Hong Kong, December 12, 2019 -- Moody's Investors Service has upgraded the issuer rating of Guangdong
Hengjian Investment Holding Co., Ltd. (Hengjian) to
A2 from A3.
At the same time, Moody's has also upgraded the senior unsecured
rating of Hengjian International Investment Limited, the issuing
entity of Hengjian's guaranteed USD bond, to A2 from A3.
The ratings outlook remains stable.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The rating upgrade reflects Hengjian's growing strategic
importance as the major state owned capital management platform of the
Guangdong government, as evidenced by the number of strategic policy-driven
investments that have been made, including recently,"
says Ivy Poon, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Analyst.
These government-directed investments include RMB10 billion of
the equity investment in China Southern Air Holding Limited Company (CSAH),
and the launch of a RMB20 billion investment fund to support the growing
strategic cooperation between Guangdong and Macao (Aa3 stable).
Hengjian's investment in CSAH is mainly debt funded, but it
will be partly supported by government subsidies.
Hengjian's growing strategic importance to the government has led
to Moody's assessment of a higher likelihood of support from the
Guangdong government, and ultimately the Government of China (A1
stable), resulting in an A2 issuer rating based on a four-notch
uplift from its baseline credit assessment (BCA) of baa3 under Moody's
joint-default analysis approach for government related issuers.
Moody's support assumption is underpinned by the assessment of a high
likelihood of support from, and high level of dependence on,
the Guangdong government and ultimately the Government of China when in
need. Moody's support assumption is underpinned by the assessment
of a "High" likelihood of support from, and "High"
level of dependence on, the Guangdong provincial government and
ultimately the Government of China when in need.
Moody's expects Hengjian's baa3 BCA to remain broadly stable
over the next two years. The BCA continues to reflect Hengjian's
(1) quality asset portfolio despite that its investment portfolio is now
more exposed to unregulated power asset; and (2) modest financial
profile with high leverage due to sizable investments.
The increasing unregulated exposure from its core investment in Guangdong
Energy Group Co., Ltd. introduces business and financial
volatility, weakening Hengjian's investment portfolio.
As a major coal fired power generation company in Guangdong, Guangdong
Energy is exposed to increasing market-based power sales under
unregulated tariffs due to power sector reforms.
Moody's expects Hengjian's financial leverage to remain high,
with its consolidated funds from operations (FFO)/debt to hover between
10%-11% during 2019-21. In addition
to the CSAH investment, Hengjian's high leverage is driven
by its rising guarantee exposure from the investment of Government of
Macao, per the Guangdong Macao Cooperation Development Fund.
Moody's has adjusted this guarantee into Hengjian's consolidated
debt.
The stable outlook incorporates Moody's expectation that the company's
credit metrics will stay at levels appropriate for its baa3 BCA,
and that its key commercial public-sector role will remain intact
over the next 12-18 months. Moody's assessment also
incorporates the stable outlook on China's sovereign rating.
Moody's could upgrade the ratings if (1) the government's
likelihood of support for Hengjian materially increases, (2) the
company's standalone credit profile at the consolidated and holdco
levels improves significantly, or (3) Hengjian's public policy role
is materially strengthened.
Financial indicators for a possible upgrade of BCA could include Hengjian's
consolidated FFO/debt ratio increasing to 20% or above, and
the holdco's FFO interest coverage remaining above 3.0x on
a sustained basis.
Moody's could downgrade the ratings if (1) the government's
likelihood of support for Hengjian decreases, (2) the company's
standalone credit profile weakens significantly, or (3) Hengjian's
public policy role is materially weakened.
Financial indicators for a downgrade of the BCA could include Hengjian's
consolidated FFO/debt ratio falling below 10% and the holdco's
FFO interest coverage remaining below 1.2x for a prolonged period.
The methodologies used in these ratings were Unregulated Utilities and
Unregulated Power Companies published in May 2017, and Government-Related
Issuers published in June 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
Guangdong Hengjian Investment Holding Co., Ltd. is
a state-owned asset and capital management company wholly owned
by the Guangdong State-Owned Asset Supervision and Administrative
Commission (SASAC). It reported total revenues of RMB46 billion
in 2018 and consolidated assets of RMB279 billion at the end of 2018.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
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.
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Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
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Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
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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.
Ivy Poon
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Project & Infrastructure Finance
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
Terry Fanous
MD-Public Proj & Infstr Fin
Project & Infrastructure Finance
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