Corporates Corporates EMEA Treatment of Junior Corporate Special Report Debt in Europe European HoldCo PIK and Shareholder Loans Analysts Executive Summary Cecile Durand‐Agbo This report identifies characteristics which allow Fitch Ratings to exclude HoldCo +44 20 3530 1220
[email protected] PIK (payment‐in‐kind) loans or notes and Shareholder Loans when determining a group’s IDR. Fitch assesses if these types of debt instruments increase the Matthias Volkmer probability of the default of the wider corporate group, as reflected in the relevant +44 20 3530 1337
[email protected] IDR. Edward Eyerman Features which support exclusion of these debt instruments in the Restricted +44 20 3530 1359 Group’s IDR (see page 2 for definition) perimeter include:
[email protected] • the loans are unsecured and contractually subordinated, or more frequently Related Research structurally subordinated when issued by an entity outside the Restricted • Definitions of Rating and Other Rating Group; Opinions (August 2010) • the loans are PIK‐for‐life (without cash‐pay obligations or options) during the • European Leveraged Credit Review ‐ Stabilisation in Performance as Refinancing life‐time of the transaction; Approaches (January 2011) • the loans’ effective final maturities are longer dated than any of the more • Rating Approach to PIK Loans in Restructurings (June 2009) senior ranking debt elements in the group’s capital structure, and lenders do • European Holdco PIK ‐ Evolution and not possess independent