DBRS Confirms S Split Corp. Preferred Shares at Pfd-3

DBRS Limited (DBRS) confirmed the rating on the Preferred Shares issued by S Split Corp. (the Company) at Pfd-3. The Company invests in a portfolio of the Bank of Nova Scotia (rated AA with a Stable trend by DBRS) common shares (the BNS Shares). Dividends received from the BNS Shares are used to pay a fixed cumulative monthly dividend to the holders of the Preferred Shares equal to 5.25% per annum (p.a.). The Company aims to provide the holders of the Class A Shares with regular monthly cash distributions in an amount targeted to be 6% p.a. on the net asset value (NAV) of the Class A Shares. No distributions will be paid to the Class A Shares if the asset coverage available to the Preferred Shares falls below 1.65 times (x). Furthermore, no special distributions will be paid to the Class A Shares if such payments reduce the Company’s NAV to less than $25; however, special distributions may be made to mitigate any potential tax liabilities to the Company. Distributions to the Class A Shares were suspended in November 2018 because of the decline in NAV.

The Company employs the Strathbridge Selective Overwriting proprietary options strategy to supplement the dividend income earned on the BNS Shares. The Company may also write cash-covered put options on the BNS Shares to generate additional returns. In addition, the Company may invest up to 10% of its net assets to purchase call options in respect of securities in which the Company is permitted to invest.

As at November 15, 2018, the amount of downside protection available to the Preferred Shares was approximately 38.7%. The dividend coverage went up to 0.5x because of the increased dividend payout on the BNS Shares. The expected average annual grind on the NAV is approximately 1.8% over the next three years. The redemption date for both classes of shares issued is November 30, 2021. On the redemption date, the holders of the Preferred Shares will have priority over the holders of the Class A Shares with respect to return of capital and distributions. After the holders of the Preferred Shares are fully paid, the holders of the Class A Shares will receive the remaining value of the Company.

The primary constraints to the rating are the Company’s dependence on the value of the BNS Shares, the price volatility and concentration of the entire portfolio in the BNS Shares and the potential impact of changes in the Bank of Nova Scotia’s dividend policy on the common shares. Based on these considerations, the amount of downside protection available and its recent trend, DBRS confirms the Pfd-3 rating on the Preferred Shares issued by the Company.

Notes:
All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

The principal methodology is Rating Canadian Split Share Companies and Trusts, which can be found on dbrs.com under Methodologies.

The related regulatory disclosures pursuant to the National Instrument 25-101 Designated Rating Organizations are hereby incorporated by reference and can be found by clicking on the link under Related Documents or by contacting us at info@dbrs.com.

The rated entity or its related entities did participate in the rating process for this rating action. DBRS had access to the accounts and other relevant internal documents of the rated entity or its related entities in connection with this rating action.

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