ALME Loan Funding III Designated Activity Company -- Moody's upgrades the ratings on EUR 40.4m CLO notes of ALME Loan Funding III Designated Activity Company

Rating Action: Moody's upgrades the ratings on EUR 40.4m CLO notes of ALME Loan Funding III Designated Activity CompanyGlobal Credit Research - 04 Mar 2022Moody's also affirms the ratings on EUR 323.6m of notesLondon, 04 March 2022 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has upgraded the ratings on the following notes issued by ALME Loan Funding III Designated Activity Company:....EUR 32,400,000 Class B-1-R Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2032, Upgraded to Aa1 (sf); previously on Oct 5, 2020 Affirmed Aa2 (sf)....EUR 8,000,000 Class B-2-R Senior Secured Fixed Rate Notes due 2032, Upgraded to Aa1 (sf); previously on Oct 5, 2020 Affirmed Aa2 (sf)Moody's has also affirmed the ratings on the following notes:....EUR 250,400,000 Class A-R Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2032, Affirmed Aaa (sf); previously on Oct 5, 2020 Affirmed Aaa (sf)....EUR 28,000,000 Class C-R Senior Secured Deferrable Floating Rate Notes due 2032, Affirmed A2 (sf); previously on Oct 5, 2020 Affirmed A2 (sf)....EUR 25,200,000 Class D-R Senior Secured Deferrable Floating Rate Notes due 2032, Affirmed Baa3 (sf); previously on Oct 5, 2020 Confirmed at Baa3 (sf)....EUR 20,000,000 Class E-R Senior Secured Deferrable Floating Rate Notes due 2032, Affirmed Ba3 (sf); previously on Oct 5, 2020 Confirmed at Ba3 (sf)ALME Loan Funding III Designated Activity Company, issued in December 2014, is a collateralised loan obligation (CLO) backed by a portfolio of mostly high-yield senior secured European loans. The portfolio is managed by Apollo Management International LLP. The transaction's reinvestment period will end in April 2022.RATINGS RATIONALEThe rating upgrades on the Class B-1-R and Class B-2-R are primarily a result of the benefit of the shorter period of time remaining before the end of the reinvestment period in April 2022.The affirmations on the ratings on the Class A-R, Class C-R, Class D-R and Class E-R Notes are primarily a result of the expected losses on the notes remaining consistent with their current ratings after taking into account the CLO's latest portfolio, its relevant structural features and its actual over-collateralization (OC) levels.In light of reinvestment restrictions during the amortisation period, and therefore the limited ability to effect significant changes to the current collateral pool, Moody's analysed the deal assuming a higher likelihood that the collateral pool characteristics would maintain an adequate buffer relative to certain covenant requirements. In particular, Moody's assumed that the deal will benefit from a shorter amortisation profile and higher spread levels than it had assumed at the last rating action in October 2020.The key model inputs Moody's uses in its analysis, such as par, weighted average rating factor, diversity score and the weighted average recovery rate, are based on its published methodology and could differ from the trustee's reported numbers.In its base case, Moody's used the following assumptions:Performing par and principal proceeds balance: EUR 400.7 millionDiversity Score: 54Weighted Average Rating Factor (WARF): 2894Weighted Average Life (WAL): 4.9 yearsWeighted Average Spread (WAS) (before accounting for Euribor floors): 3.62%Weighted Average Coupon (WAC): 3.83%Weighted Average Recovery Rate (WARR): 45.85%Par haircut in OC tests and interest diversion test: 0.0%The default probability derives from the credit quality of the collateral pool and Moody's expectation of the remaining life of the collateral pool. The estimated average recovery rate on future defaults is based primarily on the seniority of the assets in the collateral pool. In each case, historical and market performance and a collateral manager's latitude to trade collateral are also relevant factors. Moody's incorporates these default and recovery characteristics of the collateral pool into its cash flow model analysis, subjecting them to stresses as a function of the target rating of each CLO liability it is analysing.Methodology Underlying the Rating Action:The principal methodology used in these ratings was "Moody's Global Approach to Rating Collateralized Loan Obligations" published in December 2021 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBS_1293730. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.Counterparty Exposure:Today's rating action took into consideration the notes' exposure to relevant counterparties, such as account bank and swap provider, using the methodology "Moody's Approach to Assessing Counterparty Risks in Structured Finance" published in May 2021. Moody's concluded the ratings of the notes are not constrained by these risks.Factors that would lead to an upgrade or downgrade of the ratings:This transaction is subject to a high level of macroeconomic uncertainty, which could negatively affect the ratings on the note, in light of uncertainty about credit conditions in the general economy. In particular, the length and severity of the economic and credit shock precipitated by the global coronavirus pandemic will have a significant impact on the performance of the securities. CLO notes' performance may also be impacted either positively or negatively by (1) the manager's investment strategy and behaviour and (2) divergence in the legal interpretation of CDO documentation by different transactional parties because of embedded ambiguities.Additional uncertainty about performance is due to the following:Weighted average life: The notes' ratings are sensitive to the weighted average life assumption of the portfolio, which could lengthen as a result of the manager's decision to reinvest in new issue loans or other loans with longer maturities, or participate in amend-to-extend offerings. Moody's tested for a possible extension of the actual weighted average life in its analysis. The effect on the ratings of extending the portfolio's weighted average life can be positive or negative depending on the notes' seniority.In addition to the quantitative factors that Moody's explicitly modelled, qualitative factors are part of the rating committee's considerations. These qualitative factors include the structural protections in the transaction, its recent performance given the market environment, the legal environment, specific documentation features, the collateral manager's track record and the potential for selection bias in the portfolio. All information available to rating committees, including macroeconomic forecasts, input from other Moody's analytical groups, market factors, and judgments regarding the nature and severity of credit stress on the transactions, can influence the final rating decision.REGULATORY DISCLOSURESFor further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.The analysis relies on an assessment of collateral characteristics to determine the collateral loss distribution, that is, the function that correlates to an assumption about the likelihood of occurrence to each level of possible losses in the collateral. As a second step, Moody's evaluates each possible collateral loss scenario using a model that replicates the relevant structural features to derive payments and therefore the ultimate potential losses for each rated instrument. The loss a rated instrument incurs in each collateral loss scenario, weighted by assumptions about the likelihood of events in that scenario occurring, results in the expected loss of the rated instrument.Moody's quantitative analysis entails an evaluation of scenarios that stress factors contributing to sensitivity of ratings and take into account the likelihood of severe collateral losses or impaired cash flows. Moody's weights the impact on the rated instruments based on its assumptions of the likelihood of the events in such scenarios occurring.For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.These ratings are solicited. Please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com.Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1288235.The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU and is endorsed by Moody's Deutschland GmbH, An der Welle 5, Frankfurt am Main 60322, Germany, in accordance with Art.4 paragraph 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1060/2009 on Credit Rating Agencies. Further information on the EU endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating. Mildred Chime Associate Lead Analyst Structured Finance Group Moody's Investors Service Ltd. One Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5FA United Kingdom JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Ian Perrin Associate Managing Director Structured Finance Group JOURNALISTS: 44 20 7772 5456 Client Service: 44 20 7772 5454 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service Ltd. 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