Moody's assigns Ba3 rating to CenterCredit International's Tier I loan participation notes; positive outlook

/REUTERS, February 20, 06/ - Moody's Investors Service has today assigned a long-term rating of Ba3 to the Tier I securities to be issued on a limited recourse basis by CenterCredit International B.V. for the sole purpose of funding a subordinated loan to Kazakhstan's JSC Bank CenterCredit ("BCC"). These notes and the underlying subordinated loan will qualify as junior subordinated debt as per Moody's classification. The Tier I securities will be undated perpetual, but will be callable by the issuer commencing from the tenth anniversary of the date of the issue (subject to regulatory approval). The amount of the issue has yet to be determined. The outlook for the rating is positive. Moody's notes that the rating is based on (i) BCC's fundamental credit quality, as reflected in its unpublished global local currency rating, (ii) the extent of the instrument's subordination against various classes of debt and equity, as well as (iii) the predictability of ongoing payments. The level of the rating reflects the important role played by the bank in the Kazakh economy. Moody's considers that the likelihood of BCC receiving support from the government in case of distress is high, a key driver of the rating. The rating also takes account of the relative ranking of the Tier I securities, which will stand senior to equity and preferred stock holders, on a par with unsecured, perpetual, non-cumulative, subordinated obligations, but behind most of the senior unsecured and dated non-perpetual subordinated obligations, in case of liquidation. Moody's also notes that the rating factors the bank's mandatory obligation to suspend non-cumulative interest payments (in full or in part) on the underlying loan and on the notes, if it were in breach of the local prudential capital adequacy and liquidity requirements or if the payment were to result in such a breach. Historically, BCC has comfortably complied with the liquidity requirements while its prudential capital adequacy ratios have been notably tight. Headquartered in Almaty, Kazakhstan, BCC reported (unaudited) total consolidated assets of KZT258 billion (US$1.9 billion) under IFRS as at 30 September 2005. Domiciled in the Netherlands, CenterCredit International B.V. is the special purpose vehicle of BCC. London Adel Satel Managing Director Financial Institutions Group Moody's Investors Service Ltd. JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454 Limassol Andrey Naumenko Vice President - Senior Analyst Financial Institutions Group Moody's Investors Service Cyprus Limited JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 SUBSCRIBERS: 44 20 7772 5454 [2006-02-21]