DBRS Places Quarzo S.r.l. Series 2009 Under Review with Negative Implications

DBRS Ratings Limited (DBRS) has today placed Under Review with Negative Implications the Class A notes issued by Quarzo S.r.l. Series 2009.

The rating actions reflect the November 9th, 2011 DBRS downgrade of the Republic of Italy’s Long Term Foreign Currency and Long-Term Local Currency ratings from AA (low) to A (high) with the Negative Trend maintained (see press release “DBRS Downgrades Republic of Italy to A (high) on Fiscal and Market Risks; Trend Remains Negative”).

DBRS will undertake a review to determine the impact of the sovereign downgrade on the transaction and will promptly publish updated rating actions that may either result in a confirmation or a downgrade. DBRS employs a case-by-case approach that is jurisdiction-specific and asset-class specific with the risks and protections of each transaction identified and considered. The lower the sovereign rating, the greater relevance and potential impact it has on securitisation ratings due to less favorable macroeconomic conditions, stress factors related to the transaction parties and increased likelihood for unknown events to occur.

The principal methodologies applicable are Master European Structured Finance Surveillance Methodology, Rating European Consumer and Commercial Asset-Backed Securitisations and the DBRS Legal Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions, which can be found on our website under Methodologies. For a more detailed discussion of sovereign risk impact on Structured Finance ratings, please refer to DBRS commentary “The Effect of Sovereign Risk on Securitisations in the Euro Area”, located at http://dbrs.com/research/239786.

For additional information on these ratings, please refer to the linking document.

Lead Analyst: Alessio Pignataro
Rating Committee Chair: Claire Mezzanotte
Initial Rating Date: 24 February 2011