New York, November 07, 2012 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned ratings to five classes of CMBS securities, issued by COMM 2012-FL2 Commercial Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates.
Cl. A, Definitive Rating Assigned Aaa (sf)
Cl. X-1, Definitive Rating Assigned Aa3 (sf)
Cl. B, Definitive Rating Assigned Aa2 (sf)
Cl. C, Definitive Rating Assigned A3 (sf)
Cl. GPI, Definitive Rating Assigned Baa3 (sf)
RATINGS RATIONALE
The Certificates are collateralized by two floating rate loans secured by 41 properties. The ratings are based on the collateral and the structure of the transaction.
Moody's CMBS ratings methodology combines both commercial real estate and structured finance analysis. Based on commercial real estate analysis, Moody's determines the credit quality of each mortgage loan and calculates an expected loss on a loan specific basis. Under structured finance, the credit enhancement for each certificate typically depends on the expected frequency, severity, and timing of future losses. Moody's also considers a range of qualitative issues as well as the transaction's structural and legal aspects.
The credit risk of loans is determined primarily by two factors: 1) Moody's assessment of the probability of default, which is largely driven by each loan's DSCR, and 2) Moody's assessment of the severity of loss upon a default, which is largely driven by each loan's LTV ratio.
The Moody's Stressed DSCR for the Pooled Trust is 1.93X which is higher than the 2007 large transaction average of 1.63X. Moody's LTV ratio for the Pooled Trust is 57.8%, which is lower than the 2007 large loan transaction average of 63.3%.
Moody's also considers both loan level diversity and property level diversity when selecting a ratings approach. With respect to loan level diversity, the pool's loan level Herfindahl score is 1.7. The score is lower than Herfindahl scores represented by large loan, multi-borrower transactions previously rated by Moody's. With respect to property level diversity, the pool's property level Herfindahl score is 10.4. The transaction's property diversity profile is consistent with most previously rated large loan multi-borrower transactions.
Moody's grades properties on a scale of 1 to 5 (best to worst) and considers those grades when assessing the likelihood of debt payment. The factors considered include property age, quality of construction, location, market, and tenancy. The pool's weighted average property quality grade is 2.1, which is consistent when compared to other deals rated by Moody's since 2009.
The methodologies used in this rating were "Moody's Approach to Rating CMBS Large Loan/Single Borrower Transactions" published in July 2000, and "Moody's Approach to Rating Structured Finance Interest-Only Securities" published in February 2012. Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.
Moody's review incorporated the use of the excel-based Large Loan Model v 8.1. The large loan model derives credit enhancement levels based on an aggregation of adjusted loan level proceeds derived from Moody's loan level LTV ratios. Major adjustments to determining proceeds include leverage, loan structure, property type, and sponsorship. These aggregated proceeds are then further adjusted for any pooling benefits associated with loan level diversity, other concentrations and correlations.Moody's analysis also uses the CMBS IO calculator ver1.0, which references the following inputs to calculate the proposed IO rating based on the published methodology: original and current bond ratings and credit assessments; original and current bond balances grossed up for losses for all bonds the IO(s) reference(s) within the transaction; and IO type corresponding to an IO type as defined in the published methodology.
The V Score for this transaction is assessed as Medium, the same as the V score assigned to the U.S. Large Loan CMBS sector. This reflects typical volatility with respect to the critical assumptions used in the rating process as well as an average disclosure of securitization collateral and ongoing performance.
Moody's V Scores provide a relative assessment of the quality of available credit information and the potential variability around the various inputs to a rating determination. The V Score ranks transactions by the potential for significant rating changes owing to uncertainty around the assumptions due to data quality, historical performance, the level of disclosure, transaction complexity, the modeling, and the transaction governance that underlie the ratings. V Scores apply to the entire transaction (rather than individual tranches).
Moody's Parameter Sensitivities: If Moody's value of the collateral used in determining the initial rating were decreased by 5%, 14%, or 22%, the model-indicated rating for the currently rated Aaa class would be Aa1; Aa2; and A1. Parameter Sensitivities are not intended to measure how the rating of the security might migrate over time; rather they are designed to provide a quantitative calculation of how the initial rating might change if key input parameters used in the initial rating process differed. The analysis assumes that the deal has not aged. Parameter Sensitivities only reflect the ratings impact of each scenario from a quantitative/model-indicated standpoint. Qualitative factors are also taken into consideration in the ratings process, so the actual ratings that would be assigned in each case could vary from the information presented in the Parameter Sensitivity analysis.
These ratings: (a) are based solely on information in the public domain and/or information communicated to Moody's by the issuer at the date it was prepared and such information has not been independently verified by Moody's; (b) must be construed solely as a statement of opinion and not a statement of fact or an offer, invitation, inducement or recommendation to purchase, sell or hold any securities or otherwise act in relation to the issuer or any other entity or in connection with any other matter. Moody's does not guarantee or make any representation or warranty as to the correctness of any information, rating or communication relating to the issuer. Moody's shall not be liable in contract, tort, statutory duty or otherwise to the issuer or any other third party for any loss, injury or cost caused to the issuer or any other third party, in whole or in part, including by any negligence (but excluding fraud, dishonesty and/or willful misconduct or any other type of liability that by law cannot be excluded) on the part of, or any contingency beyond the control of, Moody's, or any of its employees or agents, including any losses arising from or in connection with the procurement, compilation, analysis, interpretation, communication, dissemination, or delivery of any information or rating relating to the issuer.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
The Global Scale Credit Ratings on this press release that are issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the EU are endorsed by Moody's Investors Service Ltd., One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E 14 5FA, UK, 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 has issued a particular Credit Rating is available on www.moodys.com.
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt, this announcement provides relevant regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series or category/class of debt 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 relevant regulatory disclosures in relation to the rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides relevant 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.
Information sources used to prepare the rating are the following: parties involved in the ratings, parties not involved in the ratings, public information, confidential and proprietary Moody's Investors Service information, and confidential and proprietary Moody's Analytics information.
Moody's received and took into account one or more third-party assessments on the due diligence performed regarding the underlying assets or financial instruments in this transaction and the assessments had a neutral impact on the rating.
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Stefanos Arethas Analyst Structured Finance Group Moody'sInvestors Service, Inc.250 Greenwich StreetNew York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376 SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653Keith Banhazl Vice President - Senior Analyst Structured Finance Group JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376 SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653 Releasing Office: Moody's Investors Service, Inc.250 Greenwich StreetNew York, NY 10007 U.S.A. JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376 SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653(C) 2012 Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and/or its licensors and affiliates (collectively, "MOODY'S"). All rights reserved.
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