NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--While the truck, container, railcar and aircraft leasing sectors share many common attributes, including reliance on wholesale funding, business cyclicality, and potential residual value risk, there are some points of differentiation which can result in a more or less favorable credit view of the respective sectors, according to a special report published today by Fitch Ratings. For example:
--The truck leasing sector is typically less exposed to business cyclicality as a result of more diversified/durable earnings streams, while also typically employing higher unsecured funding levels. On the other hand, the truck leasing sector is viewed as relatively more susceptible to technological change/disruption, namely as it relates to the fuel efficiency and emissions of the leased equipment. Truck leasing also tends to be concentrated within individual countries or regions as opposed to exhibiting global diversity.
--The container leasing sector typically benefits from increased global diversification, relatively longer-lived portable assets that are less sensitive to technological change, and lower relative historical loss experience. Conversely, the container leasing sector typically exhibits a higher reliance on secured funding, less revenue diversity and higher customer concentrations.
--The railcar leasing sector typically exhibits higher relative customer industry diversity, and the railcars themselves are also generally viewed as less exposed to residual value risk than trucks and aircraft given the slower pace of technological change. Similar to the truck leasing sector, the railcar leasing sector tends to be concentrated within individual countries or regions as opposed to exhibiting global diversity.
--Aircraft lessors are viewed as having higher relative growth opportunities and greater flexibility in moving assets between lessees to match supply and demand or reposition fleets during stress. However, along with these positive attributes comes exposure to relatively weaker sovereign environments, less proven regulatory frameworks and weaker relative credit profiles for lessees.
Ratings assigned to large equipment leasing companies are typically centered in the 'BBB' rating category; however, individual issuers may be rated higher/lower depending on their individual risk characteristics, the magnitude to which they are exposed to sector-level strengths/constraints, or the presence of a more highly rated parent company.
The sector attributes outlined in Fitch's special report include operating environment, company profile, management, risk appetite and financial profile, which all correspond to the key rating drivers outlined in Fitch's 'Global Financial Institutions Rating Criteria,' dated Jan. 31, 2014. The full report 'Large Equipment Leasing: Rating Attribute Analysis' is available at 'www.fitchratings.com' or by clicking on the link.
Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.
Applicable Criteria and Related Research:
--'Global Financial Institutions Rating Criteria' (Jan. 31, 2014);
--'Finance and Leasing Companies Criteria' (Dec. 11, 2012);
--'2014 Outlook: U.S. Finance and Leasing Companies' (Nov. 11, 2013);
--'Aircraft Leasing Sector Review' (Oct. 1, 2013);
--'Fitch Fundamentals Index' (July 15, 2014).
Applicable Criteria and Related Research: Large Equipment Leasing: Rating Attribute Analysis (Comparing Aircraft, Truck, Railcar and Container Leasing Sectors)
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=752827
Index Trend Analysis -- 2Q14 (Fitch Fundamentals Index Falls To Neutral)
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=752428
Aircraft Leasing Sector Review
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=719957
2014 Outlook: U.S. Finance and Leasing Companies (Strong Fundamentals, But Sector Headwinds Persist)
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=722839
Finance and Leasing Companies Criteria
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=696720
Global Financial Institutions Rating Criteria
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=732397
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