NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fitch Ratings expects to assign the following rating to Loomis Sayles CLO II, Ltd./LLC:
--$254,000,000 class A-1 notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable.
Fitch does not expect to rate the class A-2, B, C, D or preferred shares.
TRANSACTION SUMMARY
Loomis Sayles CLO II, Ltd. (the issuer) and Loomis Sayles CLO II, LLC (the co-issuer) together comprise an arbitrage cash flow collateralized loan obligation (CLO) that will be managed by Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P. Net proceeds from the issuance of the secured notes and preferred shares will be used to purchase a portfolio of approximately $400 million of primarily senior secured leveraged loans. The CLO will have a four-year reinvestment period.
KEY RATING DRIVERS
Sufficient Credit Enhancement: Credit enhancement (CE) of 36.5% for the class A-1 notes, in addition to excess spread, is sufficient to protect against portfolio default and recovery rate projections in an 'AAAsf' stress scenario. The level of CE for class A-1 notes is in line with recent CLO issuances.
'B/B+' Asset Quality: The average credit quality of the indicative portfolio is 'B/B+', which is slightly better than that of recent CLOs. Issuers rated in the 'B' rating category denote relatively weak credit quality; however, in Fitch's opinion, the class A-1 notes are unlikely to be affected by the foreseeable level of defaults. The class A-1 notes are robust against default rates of up to 60%.
Strong Recovery Expectations: The indicative portfolio consists of 94.3% senior secured loans, of which 93.0% have strong recovery prospects or a Fitch-assigned Recovery Rating of 'RR2' or higher and the base case recovery assumption is 76.1%. In determining ratings for the class A-1 notes, Fitch stressed the indicative portfolio by assuming a higher concentration of assets with lower recovery prospects and further reduced recovery assumptions for higher rating stresses resulting in a 35.9% recovery rate assumption in Fitch's 'AAAsf'.
RATING SENSITIVITIES
Fitch evaluated the structure's sensitivity to the potential variability of key model assumptions, including decreases in recovery rates and increases in default rates or correlation. Fitch expects the class A-1 notes to remain investment grade even under the most extreme sensitivity scenarios. Results under these sensitivity scenarios ranged between 'A+sf' and 'AAAsf' for the class A-1 notes.
Key Rating Drivers and Rating Sensitivities are further described in the accompanying presale report, which is available to investors on Fitch's website at 'www.fitchratings.com'.
DUE DILIGENCE USAGE
No third party due diligence was provided or reviewed in relation to this rating action.
The publication of a RW&Es appendix is not required for this transaction.
Additional information is available at www.fitchratings.com.
Sources of Information:
The expected ratings are based on information provided to Fitch as of Aug. 3, 2015. Sources of information used to assess these ratings were provided by the arranger, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, and the public domain.
Loomis Sayles CLO II, Ltd./LLC (US Structured Credit)
https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=869297
Applicable Criteria
Counterparty Criteria for Structured Finance and Covered Bonds (pub. 14 May 2014)
https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=744158
Criteria for Interest Rate Stresses in Structured Finance Transactions and Covered Bonds (pub. 19 Dec 2014)
https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=838868
Global Rating Criteria for CLOs and Corporate CDOs (pub. 30 Jul 2015)
https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=868908
Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria (pub. 06 Jul 2015)
https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=867952
Additional Disclosures
Dodd-Frank Rating Information Disclosure Form
https://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/press_releases/content/ridf_frame.cfm?pr_id=988968
Solicitation Status
https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=988968
Endorsement Policy
https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&detail=31
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