DBRS Morningstar Confirms Ratings on Ford Auto Securitization Trust 2018-B

DBRS Limited (DBRS Morningstar) confirmed its ratings on the following notes issued by Ford Auto Securitization Trust (FAST) 2018-B (the Trust) as part of DBRS Morningstar’s continued effort to provide market participants with updates on an annual basis:

-- Asset-Backed Notes, Series 2018-B, Class A-2 (the Class A-2 Notes) at AAA (sf)
-- Asset-Backed Notes, Series 2018-B, Class A-3 (the Class A-3 Notes; collectively with the Class A-2 Notes, the Class A Notes or the Rated Notes) at AAA (sf)

The Asset-Backed Notes, Series 2018-B, Class B and the Asset-Backed Notes, Series 2018-B, Class C (collectively with the Rated Notes, the Notes) are unrated.

DBRS Morningstar initially published its outlook on the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic’s impact on key economic indicators for the 2020–22 time frame in April 2020. DBRS Morningstar last updated the macroeconomic scenarios on March 17, 2021, in its “Global Macroeconomic Scenarios: March 2021 Update” at https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/375376. For the Rated Notes, DBRS Morningstar considered impacts consistent with the moderate scenario in the referenced commentary in its analysis. The rating actions are based on the following factors as of March 2021:

(1) The pass-through structure of the transaction has built up sufficient credit enhancement (CE) since issuance to protect the Notes. Total CE levels available to the Class A Notes, measured as a percentage of the outstanding Note, have increased to 26.3% from 5.3% since initial issuance.

(2) As the Initial Pool Balances were sold to the Trust at discounted values, the Yield Supplement Overcollateralization Amounts created contribute to the generation of excess spread that is available to support repayment of the Notes. Current excess spread available, net of losses, is approximately 10.1%.

(3) To date, cumulative losses remain low and have amounted to 55 basis points of the Initial Pool Balance, compared with the original base-case estimate of 1.56% for the comparable time period.

(4) Ford Credit Canada Company (rated BB (high) with a Negative trend by DBRS Morningstar) has significant experience in administrating, servicing, and managing securitizations, as demonstrated by its long track record of FAST transactions since 2009, all of which performed or are performing within expectations. As a subsidiary of Ford Motor Credit Company LLC (FMCC; rated BB (high) with a Negative trend by DBRS Morningstar), Ford Credit Canada benefits from its parent’s strong franchise and global presence, allowing it to leverage FMCC’s experience and expertise to ensure sound and consistent underwriting standards and efficient servicing operations.

DBRS Morningstar monitors the performance of each transaction to identify any deviation from its expectation at issuance and to ensure the ratings remain appropriate. The performance and characteristics of each publicly rated auto loan portfolio, including the Notes, are available and updated each month in the “Monthly Canadian ABS Report.”

A description of how DBRS Morningstar considers ESG factors within the DBRS Morningstar analytical framework can be found in the DBRS Morningstar Criteria: Approach to Environmental, Social, and Governance Risk Factors in Credit Ratings at https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/373262.

Notes:
The principal methodology is Master Canadian Structured Finance Surveillance Methodology (August 31, 2020), which can be found on dbrsmorningstar.com under Methodologies & Criteria.

For more information regarding rating methodologies and Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), please see the following DBRS Morningstar press release: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/357883.

For more information regarding structured finance rating methodologies and Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), please see the following DBRS Morningstar press release: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/358308.

For more information regarding the structured finance rating approach and Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), please see the following DBRS Morningstar press release: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/359905.

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 [email protected].

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

Please see the related appendix for additional information regarding the sensitivity of assumptions used in the rating process.

For more information on this credit or on this industry, visit www.dbrsmorningstar.com or contact us at [email protected].

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