Fitch to Confirm 'AAA/F1' Rating on New York City, GO Adj-Rate Fiscal Bnds Series 2012 G-4
The rating action is in connection the substitution of the irrevocable standby letter of credit (LOC) previously provided by PNC Bank, National Association, (rated 'A+/F1', Stable Outlook) with a substitute standby LOC issued by Citibank, N.A. (rated 'A/F1', Stable Outlook).
KEY RATING DRIVERS:
The long-term rating for the bonds will continue to be determined using Fitch's dual-party pay criteria and will be based jointly on the underlying rating assigned to the bonds by Fitch (currently rated 'AA', Stable Outlook), and the rating assigned by Fitch to the LOC bank, which will provide the substitute LOC as support for the bonds. The short-term rating will be based solely on the substitute LOC.
For information about the underlying credit rating, see Fitch's press release dated March 9, 2015 available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.
Fitch's dual-party pay criteria consider the likelihood of the failure of both a rated obligor and a bank LOC provider. The methodology results in a long-term rating that is up to two notches higher than the stronger of the two credits if the following conditions are met: (1) both entities have a rating of 'A' or higher; (2) the transaction is structured such that payments from both the municipal issuer and the bank are in the flow of funds and both entities would have to fail to perform before the bonds defaulted; and (3) the credit of the bank and the rated obligor have no more than a medium degree of correlation. Fitch has determined a low degree of correlation between the banks and the obligor which results in a rating of 'AAA' for the bonds. If either the underlying bond rating or the bank rating were downgraded to 'A-' or lower, the dual-party pay criteria could no longer be applied, and the long term rating assigned to the bonds would then be adjusted to the higher of the bank rating and the underlying bond rating.
Pursuant to the substitute LOC, the bank is obligated to make payments of purchase price for tendered bonds, including bonds that are required to be tendered upon any failure of the city to provide funds to Bank of New York Mellon, as fiscal agent, for the payment of principal and interest on the bonds on a payment date. The rating will expire upon the earliest of: (a) March 30, 2018, the initial stated expiration date of the substitute LOC, unless such date is extended; (b) conversion to a mode other than weekly or two-day; (c) any prior termination of the LOC; and (d) defeasance of the bonds. The substitute LOC provides full and sufficient coverage of principal plus an amount equal to 35 days of interest at a maximum rate of 9% based on a year of 365 days and purchase price for tendered bonds, while in the weekly and two-day rate mode. The remarketing agent will be Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
RATING SENSITIVITIES:
As described above, the long-term rating is tied to the long-term rating assigned to the bond obligor and the long-term rating that Fitch maintains on the bank providing the substitute LOC. Changes to one or both of these ratings may affect the long-term rating assigned to the bonds.
The short-term rating is exclusively tied to the short-term rating that Fitch maintains on the bank providing the substitute LOC and will reflect all changes to that rating.
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