NOTE: On July 7, 2017 the Press Release was corrected as follows: In the headline, the entity is replaced with Tianjin Binhai New Area Construction.
Hong Kong, July 04, 2017 -- Moody's Investors Service has upgraded to Baa1 from Baa2 the backed
senior unsecured rating of the existing USD bonds issued by Zhaohai Investment
(BVI) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tianjin Binhai New Area
Construction & Investment Group Co., Ltd. (TBCI).
These bonds include the USD300 million 3.10% bonds due in
2018 and the USD500 million 4.00% bonds due in 2020.
At the same time, Moody's has affirmed TBCI's Baa1 issuer
rating.
The outlook for all ratings is stable.
On 3 July 2017, TBCI announced that its bondholders had consented
to replacing the keepwell and liquidity support deed and the deed of equity
interest purchase (collectively called the "keepwell deed and EIPU") with
a deed of guarantee provided by TBCI.
Meanwhile, the bondholders have also waived the breach of certain
covenants by the previous guarantor, Binhai Jiantou (Hong Kong)
Development Ltd. and removed the financial covenants thereafter.
The effectiveness of the above is subject to the execution of certain
documents.
TBCI also said it has completed the registration with SAFE for the deed
of guarantee.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The change to guarantee from the keepwell structure has enhanced
the credit quality of the bonds with a stronger form of support,
because the guarantee has a closer linkage to TBCI in relation to the
repayment of the bonds," says Franco Leung, a Moody's
Vice President and Senior Credit Officer.
As a result, Moody's now rates TBCI's guaranteed USD
notes at the same level as TBCI's Baa1 issuer rating.
Moody's has affirmed TBCI's Baa1 issuer rating as Moody's
does not expect that the amendments will change the company's financial
policies and profile to an extent that will affect its issuer rating,
and its close linkage with the Binhai government and the Tianjin government
remains unchanged.
The Baa1 issuer rating of TBCI reflects the very close ties between the
company and the Tianjin Municipal People's Government, given
the government's full ownership of TBCI and the strong oversight
implemented by the government, and its public policy mandate of
urban and infrastructure development in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin
(Binhai Government) and its very restrained focus on commercial operations.
On the other hand, TBCI's BCA is constrained by its high geographic
concentration in the Binhai New Area and its weak profitability and cash
flow generation capability.
The rating also considers the absence of a direct guarantee from the Tianjin
Government, the evolving policy framework in China for local government
financing vehicle (LGFV) debt, and the general opacity around the
framework for government support in times of urgent need. These
factors have resulted in a rating that is lower than what it might be
otherwise.
The stable outlook reflects our expectations over the next 12-18
months that 1) the municipal government's ability for support will remain
intact, as reflected in the stable outlook on the China's sovereign
rating ; 2) its significant public policy role and close linkage
with the municipal government will remain largely unchanged; and
(3) the company's BCA will remain appropriately positioned at its current
level.
The rating could be updated if (1) the municipal government's ability
to offer support strengthens, which could be evidenced by an upgrade
of China's sovereign rating; (2) the company's public policy role
is materially enhanced; and/or (2) its BCA improves significantly.
The rating could be downgraded if (1) the municipal government's ability
to offer support weakens, which could be evidenced by a downgrade
of the sovereign rating and/or a significant weakening in the municipal
government's credit profile; (2) there is a weakening in the municipal
government's willingness to offer support, as evidenced by a meaningful
decline in its stake in the company, a significant reduction in
the company's key public policy role, or an aggressive expansion
in its commercial activities; (3) the policy framework for local
government finances evolves in a manner that increases the risk that TBCI's
debt will not be supported by the Tianjin Government; or (4) TBCI's
BCA weakens significantly.
Moreover, the bond ratings for Zhaohai Investment (BVI) will be
downgraded if TBCI's rating is downgraded or it issues more bonds to support
the commercial operations of TBCI, as this would weaken its strategic
linkage with the municipal government.
The methodologies used in these ratings were Business and Consumer Service
Industry published in October 2016, and Government-Related
Issuers published in October 2014. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
Established in 2006, Tianjin Binhai New Area Construction &
Investment Group Co., Ltd. is an investment and financing
platform incorporated in Tianjin. It is wholly owned by the Tianjin
State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission and
operates under the supervision of the Tianjin Binhai New Area Government.
TBCI operates in accordance with the general development plan for the
Binhai New Area, and its operations include the construction and
operation of transportation infrastructure, construction of civil
projects, environmental protection and clean energy, regional
development and construction, and other ancillary businesses,
such as materials trading and asset management.
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.
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.
Franco Leung
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Corporate Finance 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
Gary Lau
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance 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