Per chi segue RBS...
Various Rating Actions Taken On Certain Royal Bank of Scotland Hybrids Following Confirmation Of State Aid Remedy
LONDON (Standard & Poor's) Nov. 30, 2009--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services
said today that it took various rating actions on certain regulatory capital
instruments issued by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (RBSG;
A/Stable/A-1) and related entities:
- The ratings on three hybrid issues that will be retained in the future
RBS Holdings N.V. group were lowered to 'CC' and removed from
CreditWatch, where they were placed with developing implications on Nov.
3, 2009.
- The ratings on certain other Tier 1 and Upper Tier 2 instruments issued
by RBSG and its subsidiaries were raised by three notches and removed
from CreditWatch, where they were placed with developing implications on
Nov. 3, 2009.
- The ratings on three RBSG deferrable Lower Tier 2 issues were affirmed
and removed from CreditWatch, where they were placed with negative
implications on Nov. 3, 2009.
- The rating on a Lower Tier 2 instrument issued by The Royal Bank of
Scotland PLC remains on CreditWatch with negative implications.
The rating actions follow RBSG's announcement on Nov. 27, 2009 of the
commitments it has made for the purpose of obtaining state aid approval. The
commitments include an agreement that, unless legally obliged to do so, RBSG
and subsidiaries (excluding entities in the future RBS Holdings N.V. group)
will not pay dividends or coupons on existing hybrid capital instruments for a
two-year period beginning no later than April 30, 2010. The affected hybrid
instruments include B shares, preference shares, and Upper and Lower Tier 2
issues. Following the expiry of a currently applicable dividend pusher period,
similar restrictions will apply to the three hybrid issues that will be
retained in the future RBS Holdings N.V. group subsequent to the capital
restructuring of ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
RBSG first outlined its state aid commitments in an announcement on Nov.
3, 2009, but stated that the scope and timing of the required hybrid deferrals
were not fully clear at that time. On Nov. 3, 2009, we lowered to 'CC' the
ratings on noncumulative preference shares with discretionary coupons and
hybrids which must stop paying if coupons on any noncumulative preference
shares are missed. These rating actions were taken in the expectation that
deferrals would be required on these instruments, as RBSG's announcement of
Nov. 27, 2009 has now confirmed.
RBSG's Nov. 27, 2009 announcement indicates to us that the three hybrid
issues to be retained in the future RBS Holdings N.V. group will defer coupons
following the expiry of the currently applicable dividend pusher periods. We
are accordingly lowering the ratings on these three issues to 'CC' and
removing them from CreditWatch. We will lower the ratings further to 'C' once
coupons are actually missed.
For the other Tier 1 and Upper Tier 2 hybrids issued by RBSG and its
subsidiaries, the Nov. 27, 2009 announcement indicates to us that coupons are
likely to continue for the foreseeable future. This is because we consider
that the relevant deferral clauses are unlikely to be triggered, in which case
the issuers would be legally obliged to pay coupons. We are accordingly
raising the ratings on these particular issues by three notches. We view the
stand-alone credit profile as the key indicator of potential pressure to defer
payments on hybrid securities, and we notch down the issue ratings from that
level.
RBSG's announcement of Oct. 20, 2009 states that it has six deferrable
Lower Tier 2 issues, of which we rate three. The Nov. 27, 2009 announcement
indicates to us that interest payments on these issues will continue for the
time being. We are accordingly removing them from CreditWatch and affirming
the 'BBB-' ratings.
RBSG's announcement of Oct. 20, 2009 states that Royal Bank of Scotland
PLC has two deferrable Lower Tier 2 issues, of which we rate one. The issuer
may defer interest on these issues if required or requested to do so by the
Financial Services Authority (FSA). It is currently unclear to us whether the
FSA is likely to make such a requirement or request. The issue rating
consequently remains on CreditWatch with negative implications.
CREDITWATCH
We expect to resolve the CreditWatch placement on the Royal Bank of Scotland
PLC deferrable Lower Tier 2 issue once further details emerge regarding the
likelihood of continued coupon payments.