OREANDA-NEWS. Fitch Ratings has assigned Sekerbank T. A.S.'s ('BB-/Negative/bb-) planned issue of Basel III-compliant Tier 2 capital notes an expected rating of 'B+(EXP)'. The size of the issue is not yet determined but is likely to be in the range of USD300m.

The final rating is subject to the receipt of the final documentation conforming to information already received by Fitch.

The notes qualify as Basel III-complaint Tier 2 instruments and contain contractual loss absorption features, which will be triggered at the point of non-viability of the bank. According to the draft terms, the notes are subject to permanent partial or full write-down upon the occurrence of a non-viability event (NVE). There are no equity conversion provisions in the terms.

An NVE is defined as occurring when the bank has incurred losses and has become, or is likely to become, non-viable as determined by the local regulator, the Banking and Regulatory Supervision Authority (BRSA). The bank will be deemed non-viable when it reaches the point at which either the BRSA determines that its operating licence is to be revoked and the bank liquidated, or the rights of Sekerbank's shareholders (except to dividends), and the management and supervision of the bank, should be transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund on the condition that losses are deducted from the capital of existing shareholders.

The notes have an expected 10-year maturity and a call option after five years.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

The notes are rated one notch below Sekerbank's VR of 'bb-' in accordance with Fitch's "Exposure Draft Global Bank Rating Criteria". The notching includes zero notches for incremental non-performance risk relative to the VR and one notch for loss severity.

Fitch has applied zero notches for incremental non-performance risk, as the agency believes that write-down of the notes will only occur once the point of non-viability is reached and there is no coupon flexibility prior to non-viability.

The one notch for loss severity reflects Fitch's view of below-average recovery prospects for the notes in case of an NVE. Fitch has applied one notch, rather than two, for loss severity, as partial, and not solely full, write-down of the notes is possible. In Fitch's view, there is some uncertainty as to the extent of losses the notes would face in case of an NVE, given that this would be dependent on the size of the operating losses incurred by the bank and any measures taken by the authorities to help restore the bank's viability.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

As the notes are notched down from Sekerbank's Viability Rating (VR), their rating is sensitive to a change in this rating. The notes' rating is also sensitive to a change in notching due to a revision in Fitch's assessment of the probability of the notes' non-performance risk relative to the risk captured in Sekerbank's VR, or in its assessment of loss severity in case of non-performance.

Sekerbank's ratings are listed below:

Long-Term Foreign Currency (FC) and Local Currency (LC) IDRs 'BB-'; Outlook Negative

Short-term FC and LC IDRs 'B'

Viability Rating 'bb-'

Support Rating '5'

Support Rating Floor 'NF'

National Long-term Rating 'A+/tur'; Outlook Negative

Basel III-compliant Tier 2 notes: 'B+(EXP)' assigned