Madrid, April 04, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service has today upgraded the ratings of eight
tranches in two Spanish RMBS and three Spanish ABS SME originated by Catalunya
Banc SA.
Please see towards the end of the ratings rationale section of this press
release for a detailed list of affected ratings.
RATINGS RATIONALE
Today's upgrades follow the upgrade of Catalunya Banc SA's
long term deposit rating to Ba2 from B1 and the upgrade of its Counterparty
Risk (CR) assessment to Baa3(cr) from Ba2(cr) on 22 March 2016 (see "Moody's
upgrades Catalunya Banc's senior debt and deposit ratings to Ba2;
outlook positive"). Given all five transactions' exposure
to Catalunya Banc SA, the bank's upgrade has reduced operational
risk as well as commingling risk for the transactions.
-Lower operational risk
Catalunya Banc SA acts as the servicer for HIPOCAT 8, FTA,
TDA TARRAGONA 1, FTA, GAT FTGENCAT 2006, FTA,
GAT FTGENCAT 2007, FTA and GC FTGENCAT CAIXA TARRAGONA 1,
FTA. Additionally, it acts as the swap counterparty for GAT
FTGENCAT 2006, FTA and GAT FTGENCAT 2007, FTA. Catalunya
Banc SA's upgrade has positively affected these transactions,
as the upgrade of the CR assessment to Baa3(cr) has lowered operational
risk.
The reduction of operational risk following Catalunya Banc SA's
upgrade has driven corresponding rating actions for: HIPOCAT 8,
FTA's class A2 notes, GAT FTGENCAT 2006, FTA's class
B notes, GAT FTGENCAT 2007, FTA's class A2(G) notes
and GC CAIXA TARRAGONA 1, FTA's class AS and AG notes.
-Increased Credit Enhancement Due To Deleveraging
Credit enhancement has increased for all of the outstanding notes due
to deleveraging since last rating action.
Increased credit enhancement since Moody's previous rating actions
on July 2015 has also contributed to upgrades for TDA TARRAGONA 1,
FTA's class B and C notes, and GC FTGENCAT CAIXA TARRAGONA
1, FTA's class B notes, in addition to lower counterparty
risk. (see "Moody's upgrades 29 tranches' ratings in 23 Spanish
ABS deals; 2 tranches confirmed" and Moody's upgrades 254 tranches'
ratings in 113 Spanish RMBS deals; 23 tranches confirmed").
Moody's has also incorporated the results of its sensitivity analysis
regarding borrower concentration in the affected deals, and considered
the credit-enhancement coverage of the largest debtors in the asset
pools. Borrower concentration has limited the upgrade for GC FTGENCAT
CAIXA TARRAGONA 1, FTA's class B notes.
-Key Collateral Assumptions
Moody's has not revised its key collateral assumptions for the five
securitisations as they reflect the portfolios' current performance
and credit quality. However, both residential mortgage-backed
securities (RMBS) and asset-backed securities (ABS) transactions
are underperforming on cumulative default terms when compared with the
average in Spain for both sectors.
Moody's default probabilities, recovery rates and PCE assumptions
have remained unchanged for GAT FTGENCAT 2006, FTA, GAT FTGENCAT
2007, FTA and GC FTGENCAT CAIXA TARRAGONA 1, FTA .
Moody's has maintained its Expected Loss and MILAN CE assumptions
for HIPOCAT 8, FTA and TDA TARRAGONA 1, FTA.
-Exposure to Other Counterparties
Moody's also took into consideration the exposure to key transaction
counterparties. Societé Generale (A2/P-1) acts as
issuer account bank for GAT FTGENCAT 2006 FTA, GAT FTGENCAT 2007
FTA, GC FTGENCAT CAIXA TARRAGONA 1, FTA and HIPOCAT 8,
FTA. Banco Santander S.A. (Spain) (A3/P-2)
acts as issuer account bank for TDA TARRAGONA 1, FTA.
CECABANK S.A. (Baa1(cr)) is the swap counterparty for HIPOCAT
8, FTA , TDA TARRAGONA 1, FTA and GC FTGENCAT CAIXA
TARRAGONA 1, FTA. Catalunya Banc SA is the swap counterparty
for GAT FTGENCAT 2006, FTA. Catalunya Banc SA and Banco Bilbao
Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. are the swap counterparties
for GAT FTGENCAT 2007, FTA.
FACTORS THAT WOULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGS:
Factors or circumstances that could lead to a downgrade for the ratings
affected by today's rating actions would be (1) worse-than-expected
performance of the underlying collateral; (2) an increase in counterparty
risk; and (3) a increase in sovereign risk.
Factors or circumstances that could lead to an upgrade of the ratings
affected by today's action would be (1) better-than-expected
performance of the underlying collateral; (2) a decline in counterparty
risk; and (3) a reduction in sovereign risk.
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGIES
The principal methodology used in rating GAT FTGENCAT 2006, FTA,
GAT FTGENCAT 2007, FTA and GC FTGENCAT CAIXA TARRAGONA 1,
FTA was Moody's Global Approach to Rating SME Balance Sheet Securitizations
published in October 2015. Please see the Ratings Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
The principal methodology used in rating HIPOCAT 8, FTA and TDA
TARRAGONA 1, FTA was Moody's Approach to Rating RMBS Using
the MILAN Framework published in January 2015. Please see the Ratings
Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this
methodology.
The analysis undertaken by Moody's at the initial assignment of
ratings for RMBS securities may focus on aspects that become less relevant
or typically remain unchanged during the surveillance stage. Please
see Moody's Approach to Rating RMBS Using the MILAN Framework for
further information on Moody's analysis at the initial rating assignment
and the on-going surveillance in RMBS.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS:
Issuer: GAT FTGENCAT 2006, FTA
....EUR5.1M B Notes, Upgraded
to Aa2 (sf); previously on Jan 23, 2015 Affirmed A1 (sf)
Issuer: GAT FTGENCAT 2007, FTA
....EUR280.8M A2(G) Notes, Upgraded
to Aa2 (sf); previously on Jan 23, 2015 Affirmed A1 (sf)
Issuer: GC FTGENCAT CAIXA TARRAGONA 1, FTA
....EUR93.2M AG Notes, Upgraded
to Aa2 (sf); previously on Jan 23, 2015 Affirmed A1 (sf)
....EUR104.3M AS Notes, Upgraded
to Aa2 (sf); previously on Jan 23, 2015 Affirmed A1 (sf)
....EUR25.7M B Notes, Upgraded
to Baa1 (sf); previously on Jul 3, 2015 Upgraded to Baa3 (sf)
Issuer: HIPOCAT 8, FTA
....EUR1155.5M A2 Notes, Upgraded
to Aa2 (sf); previously on Jul 10, 2015 Affirmed A1 (sf)
Issuer: TDA TARRAGONA 1, FTA
....EUR11.1M B Notes, Upgraded
to Aa3 (sf); previously on Jul 10, 2015 Upgraded to A1 (sf)
....EUR11.9M C Notes, Upgraded
to Baa1 (sf); previously on Jul 10, 2015 Upgraded to Baa2 (sf)
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.
The analysis relies on an assessment of collateral characteristics to
determine the collateral loss distribution, that is, the function
that correlates to an assumption about the likelihood of occurrence to
each level of possible losses in the collateral. As a second step,
Moody's evaluates each possible collateral loss scenario using a
model that replicates the relevant structural features to derive payments
and therefore the ultimate potential losses for each rated instrument.
The loss a rated instrument incurs in each collateral loss scenario,
weighted by assumptions about the likelihood of events in that scenario
occurring, results in the expected loss of the rated instrument.
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 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.
The relevant office for each credit rating is identified in "Debt/deal
box" on the Ratings tab in the Debt/Deal List section of each issuer/entity
page of the Website.
The below contact information is provided for information purposes only.
Please see the ratings tab of the issuer page at www.moodys.com,
for each of the ratings covered, Moody's disclosures on the
lead analyst and the Moody's legal entity that has issued the ratings.
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.
Angel Jimenez
Associate Analyst
Structured Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Espana, S.A.
Calle Principe de Vergara, 131, 6 Planta
Madrid 28002
Spain
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Carole Gintz
Senior Vice President/Manager
Structured Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Espana, S.A.
Calle Principe de Vergara, 131, 6 Planta
Madrid 28002
Spain
JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456
SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454
Moody's upgrades eight tranches´ ratings in five Spanish securitisations following Catalunya Banc SA's upgrade