UPDATE: Puerto Rico Cut to Junk by Moody's, Outlook Negative (AGO) (MBI) (BPOP) (FBP)
Tweet
Share
E-mail
(Updated - February 7, 2014 1:45 PM EST)
Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the general obligation (GO) rating of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to Ba2 from Baa3. Ratings that are capped by or linked to the commonwealth's GO rating were also downgraded two notches, with the exception of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Revenue Bonds, which were downgraded to Ba2 from Ba1. At the same time, Moody's downgraded the Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corporation's (COFINA's) senior lien bonds to Baa1 from A2 and its junior-lien bonds to Baa2 from A3. The outlooks for ratings on the GO and the related bonds, as well as the COFINA bonds, are negative. For the ratings affected by this action, all of which were placed on review on December 11, 2013, see the list at the end of this report.
SUMMARY RATING RATIONALE
The problems that confront the commonwealth are many years in the making, and include years of deficit financing, pension underfunding, and budgetary imbalance, along with seven years of economic recession. These factors have now put the commonwealth in a position where its debt load and fixed costs are high, its liquidity is narrow, and its market access has become constrained. In the face of these problems, the administration has taken strong and aggressive actions to control spending, reform the retirement systems, reduce debt issuance, and promote economic development. Despite these accomplishments, however, in our view the commonwealth's credit profile is no longer consistent with investment grade characteristics.
While some economic indicators point to a preliminary stabilization, we do not see evidence of economic growth sufficient to reverse the commonwealth's negative financial trends. Without an economic revival, the commonwealth will face difficult decisions in coming years, as its debt and pension costs rise. The negative outlook signals the remaining challenges facing the commonwealth.
The commonwealth's general obligation bonds and all the notched and related ratings were downgraded by two notches, with the exception of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Revenue Bonds, which were downgraded one notch, to Ba2. This brings them to the same rating as the commonwealth general obligation rating, which reflects recent rate increases enacted by the legislature that will improve net revenues and are expected to reduce the authority's reliance on commonwealth support.
Moody's Investors Service has downgraded the general obligation (GO) rating of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to Ba2 from Baa3. Ratings that are capped by or linked to the commonwealth's GO rating were also downgraded two notches, with the exception of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Revenue Bonds, which were downgraded to Ba2 from Ba1. At the same time, Moody's downgraded the Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corporation's (COFINA's) senior lien bonds to Baa1 from A2 and its junior-lien bonds to Baa2 from A3. The outlooks for ratings on the GO and the related bonds, as well as the COFINA bonds, are negative. For the ratings affected by this action, all of which were placed on review on December 11, 2013, see the list at the end of this report.
SUMMARY RATING RATIONALE
The problems that confront the commonwealth are many years in the making, and include years of deficit financing, pension underfunding, and budgetary imbalance, along with seven years of economic recession. These factors have now put the commonwealth in a position where its debt load and fixed costs are high, its liquidity is narrow, and its market access has become constrained. In the face of these problems, the administration has taken strong and aggressive actions to control spending, reform the retirement systems, reduce debt issuance, and promote economic development. Despite these accomplishments, however, in our view the commonwealth's credit profile is no longer consistent with investment grade characteristics.
While some economic indicators point to a preliminary stabilization, we do not see evidence of economic growth sufficient to reverse the commonwealth's negative financial trends. Without an economic revival, the commonwealth will face difficult decisions in coming years, as its debt and pension costs rise. The negative outlook signals the remaining challenges facing the commonwealth.
The commonwealth's general obligation bonds and all the notched and related ratings were downgraded by two notches, with the exception of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) Revenue Bonds, which were downgraded one notch, to Ba2. This brings them to the same rating as the commonwealth general obligation rating, which reflects recent rate increases enacted by the legislature that will improve net revenues and are expected to reduce the authority's reliance on commonwealth support.
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
Credit RatingsRelated Entities
Moody's Investors ServiceSign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!
