Research Update: Royal Bank of Scotland International Rated 'BBB/A-2'; Outlook Positive Primary Credit Analyst: Sadat Preteni, London (44) 20-7176-7560;
[email protected] Secondary Contact: Alexandre Birry, London (44) 20-7176-7108;
[email protected] Table Of Contents Overview Rating Action Rationale Outlook Related Criteria Related Research Ratings List WWW.STANDARDANDPOORS.COM/RATINGSDIRECT JANUARY 30, 2018 1 1986956 | 301308293 Research Update: Royal Bank of Scotland International Rated 'BBB/A-2'; Outlook Positive Overview • The Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (RBSG) plans to complete a formal separation of its banking operations under the U.K's ring-fencing regime by mid-2018. • Under the upcoming ring-fencing regulations, Jersey-based Royal Bank of Scotland International Ltd. (RBS International) will be one of the non-ring-fenced operating subsidiaries of RBSG. • We are assigning our 'BBB/A-2' ratings to RBS International as we regard this entity as a highly strategic operating subsidiary of RBSG. • The positive outlook reflects our view that we could revise upward RBS' group credit profile over the coming 18-24 months, which would result in an upgrade of RBS International. Rating Action On Jan. 30, 2018, S&P Global Ratings assigned its 'BBB/A-2' long- and short-term issuer credit ratings to RBS International. The outlook is positive. Rationale The U.K. financial regulator's ring-fencing requirements seek to remove the operational and financial dependencies and links between the systemically important activities of major U.K. banks and their less-systemically important, and often risker, activities. Each bank has therefore had to decide how to split those activities between different subsidiaries or whether to cease offering some of them.