Approximately $3.2 billion of asset-backed securities affected.
New York, December 18, 2013 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") upgraded
29 classes, downgraded three classes, and affirmed four classes
of notes in six student loan securitizations sponsored by Access Group
Inc. The underlying collateral consists of student loans originated
under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), which are
guaranteed by the U.S. government for a minimum of 97%
of defaulted principal and accrued interest.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The upgrades of the senior classes of notes are primarily a result of
Access Group mitigating operational risk in the transactions by transferring
the loan servicing function to Xerox Education Services, formally
known as ACS Education Services. Moody's downgraded these classes
on October 7, 2011, due to the risk of loan servicing and
payment disruption in the event that Access Group is not able to service
these securitizations. With the mitigated operational risk and
strong performance, the ratings of the senior classes of notes were
upgraded back to Aaa.
The upgrades of the subordinated classes of notes issued in the 2005-1,
2006-1 and 2007-1 transactions reflect strong performance
since closing, as the total parity levels (i.e. total
assets over total liabilities) across all three transactions have risen
to their respective target levels.
The downgrades of the subordinated classes of notes in the 2002 transaction
reflect continued weak performance as a result of high funding costs on
the auction rate securities associated with the failed auction rate market.
As a result of the high bond coupon rates and the resulting negative excess
spread, the subordinate notes are exposed to a significant "tail-end"
risk. Total parity has remained at approximately 98% since
2009.
Factors that would lead to an upgrade or downgrade of the rating
A key factor that could lead to downgrades of the ratings is if basis
risk is higher than expected. The ratings of the subordinate notes
in the 2004-2, 2005-1, 2005-2,
2006-1, and 2007-1 transactions could be downgraded
in the future if the spread between 3 month LIBOR index on the liability
side and the 1 month LIBOR on the assets side is increased. The
ratings of the subordinate notes in the 2002 transaction could be downgraded
in the future if the spread between 3 month T-bill index on the
liability side and the 1 month LIBOR on the assets side is increased.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was "Moody's Approach
to Rating Securities Backed by FFELP Student Loans" published in April
2012. Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com
for a copy of this methodology.
The performance expectations for a given variable indicate Moody's forward-looking
view of the likely range of performance over the medium term. From
time to time, Moody's may, if warranted, change these
expectations. Performance that falls outside the given range may
indicate that the collateral's credit quality is stronger or weaker than
Moody's had anticipated when the related securities ratings were issued.
Even so, a deviation from the expected range will not necessarily
result in a rating action nor does performance within expectations preclude
such actions. The decision to take (or not take) a rating action
is dependent on an assessment of a range of factors including, but
not exclusively, the performance metrics.
Primary sources of uncertainty with regard to expected loss are the weak
economic environment and the high unemployment rate, which adversely
impacts the income-generating ability of the borrowers.
To assess rating implications of the higher expected losses, each
individual transaction was run through a variety of stress scenarios using
the Structured Finance Workstation® (SFW), a cash flow model
developed by Moody's Wall Street Analytics.
The complete rating actions as follow:
Issuer: Access Group Inc. Federal Student Loan Asset-Backed
Notes, (2002 Trust Indenture)
Senior Ser. 2002-1 Cl. A-3, Upgraded
to Aaa; previously on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review
for Possible Upgrade
Senior Ser. 2002-1 Cl. A-4, Upgraded
to Aaa; previously on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review
for Possible Upgrade
Subordinate 2002-1 Cl. B, Downgraded to Caa3;
previously on Jun 3, 2009 Downgraded to Caa1
Senior Ser. 2003-1 Cl. A-2, Upgraded
to Aaa; previously on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review
for Possible Upgrade
Senior Ser. 2003-1 Cl. A-3, Upgraded
to Aaa; previously on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review
for Possible Upgrade
Senior Ser. 2003-1 Cl. A-4, Upgraded
to Aaa; previously on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review
for Possible Upgrade
Senior Ser. 2003 Cl. A-5, Upgraded to Aaa;
previously on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible
Upgrade
Senior Ser. 2003-1 Cl. A-6, Upgraded
to Aaa; previously on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review
for Possible Upgrade
Sub. Ser. 2003-1 Cl. B, Downgraded to
Caa3; previously on Jun 3, 2009 Downgraded to Caa1
2004-1A-1, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2004-1A-2, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2004-1A-3, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2004-1A-4, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2004-1A-5, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2004-1B, Downgraded to Caa3; previously on Jun 3,
2009 Downgraded to Caa1
Issuer: Access Group, Inc. Series 2004-2
2004-2-A-2, Affirmed B1; previously on
Jun 25, 2013 Downgraded to B1
2004-2-A-3, Affirmed Aa3; previously on
Oct 7, 2011 Downgraded to Aa3
2004-2-A-4, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2004-2-A-5, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2004-2-B, Affirmed A2; previously on Nov 2,
2004 Assigned A2
Issuer: Access Group, Inc. Federal Student Loan Asset-Backed
Floating Rate Notes, Series 2005-1
2005-1-A-2, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2005-1-A-3, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2005-1-A-4, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2005-1-B, Upgraded to Aa1; previously on Jun
8, 2005 Definitive Rating Assigned A2
Issuer: Access Group Inc. - Federal Student Loan Asset-Backed
Floating Rate Notes, Series 2005-2
2005-2-A-3, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2005-2-A-4, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2005-2-B, Affirmed A3; previously on Oct 28,
2005 Definitive Rating Assigned A3
Issuer: Access Group Inc., Series 2006-1
2006-1-A-2, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2006-1-A-3, Upgraded to Aaa; previously
on Jun 25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2006-1-B, Upgraded to Aa1; previously on Jun
13, 2006 Definitive Rating Assigned A3
Issuer: Access Group, Inc. Series 2007-1
2007-A-2, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2007-A-3, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2007-A-4, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2007-A-5, Upgraded to Aaa; previously on Jun
25, 2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2007-B, Upgraded to Aa1; previously on Jun 25,
2013 Aa3 Placed Under Review for Possible Upgrade
2007-C, Upgraded to Aa3; previously on Jul 5,
2007 Definitive Rating Assigned A3
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and
sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and
Sensitivity to Assumptions of the disclosure form.
As the section on loss and cash flow analysis describes, Moody's
quantitative analysis entails an evaluation of scenarios that stress factors
contributing to sensitivity of ratings and take into account the likelihood
of severe collateral losses or impaired cash flows. Moody's
weights the impact on the rated instruments based on its assumptions of
the likelihood of the events in such scenarios occurring.
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.
Jerry Lu
Associate Analyst
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Irina Faynzilberg
VP - Sr Credit Officer/Manager
Structured Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653
Moody's upgrades, downgrades Access Group's FFELP student loan securitizations