waltermasoni
Caribbean Trader
Fitch Downgrades PEMEX's IDRs to 'BB'; Outlook Negative
Fri 03 Apr, 2020 - 15:52 ET
Fitch Ratings - Chicago - 03 Apr 2020: Fitch Ratings has downgraded Petroleos Mexicanos' (PEMEX) Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) to 'BB' from 'BB+', National Long-Term ratings to 'A(mex)' from 'AA(mex)'. The Rating Outlook for all ratings is Negative. The downgrade applies to approximately USD80 billion of notes outstanding. Fitch has also downgraded PEMEX's National Short-Term ratings to 'F1(mex)' from 'F1+(mex)'.
Today's downgrades reflect the continued deterioration of the company's stand-alone credit profile (SCP) to 'ccc-' amid the downturn in the global oil and gas industry, Fitch's lower oil price assumptions and the weakening credit linkage between Mexico and PEMEX. PEMEX's SCP deterioration reflects the company's limited flexibility to navigate the downturn in the oil and gas industry given its elevated tax burden, high leverage, rising per barrel lifting costs and high investment needs to maintain production and replenish reserves. Fitch estimates PEMEX's FCF will range from negative $15 billion to negative $20 billion per year. At the current Mexico's crude basket price of below $20/bbl, PEMEX's upstream business does not generate enough cash flow to cover operational and financial costs (half-cycle costs) of more than $25/bbl and the company will need extraordinary government support in the immediate future.
Fri 03 Apr, 2020 - 15:52 ET
Fitch Ratings - Chicago - 03 Apr 2020: Fitch Ratings has downgraded Petroleos Mexicanos' (PEMEX) Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) to 'BB' from 'BB+', National Long-Term ratings to 'A(mex)' from 'AA(mex)'. The Rating Outlook for all ratings is Negative. The downgrade applies to approximately USD80 billion of notes outstanding. Fitch has also downgraded PEMEX's National Short-Term ratings to 'F1(mex)' from 'F1+(mex)'.
Today's downgrades reflect the continued deterioration of the company's stand-alone credit profile (SCP) to 'ccc-' amid the downturn in the global oil and gas industry, Fitch's lower oil price assumptions and the weakening credit linkage between Mexico and PEMEX. PEMEX's SCP deterioration reflects the company's limited flexibility to navigate the downturn in the oil and gas industry given its elevated tax burden, high leverage, rising per barrel lifting costs and high investment needs to maintain production and replenish reserves. Fitch estimates PEMEX's FCF will range from negative $15 billion to negative $20 billion per year. At the current Mexico's crude basket price of below $20/bbl, PEMEX's upstream business does not generate enough cash flow to cover operational and financial costs (half-cycle costs) of more than $25/bbl and the company will need extraordinary government support in the immediate future.