OREANDA-NEWS. Fitch Ratings has affirmed Prudential Assurance Company Ltd's (PAC) Insurer Financial Strength (IFS) rating at 'AA'. The agency has also affirmed Prudential Plc's (Prudential) US subsidiaries Jackson National Life Insurance Company and Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York's (collectively, JNL) IFS ratings at 'AA'.

At the same time, Fitch has affirmed Prudential's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'A+' and senior unsecured debt at 'A'. The Outlooks on the group's IFS rating and Long-Term IDR are Stable. A full list of ratings actions is at the end of this press release.

The rating actions follow the downgrade of the United Kingdom's IDRs to 'AA' with a Negative Outlook from 'AA+' (see 'Fitch Downgrades the United Kingdom to 'AA'; Outlook Negative'; dated 27 June 2016 at www. fitchratings. com). Prudential's strong credit profile and global diversification mean a further one-notch downgrade of the UK's ratings would not automatically trigger a downgrade of the group's 'AA' IFS ratings.

Prudential's operations are well diversified globally, with significant operations in Asia and the US in addition to its UK business. In 2015, 54% of its assets backing insurance operations were related to business written in Asia and the US, and 76% of the group's long-term operating profit was generated outside the UK.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

Prudential's ratings reflect the group's strong and resilient capital position, operational scale and strong business positions in its key markets of the UK, the US, and Asia. Prudential also has strong cash generation and a strategy focused on high-margin products with short pay-back periods and a profitable asset-management business. The group scores "extremely strong" in Fitch's Prism factor-based capital model, and its US operations have a strong regulatory risk-based-capital ratio (end-2015: 481%).

In Asia, Prudential has one of the strongest franchises achieved by a Western company and continues to grow strongly. Business written in Asia has continued to contribute most of the group's new business value, with 57% of new business profit generated in the region in 2015 (2014: 55%). We believe Prudential is well placed to exploit the low penetration of the Asian insurance markets and benefit from rising personal wealth across the continent.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

Key rating triggers that could result in a downgrade include: a fall in Prudential's Prism score to low in the 'very strong' category or in its US operations' regulatory risk-based capital ratio to below 400%; Fitch-calculated financial leverage over 25% (end-1H15: 18%); interest coverage below 5x (10.3x in 2014); or material crystallisation of credit risk, longevity risk or adverse policyholder behaviour.

Prudential has the joint-highest IFS rating among European insurance groups and an upgrade is unlikely in the near term.

A downgrade of Prudential would trigger a downgrade of JNL and PAC. As Fitch factors group support into JNL's rating, which would be lower on a standalone basis, JNL's ratings could also be downgraded if, in Fitch's view, there were a decline in the strategic importance of JNL to Prudential.

A further one-notch downgrade of the United Kingdom's IDRs would not automatically lead to any rating actions for Prudential or its subsidiaries due to the group's global diversification. However, a multiple-notch downgrade of the United Kingdom could lead to a downgrade of Prudential's ratings.

FULL LIST OF RATING ACTIONS

Prudential

Long-Term IDR affirmed at 'A+'; Outlook Stable

Short-Term IDR affirmed at 'F1'

Commercial paper affirmed at 'F1'

Senior debt affirmed at 'A'

Junior subordinated debt and perpetual subordinated capital securities affirmed at 'BBB+'

PAC

IFS rating affirmed at 'AA'; Outlook Stable

Jackson National Life Insurance Company

Long-Term IDR affirmed at 'AA-'; Outlook Stable

IFS rating affirmed at 'AA'; Outlook Stable

Surplus notes affirmed at 'A+'

Short-term IFS affirmed at 'F1+'

Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York

IFS rating affirmed at 'AA'; Outlook Stable

Jackson National Life Global Funding

Medium-term notes affirmed at 'AA'

Jackson National Life Funding LLC

Medium-term notes affirmed at 'AA'