Limassol, June 01, 2017 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") has
today upgraded Mashreqbank PSC's (Mashreq) long-term deposit
ratings to Baa1 from Baa2 and also raised the baseline credit assessment
(BCA) and adjusted BCA to baa3 from ba1. The outlook on the bank's
long term ratings is stable.
According to Moody's, the upgrade of Mashreq's ratings
reflects: (1) significantly improved asset quality and coverage
despite challenges in the operating environment, (2) strong profitability
supported by an established and diverse franchise (3) solid capital and
liquidity buffers which will be maintained and (4) continued high support
from the UAE government (Aa2, stable outlook).
A full list of the affected ratings is provided towards the end of this
press release.
RATINGS RATIONALE
-- SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED ASSET QUALITY AND COVERAGE DESPITE
CHALLENGES IN THE OPERATING ENVIORNMENT
The primary driver for the upgrade is view that the bank has significantly
improved asset quality and coverage, which Moody's expects
will remain stable despite challenges in the operating environment owing
to lower oil prices. This is based on bank's non-performing
loan (NPL) ratio which stood at 3.1% as of December 2016,
significantly lower than the peak of around 13% as of December
2011. This compares favorably to the 5% UAE average.
Although the NPL metric is higher than the 2% median for banks'
with baa3 BCA, this is mitigated by high reserve coverage at around
140%. Consistent with other UAE banks' the improvements
in the NPL ratio reflects settlements, recoveries and re-classifications
of legacy restructured exposures after a sustainable period of improved
performance combined with solid loan growth (denominator effect).
While Moody's expect the challenges in the operating environment
in the UAE to create modest asset quality pressure for the UAE banks',
for Mashreq, the NPL ratio is expected to remain broadly stable
owing to their diversified loan book and improvements in risk management.
-- IMPROVED PROFITABILITY DRIVEN BY ESTABLISHED FRANCHISE
The upgrade also captures the bank's strong and improved profitability,
with return on assets (ROA) at 1.8% during the first three
months of 2017, up from 1.6% for 2016. Mashreq's
profitability metrics compare favorably to the 1.5% UAE
average and 0.8% median of banks' with the higher
BCA of baa3. The bank's strong core profitability is anchored by
its established franchise (incorporated in 1967), which supports
(a) stable net interest margins (NIMs) despite a declining trend for the
system and (b) strong fee and commission income contributing around 26%
of its operating income (amongst the highest in the UAE). Going
forward, Moody's expects net profitability to remain stable
around current levels as the bank will maintain strong yields and grow
margins in a competitive market.
-- SOLID CAPITAL AND LIQUIDITY BUFFERS WILL BE MAINTAINED
The bank maintains solid and stable capitalisation, as exhibited
by the tangible common equity to risk weighted assets (TCE/RWAs) at around
16% as of March 2017.Mashreq's capitalisation metrics are
higher than the 14.6% TCE/RWA local average and the 13%
median for global peers with baa3 BCAs. Additionally, the
bank has maintained high liquidity buffers as measured by the bank's liquid
banking assets to tangible banking asset ratio which stood at around 31%
as of December 2016.
-- CONTINUED HIGH GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Mashreq's long term deposit rating has been upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2
driven by the upgrade of the BCA to baa3 and Moody's continuing
to maintain two notches of uplift from government support. This
is based on Moody's assessment of a high probability of support
from UAE authorities in case of need, although lower than for banks
with some level of government ownership. The support assumptions
reflect the (1) bank's well-established franchise and importance
to the banking system, and (2) UAE authorities track record of supporting
banks in the event of stress.
-- RATING OUTLOOK
The stable outlook on the long term senior unsecured debt and deposit
ratings reflects Moody's view that the bank's asset quality
and profitability are expected to remain stable at their current levels.
WHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATING UP/DOWN
Upward pressure on Mashreq's ratings could develop from a combination
of the following (1) further improvement in asset quality (2) reduction
in concentrations risks on lending and deposits (3) material increase
in profitability without significantly changing the risk profile of the
bank.
Downward pressures on Mashreq's ratings could develop from the following:
(1) deterioration of asset quality resulting in significantly lower profitability
or coverage levels and (2) a weakening of the bank's capital and liquidity
position.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS:
Issuer: MashreqBank psc
....Long-term deposit ratings (local
& foreign currency): Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2; outlook
changed to stable from positive
....Short term deposit ratings (local and
foreign currency): Affirmed at P-2
....Senior Unsecured Regular Bond/Debenture
(Foreign Currency): Upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2, outlook changed
to stable from positive
....Senior Unsecured MTN (Foreign Currency):
Upgraded to (P)Baa1 from (P)Baa2
....Subordinate MTN (Foreign Currency):
Upgraded to (P)Ba1 from (P)Ba2
....Adjusted Baseline Credit Assessment:
Upgraded to baa3 from ba1
....Baseline Credit Assessment: Upgraded
to baa3 from ba1
....LT Counterparty Risk Assessment:
Upgraded to A3(cr) from Baa1(cr)
....ST Counterparty Risk Assessment:
Affirmed P-2(cr)
....Outlook, changed to stable from
positive
Issuer: Mashreqbank psc, London Branch
....ST Deposit Note/CD Program (Local &
Foreign Currency): Affirmed P-2
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Banks published in
January 2016. Please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
Headquartered in Dubai, Mashreq has total assets of AED121 billion
(approximately US$ 32.8 billion) as of 31 March 2017.
The Local Market analyst for these ratings is Nitish Bhojnagarwala,
+971.4.237.9563.
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 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.
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.
Nondas Nicolaides
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Cyprus Ltd.
Porto Bello Building
1, Siafi Street, 3042 Limassol
PO Box 53205
Limassol CY 3301
Cyprus
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Sean Marion
MD - Financial Institutions
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Cyprus Ltd.
Porto Bello Building
1, Siafi Street, 3042 Limassol
PO Box 53205
Limassol CY 3301
Cyprus
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454