KBRA Assigns Preliminary Ratings to Lendbuzz Securitization Trust 2021-1

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) assigns preliminary ratings to two classes of notes issued by Lendbuzz Securitization Trust 2021-1 (“LBZZ 2021-1”), a non prime/subprime auto loan ABS transaction.

LBZZ 2021-1 is Lendbuzz Funding LLC’s (“Lendbuzz” or the “Company”) inaugural ABS securitization. LBZZ 2021-1 will issue two classes of notes totaling $204.34 million collateralized by a pool of retail automobile contracts made to obligors and secured by new and used automobiles, light duty trucks, and vans. Credit enhancement on the notes is comprised of overcollateralization (”OC”), subordination of junior note classes, a cash reserve account, and excess spread.

Lendbuzz is an artificial intelligence-based car financing company established in 2015, headquartered in Boston, MA, with a research division based in Tel Aviv, Israel. The Company’s founders launched the company after migrating to the U.S. for graduate school and finding that they could not access basic credit products because of a lack of credit history. Using alternative data and machine-learning algorithms to assess credit risk, Lendbuzz services a target consumer base that is typically unable to obtain financing from traditional lending sources such as credit unions, banks, and captive auto finance companies, in spite of sufficient verifiable income to support auto loan payments.

KBRA applied its Auto Loan ABS Global Rating Methodology, as well as its Global Structured Finance Counterparty Methodology and ESG Global Rating Methodology as part of its analysis of the transaction’s underlying collateral pool, the proposed capital structure and Lendbuzz’s historical static pool data. KBRA considered its operational review of the Company, as well periodic update calls with Lendbuzz. Operative agreements and legal opinions will be reviewed prior to closing.

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Related Publications

• Auto Loan ABS Global Rating Methodology
• Global Structured Finance Counterparty Methodology
• ESG Global Rating Methodology

Disclosures

Further information on key credit considerations, sensitivity analyses that consider what factors can affect these credit ratings and how they could lead to an upgrade or a downgrade, and ESG factors (where they are a key driver behind the change to the credit rating or rating outlook) can be found in the full rating report referenced above.

A description of all substantially material sources that were used to prepare the credit rating and information on the methodology(ies) (inclusive of any material models and sensitivity analyses of the relevant key rating assumptions, as applicable) used in determining the credit rating is available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) located here.

Information on the meaning of each rating category can be located here.

Further disclosures relating to this rating action are available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) referenced above. Additional information regarding KBRA policies, methodologies, rating scales and disclosures are available at www.kbra.com.

About KBRA

Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA) is a full-service credit rating agency registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority pursuant to the Temporary Registration Regime. In addition, KBRA is designated as a designated rating organization by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider.