TEXT-S&P cuts Central European Media Enterprises ratings
Posted by adminMay 20
Overview
— Bermuda-registered TV broadcaster Central European Media Enterprises
Ltd. (CME) has recently launched tender offers for its notes due 2013,
2014,
and 2016. For some of the offers, the tender price is below face value.
— In the light of the public characteristics of the tender offers for
the 2014 and 2016 notes, we would, under our criteria, consider such buybacks
as distressed exchange offers and therefore tantamount to a default if
completed.
— We are lowering our long-term corporate credit rating on CME to CC
from B-.
— The negative outlook reflects our view that we will likely lower the
long-term rating on CME to SD (selective default) upon completion of the
groups sub-par tender offers for its notes due 2014 and 2016.
Rating Action
On May 18, 2012, Standard Poors Ratings Services lowered its long-term
corporate credit rating on Bermuda-registered emerging markets TV broadcaster
Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. (CME) to CC from B-. The outlook
is negative.
We also lowered to CC from B- our issue rating on the EUR170 million senior
secured notes due 2017 issued by CMEs subsidiary CET 21 spolsro (CET 21;
not rated), in line with the corporate credit rating on CME.
At the same time, we lowered to C from CCC+ the issue ratings on CMEs
$130 million senior secured convertible notes due 2013, EUR375 million notes due
2016, and EUR148 million notes due 2014.
Rationale
The downgrades follow CMEs announcement of a tender offer of up to $170
million in aggregate principal amount of its outstanding notes due 2014 and
2016. The offer for the 2014 notes amounts to a subpar debt repurchase, and
this could also be true of the offer for the 2016 notes. Under our exchange
offer criteria, and taking into consideration our assessment of CMEs weak
business risk and highly leveraged financial risk profiles, we view such
sub-par debt buybacks as distressed exchange offers and therefore as
tantamount to a default if completed (see Rating Implications Of Exchange
Offers And Similar Restructurings, Update, published May 12, 2009, on
RatingsDirect on the Global Credit Portal).
We also understand that, as part of the refinancing plan, CME could consider
taking additional actions on some of its other debt instruments, although
details on such plans are not publicly available. We are therefore unable to
assess whether we would classify these offers as distressed.
Conversely, we believe the tender offer for the 2013 notes doesnt qualify as
a distressed offer, because the $130 million outstanding amount of convertible
notes (including accrued interest) is tendered at par.
According to CMEs press release the tender price for the 2014 notes ranges
between 86% and 92%, and between 97% and 100% for the 2016 notes. The deadline
for the tender offers is May 25, 2012, subject to further extension by CME.
The debt repurchase will initially be funded with a bridge loan of up to $300
million granted by Time Warner Inc. (BBB/Stable/A-2). For the first six months
following the completion of the tender offers the loan will have the same
maturities and interest rate as the repurchased debt. We understand that the
bridge loan will be partially repaid with approximately $86 million of
proceeds from a committed equity increase provided by CMEs founder, Ronald
Lauder, and Time Warner. If the bridge loan is still outstanding after six
months, a put-and-call mechanism will enable Time Warner to increase its
equity stake in CME to 49.9% (the maximum allowed under the Investor Rights
Agreement between CMEs main shareholders) from 40% upon completion of the
first equity increase. We estimate that this would generate about $150 million
of related proceeds for CME that would be used to repay the outstanding
portion of the bridge loan.
Importantly, while we view positively Time Warners financial contribution to
CMEs debt reduction effort, we believe that it could result in subpar debt
buyback offers, which would indicate the groups unwillingness or ability to
repay all of its outstanding debt obligations in full, as originally promised
under the related indentures.
The current rating reflects our view of CMEs weak business risk profile and
highly leveraged financial risk profile. Under our base-case scenario, we
assume flat- to low-single-digit revenue growth on a like-for-like basis and
an EBITDA margin in the low 20s, owing to revenue growth and cost discipline.
We anticipate neutral free operating cash flow (FOCF) for 2012. That said, CME
is exposed to volatile advertising spending in the countries where it operates
and to currency swings that could cause earnings to substantially weaken and
FOCF to turn negative.
Upon completion of the tender offers, if successful, we will review our
assessment of CMEs financial risk profile. In particular, we will likely take
into consideration the potentially lower amount of debt, CMEs liquidity
position with a new debt maturity profile, and its cash flow generation that
should benefit from a lower amount of cash interest.
Liquidity
We view CMEs liquidity as less than adequate under our criteria. Although
we currently estimate that CMEs sources of liquidity should cover its
liquidity uses by about 1.2x over the next 12 months, we note that this ratio
could be volatile and potentially fall below 1.2x over the coming months. In
particular, the group remains exposed to adverse exchange rate movements in
its local currencies–in which it collects revenues–against the US dollar,
since its debt is not hedged against such movements.
Other factors on which we base our liquidity assessment are:
— Our opinion that CME needs to permanently maintain significant minimum
cash balances to fund working capital and other potential business needs.
— Poor FOCF generation. We expect CME to generate neutral free cash flow
over 2012. That said, depending on the future development of advertising
markets and foreign exchange, there is a significant risk that cash flow could
turn negative in 2012. We therefore believe CMEs current liquidity position
offers limited protection against difficult operating conditions.
— Full use of the Czech koruna (CZK) 1.5 billion (approximately $80
million) revolving credit facility (RCF) to extend short-term debt maturities.
— CMEs limited access to capital markets, in our view, given its high
leverage, and poor prospects for positive free cash flow generation.
Recovery analysis
The issue rating on the EUR170 million senior secured notes due 2017, issued by
CET 21, is CC, in line with the corporate credit rating on CME. The rating
on the remaining $130 million senior secured convertible notes due 2013, EUR375
million notes due 2016, and EUR148 million notes due 2014, issued by CME, is
C, one notch below the corporate credit rating.
Outlook
The negative outlook reflects our view that we will likely lower our long-term
rating on CME to SD (selective default), and the issue ratings on the
related debt instruments to D (default).
Upon completion of the planned transactions, we will reassess our long-term
rating on CME based our view of its business and financial risk profiles at
that time. In particular, we will review CMEs overall debt reduction and
liquidity position following the implementation of the restructuring plan.
Related Criteria And Research
— 2008 Corporate Criteria: Rating Each Issue, April 15, 2008
— 2008 Corporate Criteria: Analytical Methodology, April 15, 2008
— Methodology And Assumptions: Liquidity Descriptors For Global
Corporate Issuers, Sept. 28, 2011
— Criteria Methodology: Business Risk/Financial Risk Matrix Expanded,
May 27, 2009
— Rating Implications Of Exchange Offers And Similar Restructurings,
Update, May 12, 2009
Ratings List
Downgraded
To From
Central European Media Enterprises Ltd.
Corporate Credit Rating CC/Negative/– B-/Negative/–
Senior Secured C CCC+
CET 21 spolsro
Senior Secured* CC B-
*Guaranteed by Central European Media Enterprises Ltd.