Monitor bond Utilities (gruppo di lavoro: Alobar, I98mark).
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Mi scuso se alla fine sono rimasto indietro con il materiale sui rating da postare. C'è un certo fermento nel comparto, nel senso che, fra progetti di espansione ambiziosi da un lato, con un'intensa attività recente di M&A, calo di prezzo dell'energia e riduzione dei livelli di consumo dall'altro e ancora, per le utilities minori, esigenza di tenere alta la remunerazione degli azionisti mediante dividendi elevati (specie se si tratta di enti locali), rating ed outlook del settore sembrano destinati a restare sotto pressione per un po'.
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Cominciamo da Edison, che a fine settembre ha visto S&P ridurre l'outlook a negativo, per effetto di una combinazione di incremento del debito (legato all'acquisizione di interessi nel campo gasiero di Abu Qir ed ai costi di realizzazione del terminal LNG di Rovigo) e di calo degli utili a causa della situazione critica del mercato energetico in Italia.
L'outlook è preludio ad un downgrade in caso il profilo finanziario di Edison non recuperi taluni elementi in linea con il rating attuale, in particolare il rapporto fra debito e flussi di cassa (Fitch chiede il ritorno del FFO/net debt al di sopra del 20%).
Tenete conto che allo stato delle cose il rating di Edison incorpora già una elevazione di un livello dovuto alle attese di supporto parentale da parte del comporprietario EDF (a propria volta, come sappiamo, controllata dallo Stato francese), per cui dovesse la partecipazione di EDF in Edison ridursi, o per altre ragioni venire meno o allentarsi il supporto parentale, ciò metterebbe pressione sui rating.
Edison SpA Outlook Revised To Negative On Deteriorating Financial Profile; 'BBB+/A-2' Ratings Affirmed
·Edison's adjusted debt will increase this year with the Abu Qir acquisition and the commissioning of Rovigo LNG terminal.
·Edison's earnings are under pressure as a result of challenging market conditions in Italy.
·We have revised Edison's outlook to negative, reflecting the deterioration of the Italian utility's financial profile in 2009.
PARIS (Standard & Poor's) Sept. 29, 2009--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that it has revised its outlook on Italian utility Edison SpA to negative from stable. At the same time, Standard & Poor's affirmed its 'BBB+' long-term and 'A-2' short-term ratings on Edison.
"The outlook revision reflects our view that Edison's financial profile is likely to be weak for the current ratings by the end of the year," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Hugues de la Presle.
"This is a result of pressures on earnings and cash flows in light of challenging market conditions in Italy, and the increase in adjusted debt following the purchase of the Abu Qir gas field as well as the commissioning of the Rovigo LNG terminal, which is expected by the end of the year."
The negative outlook reflects Standard & Poor's view that Edison's financial profile is likely to be weak for the ratings by the end of 2009. "We could downgrade Edison if its financial profile does not recover to levels in line with the ratings, especially coverage of net debt by FFO in excess of 20% on an adjusted basis," said Mr. de la Presle.
The ratings could also come under pressure if Edison's business mix shifts significantly toward riskier E&P activities or if there were some changes in EDF's stake in and support for Edison. Conversely we could revise the outlook if Edison's financial profile recovered to levels in line with the ratings.
The ratings on Edison SpA continue to reflect its well-established position as Italy's second-largest electricity and gas group; its efficient and recent generation fleet; the stable cash flows derived from regulated CIP6 power sales; and a one-notch uplift for shareholder support from joint owner Electricité de France S.A. (EDF; A+/Stable/A-1).
Constraining factors include Edison's primary focus on power generation and its limited downstream integration; the steep decline in power and gas demand as well as power prices in Italy as a result of the economic downturn; a more limited ability than European peers to sell output forward given lower liquidity on the Italian power market; the limited fuel diversity of the group's generation fleet, which is primarily gas–fired; increasing investments in riskier exploration and production (E&P) activities; and Edison's weakening [FONT="]
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