Fitch Ratings has downgraded the rating on SriLankan Airlines Limited's (SLA) USD175 million government-guaranteed 7% unsecured bonds due 25 June 2024 to 'B-', from 'B'.

Fitch said the rating action follows the downgrading of Sri Lanka’s Long-Term Foreign- and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings to ‘B-’, from ‘B’, with a Negative Outlook.

“The national carrier’s bonds are rated at the same level as SLA’s parent, the State of Sri Lanka, due to the unconditional and irrevocable guarantee provided by the State,” the rating agency said.

Full statement below;

Fitch Downgrades SriLankan Airlines’ Government- Guaranteed Bonds to ‘B-‘

Fitch Ratings – Singapore/Colombo – 28 Apr 2020: Fitch Ratings has downgraded the rating on SriLankan Airlines Limited’s (SLA) USD175 million government-guaranteed 7% unsecured bonds due 25 June 2024 to ‘B-‘, from ‘B’.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

The rating action follows the downgrade of Sri Lanka’s Long-Term Foreign- and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings to ‘B-‘, from ‘B’, with a Negative Outlook; see ‘Fitch Downgrades Sri Lanka to ‘B-‘; Outlook Negative‘.

The national carrier’s bonds are rated at the same level as SLA’s parent, the state of Sri Lanka, due to the unconditional and irrevocable guarantee provided by the state. The Sri Lankan government held 99.5% of SLA at end-2019 through direct and indirect holdings.

DERIVATION SUMMARY

Fitch has rated SLA’s US dollar-denominated bonds at the same level as the sovereign due to the unconditional and irrevocable guarantee provided by the government. The rating is not derived from the issuer’s Standalone Credit Profile and thus is not comparable with that of industry peers.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

Factors that could, individually or collectively, lead to positive rating action/upgrade:

– An upgrade of the sovereign rating

Factors that could, individually or collectively, lead to negative rating action/downgrade:

- An upgrade of the sovereign rating

Factors that could, individually or collectively, lead to negative rating action/downgrade:

- A downgrade of the sovereign rating

For the sovereign rating of Sri Lanka, the following sensitivities were outlined by Fitch in its rating action commentary of 24 April 2020

Factors that Could, Individually or Collectively, Lead to Negative Rating Action/Downgrade:

- Further increase in external funding stress, reflected in a narrowing of funding options and weaker refinancing capacity that threatens the ability to meet external debt repayments

- Prolonged policy uncertainty that contributes to a loss of investor confidence

- Failure to arrest the upward trajectory of the general government debt/GDP ratio, potentially reflecting an inability to constrain the fiscal deficit

Factors that Could, Individually or Collectively, Lead to Positive Rating Action/Upgrade:

- Improvement in external finances, supported by higher non-debt inflows or a reduction in external sovereign refinancing risks from an improved liability profile

- Improved policy coherence and credibility, leading to more sustainable public and external finances and a reduction in the risk of debt distress

- Stronger public finances, underpinned by a credible medium-term fiscal consolidation strategy