OREANDA-NEWS. November 27, 2009. The Fitch international ratings agency has confirmed TNK-BP International’s long-term issuer default ratings in foreign and national currency and its priority unsecured rating in foreign currency at BBB-, according to a press release issued by the agency, reported the press-centre of TNK-BP.

The company outlook has also been upgraded from “negative” to “stable”.

The short-term foreign-currency IDR has been confirmed at F3.

TNK-BP’s BBB- priority unsecured rating applies to issues made under TNK-BP Finance’s US8 billion guaranteed debt instrument program, as TNK-BP is the guarantor for this program.

The change in TNK-BP’s outlook reflects Fitch’s view that TNK-BP’s operating metrics have not been substantially affected by the shareholder dispute during the second half of last year, which resulted in the departure of several Western executives, including the company’s CEO, and of BP’s secondees (AA+/F1+/stable).

Fitch notes as a favourable point the company’s demonstrated ability to deliver key production projects on time and within budget during 2009.

Fitch also accounts as a positive factor TNK-BP’s recent statement that the Yamal project, which could potentially become a new upstream province for TNK-BP and Russia as a whole, is the company’s central strategic focus.

This removes Fitch’s earlier concern over the company’s strategic direction with the possibility that it was seeking to expand its geographical presence outside Russia in potentially more volatile non-OECD regions, which could have resulted in a change in the structure of the company’s business risks.

In March 2009 the agency also expressed concern that the deteriorating economic situation in Russia could lead to higher dividend payouts to shareholders, removing cash from the business that could otherwise have been invested in future growth. On 5 November 2009 TNK-BP stated that the company’s dividend policy aims first of all to ensure payment of all operating expenditure, including taxes and debt repayments. An estimate is then made of funds required for capital investment in the business. Any cash remaining after this can be considered for distribution in the form of dividends.

Fitch is now therefore less concerned that the company’s dividend policy will have a negative impact on its future investment capabilities.

In addition, Fitch had previously expressed concern over the fact that TNK-BP has no permanent CEO. On 19 November 2009 the company announced the appointment of Maxim Barsky as its new permanent CEO. Mikhail Fridman will be the company’s acting CEO until 1 January 2011.

And finally, the outlook for TNK-BP has been changed because Fitch expects the company to maintain its creditworthiness indicators, such as net leverage corrected for funds from operations (FFO) at a level substantially below 1.5 and interest payments coverage from FFO substantially higher than 10, which is consistent with current ratings.

TNK-BP is equally owned by UK-based BP and the Russian consortium Alpha-Access-Renova (AAR).