, most of the decline is due to an accounting mismatch. The actual economic impact is limited, as indicated by its solid GWS coverage ratio over group minimum capital requirements of over 500% as of the end of June 2022 under the local capital summation method.

Nevertheless, the current market conditions could increase the refinancing risks faced by FWD Group, which has around $2.2 billion outstanding debt and loan borrowings approaching maturity in 2024. Moody's expects such risks could be partly offset by the group's liquidity buffer, shareholders' support and its historical good access to capital and loan refinancing markets.

The Ba1(hyb) rating on the company's subordinated perpetual capital securities issued in February 2018 is two notches below the senior unsecured debt rating, which reflects the subordination of preference shareholders to senior creditors, with features of an optional coupon cancellation mechanism and the non-cumulative nature of cancelled coupons.

The rating action also takes into account governance factors as part of Moody's environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations. The governance structure across FWD group in terms of capital, risk management and disclosure has been strengthened with the implementation of GWS.

Affirmation of FWD Life HK's ratings

The affirmation of FWD Life HK's A3 IFSR reflects the insurer's improving market presence, diversified distribution channels, strengthened capitalization and liquid investment book.

FWD Life HK has grown its annualized premium equivalent (APE) with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 5% between 2019 and 2021, amid a 21% contraction of industry APE in Hong Kong during the same period. The outperformance is attributed to its higher focus on the Hong Kong domestic segment, diversified channel mix and strong premium growth of its Macao SAR, China (Aa3 stable) operations. The insurer operates multiple distribution channels with good agency productivity and offers diversified products with low guarantee rates.

The insurer has maintained solid and stable solvency ratios over the past few years, thanks to capital injections by shareholders and a number of management actions, including product repricing and asset and liability duration management. Moody's expects FWD Life HK's capital buffer to further improve following its adoption of Hong Kong risk-based capital regime (HKRBC).

However, these strengths are offset by the relatively weak earnings and moderate financial leverage of FWD Group. In addition, some of FWD Group's emerging markets are still expanding, which may require further capital support from the Group.

Despite the improvement in 2021, FWD Life HK also has a volatile and modest profitability track record as a result of expense overrun and interest rate fluctuations. Its historical profitability has been weak with the five-year average return on capital standing at -2.5%. Moody's expects FWD Life HK's underlying earnings will gradually improve due to its higher investment return, growing profitable in-force book and scale.

The stable outlooks on FWD Limited and FWD Life HK reflect Moody's expectation that their capital positions will remain solid while their underlying profitability will gradually improve due to profit emerging from its profitable in-force book and expansion in scale.

FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS

FWD Life HK

Moody's could upgrade FWD Life HK's rating if (1) FWD Life HK's profitability level and stability significantly improve; (2) FWD Life meaningfully expands its scale and market position; and/or (3) FWD Group's adjusted financial leverage stays below 25% on a consistent basis and earnings coverage further improves.

Moody's could downgrade FWD Life HK's rating if (1) the insurer's overall group's capital position and financial flexibility deteriorate; (2) its underlying profitability erodes with a material decline in value of new business growth; (3) FWD Group's adjusted financial leverage rises above 30% on a consistent basis and earnings coverage deteriorates; and/or (4) there is a significant disruption to its distribution channels.

FWD Limited

As FWD Limited's ratings are linked to FWD Life HK's rating, Moody's could upgrade/downgrade FWD Limited's ratings if FWD Life HK's IFSR is upgraded or downgraded.

PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY

The principal methodology used in these ratings was Life Insurers Methodology published in August 2022 and available at https://ratings.moodys.com/api/rmc-documents/391815 . Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on https://ratings.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

FWD Limited is a holding company that owns FWD Life HK and other subsidiaries, including a life insurance operation in Macao SAR, China. FWD Limited's assets and shareholders' equity — on an IFRS basis — totaled USD26.9 billion and USD5.1 billion, respectively, as of the end of December 2021.

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 on https://ratings.moodys.com/rating-definitions .

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 issuer/deal page for the respective issuer on https://ratings.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 solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website https://ratings.moodys.com .

Moody's considers a rated entity or its agent(s) to be participating when it maintains an overall relationship with Moody's. Unless noted in the Regulatory Disclosures as a Non-Participating Entity, the rated entities are participating and the rated entities or their agent(s) generally provide Moody's with information for the purposes of its ratings process. Please refer to https://ratings.moodys.com for the Regulatory Disclosures for each credit rating action, shown on the issuer/deal page, and for Moody's Policy for Designating Non-Participating Rated Entities, shown on https://ratings.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://ratings.moodys.com/documents/PBC_1288235 .

At least one ESG consideration was material to the credit rating action(s) announced and described above.

The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on https://ratings.moodys.com .

The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed by Moody's Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5FA under the law applicable to credit rating agencies in the UK. Further information on the UK endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on https://ratings.moodys.com .

Please see https://ratings.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 issuer/deal page on https://ratings.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.

The first name below is the lead rating analyst for this Credit Rating and the last name below is the person primarily responsible for approving this Credit Rating.

Frank Yuen, CFA
VP-Senior Analyst
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS : 852 3758 1350
Client Service : 852 3551 3077

Chen Huang
Associate Managing Director
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS : 852 3758 1350
Client Service : 852 3551 3077

Releasing Office :
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS : 852 3758 1350
Client Service : 852 3551 3077

© 2022 Moody’s Corporation, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Moody’s Analytics, Inc. and/or their licensors and affiliates (collectively, “MOODY’S”). All rights reserved.

CREDIT RATINGS ISSUED BY MOODY'S CREDIT RATINGS AFFILIATES ARE THEIR CURRENT OPINIONS OF THE RELATIVE FUTURE CREDIT RISK OF ENTITIES, CREDIT COMMITMENTS, OR DEBT OR DEBT-LIKE SECURITIES, AND MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND INFORMATION PUBLISHED BY MOODY’S (COLLECTIVELY, “PUBLICATIONS”) MAY INCLUDE SUCH CURRENT OPINIONS. MOODY’S DEFINES CREDIT RISK AS THE RISK THAT AN ENTITY MAY NOT MEET ITS CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS AS THEY COME DUE AND ANY ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS IN THE EVENT OF DEFAULT OR IMPAIRMENT. SEE APPLICABLE MOODY’S RATING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS PUBLICATION FOR INFORMATION ON THE TYPES OF CONTRACTUAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ADDRESSED BY MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS. CREDIT RATINGS DO NOT ADDRESS ANY OTHER RISK, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: LIQUIDITY RISK, MARKET VALUE RISK, OR PRICE VOLATILITY. CREDIT RATINGS, NON-CREDIT ASSESSMENTS (“ASSESSMENTS”), AND OTHER OPINIONS INCLUDED IN MOODY’S PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT STATEMENTS OF CURRENT OR HISTORICAL FACT. MOODY’S PUBLICATIONS MAY ALSO INCLUDE QUANTITATIVE MODEL-BASED ESTIMATES OF CREDIT RISK AND RELATED OPINIONS OR COMMENTARY PUBLISHED BY MOODY’S ANALYTICS, INC. AND/OR ITS AFFILIATES. MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT CONSTITUTE OR PROVIDE INVESTMENT OR FINANCIAL ADVICE, AND MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT AND DO NOT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PURCHASE, SELL, OR HOLD PARTICULAR SECURITIES. MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS DO NOT COMMENT ON THE SUITABILITY OF AN INVESTMENT FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR. MOODY’S ISSUES ITS CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLISHES ITS PUBLICATIONS WITH THE EXPECTATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT EACH INVESTOR WILL, WITH DUE CARE, MAKE ITS OWN STUDY AND EVALUATION OF EACH SECURITY THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR PURCHASE, HOLDING, OR SALE.

MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS, AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY RETAIL INVESTORS AND IT WOULD BE RECKLESS AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR RETAIL INVESTORS TO USE MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS OR PUBLICATIONS WHEN MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION. IF IN DOUBT YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR FINANCIAL OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVISER.

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS PROTECTED BY LAW, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COPYRIGHT LAW, AND NONE OF SUCH INFORMATION MAY BE COPIED OR OTHERWISE REPRODUCED, REPACKAGED, FURTHER TRANSMITTED, TRANSFERRED, DISSEMINATED, REDISTRIBUTED OR RESOLD, OR STORED FOR SUBSEQUENT USE FOR ANY SUCH PURPOSE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN ANY FORM OR MANNER OR BY ANY MEANS WHATSOEVER, BY ANY PERSON WITHOUT MOODY’S PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.

MOODY’S CREDIT RATINGS, ASSESSMENTS, OTHER OPINIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY ANY PERSON AS A BENCHMARK AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED FOR REGULATORY PURPOSES AND MUST NOT BE USED IN ANY WAY THAT COULD RESULT IN THEM BEING CONSIDERED A BENCHMARK.

All information contained herein is obtained by MOODY’S from sources believed by it to be accurate and reliable. Because of the possibility of human or mechanical error as well as other factors, however, all information contained herein is provided “AS IS” without warranty of any kind. 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 or in preparing its Publications.

To the extent permitted by law, MOODY’S and its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim liability to any person or entity for any indirect, special, consequential, or incidental losses or damages whatsoever arising from or in connection with the information contained herein or the use of or inability to use any such information, even if MOODY’S or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors or suppliers is advised in advance of the possibility of such losses or damages, including but not limited to: (a) any loss of present or prospective profits or (b) any loss or damage arising where the relevant financial instrument is not the subject of a particular credit rating assigned by MOODY’S.

To the extent permitted by law, MOODY’S and its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors and suppliers disclaim liability for any direct or compensatory losses or damages caused to any person or entity, including but not limited to by any negligence (but excluding fraud, willful misconduct or any other type of liability that, for the avoidance of doubt, by law cannot be excluded) on the part of, or any contingency within or beyond the control of, MOODY’S or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, licensors or suppliers, arising from or in connection with the information contained herein or the use of or inability to use any such information.

NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE ACCURACY, TIMELINESS, COMPLETENESS, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF ANY CREDIT RATING, ASSESSMENT, OTHER OPINION OR INFORMATION IS GIVEN OR MADE BY MOODY’S IN ANY FORM OR MANNER WHATSOEVER.

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of Moody’s Corporation (“MCO”), hereby discloses that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from $1,000 to approximately $5,000,000. MCO and Moody’s Investors Service also maintain policies and procedures to address the independence of Moody’s Investors Service credit ratings and credit rating processes. Information regarding certain affiliations that may exist between directors of MCO and rated entities, and between entities who hold credit ratings from Moody’s Investors Service and have also publicly reported to the SEC an ownership interest in MCO of more than 5%, is posted annually at www.moodys.com under the heading “Investor Relations — Corporate Governance — Director and Shareholder Affiliation Policy.”

Additional terms for Australia only: Any publication into Australia of this document is pursuant to the Australian Financial Services License of MOODY’S affiliate, Moody’s Investors Service Pty Limited ABN 61 003 399 657AFSL 336969 and/or Moody’s Analytics Australia Pty Ltd ABN 94 105 136 972 AFSL 383569 (as applicable). This document is intended to be provided only to “wholesale clients” within the meaning of section 761G of the Corporations Act 2001. By continuing to access this document from within Australia, you represent to MOODY’S that you are, or are accessing the document as a representative of, a “wholesale client” and that neither you nor the entity you represent will directly or indirectly disseminate this document or its contents to “retail clients” within the meaning of section 761G of the Corporations Act 2001. MOODY’S credit rating is an opinion as to the creditworthiness of a debt obligation of the issuer, not on the equity securities of the issuer or any form of security that is available to retail investors.

Additional terms for Japan only: Moody's Japan K.K. (“MJKK”) is a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of Moody's Group Japan G.K., which is wholly-owned by Moody’s Overseas Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of MCO. Moody’s SF Japan K.K. (“MSFJ”) is a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of MJKK. MSFJ is not a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”). Therefore, credit ratings assigned by MSFJ are Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings. Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings are assigned by an entity that is not a NRSRO and, consequently, the rated obligation will not qualify for certain types of treatment under U.S. laws. MJKK and MSFJ are credit rating agencies registered with the Japan Financial Services Agency and their registration numbers are FSA Commissioner (Ratings) No. 2 and 3 respectively.

MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) hereby disclose that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from JPY100,000 to approximately JPY550,000,000.

MJKK and MSFJ also maintain policies and procedures to address Japanese regulatory requirements.