Sears Holdings Corp. Downgraded To 'CCC' From 'CCC+' On Need To Address Mid-2018 Maturities; Outlook Negative
- Sears Holdings Corp. has more than $1 billion of debt maturities in 2018.
- Although recent results have demonstrated some progress on cost
reductions and the company has recently accessed new liquidity from
related parties, we see addressing the 2018 third-party obligations,
including about $717 million due June 30, 2018, under the term loan as
critical to avoid a broader restructuring.
- We are lowering our corporate credit rating on Sears to 'CCC' from 'CCC+'
to reflect our view that upcoming 2018 maturities create the risk of a
default in the coming 12 months.
- The outlook is negative. We could lower the rating if we do not believe
the company will make progress to address the mid-2018 maturities through
a combination of asset sales or refinancing.
NEW YORK (S&P Global Ratings) Oct. 27, 2017-- S&P Global Ratings today lowered
its corporate credit rating on Sears Holdings Corp. to 'CCC' from 'CCC+'. The
outlook is negative.
At the same time, we lowered the issue-level ratings in line with the
corporate credit rating.
The downgrade reflects our view that addressing 2018 maturities over upcoming
quarters will determine if the company can continue its turnaround plan
without seeking a broader restructuring. The next significant debt maturity
(besides loans partly funded by entities affiliated with major stockholder ESL
Investments Inc.) is about $717 million of secured debt due June 30, 2018, and
about $300 million of second-lien notes due in October 2018. Maturities are
also significant in 2020, when over $1 billion in loans are due. We see asset
sales and refinancings as an important strategy for addressing 2018 maturities
given that we expect the rate of cash burn to remain substantial into 2018. In
March 2017, the company affirmed its plans to reduce debt and pension
obligations by $1.5 billion, reduce costs by $1.25 billion, and generate real
estate sales proceeds of at least $1 billion.
S&P Global Ratings' negative outlook on Sears reflects our view that weak
operating performance will persist into 2018 even if some year-over-year
improvements are occurring. A turnaround depends on the company's progress
with integrating its retail strategy and announced cost-reduction plan to
reverse losses and cash use. We believe the company retains significant
unencumbered real estate it can use to generate liquidity, as it continues to
demonstrate. Still, progress in stabilizing sales and reversing earnings
declines are also important to avoid an eventual restructuring.
We could lower the ratings if we do not believe the company will make progress
to address the mid-2018 maturities through a combination of asset sales or
refinancing.
Although unlikely over the next few quarters, we could consider revising the
outlook to stable or raising the ratings if performance in the company's main
retail segments recovers and is sustained, including prospects for a return to
break-even EBITDA, and if liquidity seems sufficient for 2018 and beyond,
including prospects for repayment or financing of the 2018 maturities.