Fitch Rates Flatiron CLO 2015-1 Ltd./LLC

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fitch Ratings has assigned the following ratings to Flatiron CLO 2015-1 Ltd./LLC:

--$3,000,000 class X notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable;

--$255,000,000 class A notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable.

Fitch does not rate the class B, C, D, E, F or subordinated notes.

TRANSACTION SUMMARY

Flatiron CLO 2015-1 Ltd. and Flatiron CLO 2015-1 LLC (together Flatiron 2015-1, or the issuer) comprise an arbitrage cash flow collateralized loan obligation (CLO) that will be managed by NYL Investors LLC (NYL Investors). Net proceeds from the issuance of notes will be used to purchase assets to reach a target portfolio of approximately $400 million of primarily senior secured leveraged loans. The CLO will have a four-year reinvestment period.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

Sufficient Credit Enhancement: Credit enhancement (CE) of 36.3% for class A notes, in addition to excess spread, is sufficient to protect against portfolio default and recovery rate projections in 'AAAsf' stress scenarios. The level of CE for class A is slightly below the average for recent CLO issuances. Class X notes are expected to be paid in full from interest proceeds on or before the second payment date.

'B' Asset Quality: The average credit quality of the indicative portfolio is 'B', which is comparable to recent CLOs. Issuers rated in the 'B' rating category denote relatively weak credit quality; however, in Fitch's opinion, the class X and A notes are unlikely to be affected by the foreseeable level of defaults. The class X and A notes are robust against default rates of up to 70.9% and 58.9%, respectively.

Strong Recovery Expectations: The indicative portfolio consists of 97.1% senior secured loans, of which about 88.2% have strong recovery prospects or a Fitch-assigned Recovery Rating of 'RR2' or higher, and the base case recovery assumption is 76.3%. In determining the ratings for the class X and A notes, Fitch stressed the indicative portfolio by assuming a higher portfolio concentration of assets with lower recovery prospects and further reduced recovery assumptions for higher rating stresses, resulting in 34.6% recovery rate assumption in Fitch's 'AAAsf' scenario.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

In addition to Fitch's stated criteria, the agency analyzed the structure's sensitivity to the potential variability of key model assumptions including decreases in weighted average spread or recovery rates and increases in default rates or correlation. The class X and A notes are expected to remain investment grade even under the most extreme sensitivity scenarios; results ranged between 'AAsf' and 'AAAsf' for class X notes and between 'A-sf' and 'AAAsf' for class A notes.

Sources of information used to assess these ratings were provided by the arranger, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, and the public domain. Key Rating Drivers and Rating Sensitivities are further described in the accompanying new issue report which will be available shortly to investors on Fitch's website at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

For more information about Fitch's comprehensive subscription service FitchResearch, which includes all presale reports, surveillance and credit reports on more than 20 asset classes, contact product sales at +1-212-908-0800 or at '[email protected]'.

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

--'Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria' (Aug. 4, 2014);

--'Global Rating Criteria for Corporate CDOs' (July 25, 2014);

--'Criteria for Interest Rate Stresses in Structured Finance Transactions and Covered Bonds' (Dec. 19, 2014);

--'Counterparty Criteria for Structured Finance and Covered Bonds' (May 14, 2014).

Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=754389

Global Rating Criteria for Corporate CDOs

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=753057

Criteria for Interest Rate Stresses in Structured Finance Transactions and Covered Bonds

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=838868

Counterparty Criteria for Structured Finance and Covered Bonds

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=744158

Additional Disclosure

Solicitation Status

http://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=981889

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.

Fitch Ratings
Primary Analyst:
Erika Tsang, CFA, +1-212-908-0817
Director
Fitch Ratings, Inc.
33 Whitehall Street
New York, NY 10004
or
Secondary Analyst:
Engin Inci, +1-212-908-0772
Associate Director
or
Committee Chairperson:
Derek Miller, +1-312-368-2076
Senior Director
or
Sandro Scenga, +1-212-908-0278
Media Relations, New York
[email protected]

Source: Fitch Ratings

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