Fitch Affirms Banco Exterior's IDR at 'CCC'

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fitch Ratings has affirmed Banco Exterior, C.A. Banco Universal's (Exterior) long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'CCC' and its Viability Rating (VR) at 'ccc', following Fitch's peer review of Venezuelan Private Sector Banks. No Rating Outlook is assigned at this rating level. See the full list of rating actions at the end of this release.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

IDRS, VR, NATIONAL RATINGS

Exterior's ratings are limited by the weak operating environment, characterized by economic contraction, severe macroeconomic imbalances and high inflation. The ratings also reflect the bank's significant mismatch of short-term assets and liabilities given that the vast majority of its funding consists of demand deposits. However, Exterior's liquidity remains adequate given the capital controls in place.

Exterior's loan quality ratios are stable, supported by inflation-led loan growth. However, in the context of the current economic crisis, Exterior's significant holdings of public sector securities and long-term expansion of its consumer loan portfolio (17.4% of gross loans at September 2015) would be a source of concern in the event of a forced economic adjustment.

In addition, despite improvement in operating profitability during 2015, a recent tax reform has caused a significant increase in tax expense (from 3.0% of pre-tax profit during 2014 to 30.7% at September 2015), pressuring nominal net income. Furthermore, high inflation, in the context of regulatory caps and floors on pricing, has had a negative effect on profits in real terms. Inflation-led asset growth (averaging 64% since 2011) has also put increasing pressure on capital, as evident throughout the banking system. A regulatory adjustment to risk weightings in 2014 has provided temporary scope for further growth.

As with the banking system in general, Exterior's capital has been under long-term pressure due to nominal asset growth. Tangible common equity represented 7.5% of tangible assets at September 2015 compared with 7.6% at year-end 2014. However, Exterior's capital compares favorably with its domestic peers.

Exterior is the ninth largest bank in the country by assets and is majority owned by the Spanish banking group, Grupo Bancario IF.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

IDRS, VR AND NATIONAL RATINGS

The bank's IDRs, VR and National ratings have limited near-term upside potential in light of the current economic crisis. Exterior's ratings are constrained by the sovereign and sensitive to a change in the sovereign's ratings. In addition, while not Fitch's base case due to capital controls in place, a persistent decline in deposits would pressure ratings.

SUPPORT RATING AND SUPPORT RATING FLOOR

The banks' Support Rating (SR) of '5' and Support Rating Floor (SRF) of 'NF' reflect Fitch's expectation of no support. Support cannot be relied upon given Venezuela's highly speculative rating and lack of a consistent policy on bank support.

Venezuela's propensity or ability to provide timely support to Exterior is not likely to change given the sovereign's very low speculative-grade ratings. As such, the SR and SRF have no upgrade potential.

Fitch has affirmed the following ratings:

--Banco Exterior, C.A. Banco Universal:

--Long-term foreign and local currency IDRs at 'CCC';

--Short-term foreign and local currency IDRs at 'C';

--Viability Rating at 'ccc';

--Support Rating at '5';

--Support Rating Floor at 'NF'

--Long-term national-scale rating at 'A+(ven);

--Short-term national-scale rating at 'F1(ven)'

Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com

Related Research:

Venezuela (July 13, 2015)

Applicable Criteria

Global Bank Rating Criteria (pub. 20 Mar 2015)

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=863501

Related Research

Venezuela

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=868264

Additional Disclosures

Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form

https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=996769

Solicitation Status

https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=996769

Endorsement Policy

https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151215006730/en/

Fitch Ratings
Primary Analyst
Mark Narron
Director
+1-212-612-7898
Fitch Ratings, Inc.
33 Whitehall Street
New York, NY 10004
or
Secondary Analyst
Theresa Paiz Fredel
Senior Director
+1-212-908-0534
or
Committee Chairperson
Rene Medrano
Senior Director
+503 2516-6610
or
Media Relations
Elizabeth Fogerty, +1-212-908-0526
[email protected]

Source: Fitch Ratings

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