Press Release

DBRS Morningstar Confirms Ratings of Series 2018-1 and Series 2019-1 Notes Issued by WTH Car Rental ULC

Auto
January 27, 2023

DBRS Limited (DBRS Morningstar) confirmed its AAA (sf) ratings of the Fixed Rate Asset-Backed Notes, Series 2018-1 and Fixed Rate Asset-Backed Notes, Series 2019-1 (collectively, the Notes) issued by WTH Car Rental ULC as part of DBRS Morningstar’s continued effort to provide market participants with annual updates.

The rating confirmations are based on the following factors as of November 2022:

(1) High and dynamic credit enhancement levels in the form of overcollateralization and a letter of credit and/or cash. The Notes are protected by dynamic credit enhancement that was sized on the assumption that the fleet would have to be liquidated at any point throughout the year prior to the Expected Final Payment Date of the Notes. Required enhancement levels for Program Vehicles are determined by the credit rating of the manufacturer of the underlying vehicles. For Nonprogram Vehicles, the required enhancement level can increase if losses experienced on the disposition of the Nonprogram Vehicles exceed a specified threshold.

(2) Experienced administrator. WTH Funding Limited Partnership has a long, successful track record of managing the acquisition and disposition of WTH Car Rental ULC’s Vehicle Fleet through challenging economic cycles. The transaction is also supported by structural protections. Conservative depreciation rates have historically been applied to Nonprogram Vehicles, resulting in gains on dispositions.

(3) The transaction continues to perform well and is within DBRS Morningstar’s expected parameters, as defined at the onset of the transaction.

The Notes are repaid through the collection of proceeds arising from the payments received from the lease of the Vehicle Fleet pursuant to the Master Lease Agreement, the repurchase of Program Vehicles by the Program Vehicle Manufacturers, and the sale of Nonprogram Vehicles.

DBRS Morningstar monitors the performance of the transaction to identify any deviation from its expectation of the Notes at issuance and to ensure that the ratings remain appropriate. The review is predicated on the timely receipt of performance information from the related providers.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, GOVERNANCE CONSIDERATIONS
There were no Environmental/Social/Governance (ESG) factors that had a significant or relevant effect on the credit analysis.

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/396929 (May 17, 2022).

Notes:
The principal methodology applicable to the ratings is the Master Canadian Structured Finance Surveillance Methodology (December 13, 2022; https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/407359).

Other methodologies referenced in this transaction are listed at the end of this press release. These may be found at: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/about/methodologies.

The DBRS Morningstar Sovereign group releases baseline macroeconomic scenarios for rated sovereigns. DBRS Morningstar analysis considered impacts consistent with the baseline scenarios as set forth in the following report: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/384482.

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.

DBRS Limited
DBRS Tower, 181 University Avenue, Suite 700
Toronto, ON M5H 3M7 Canada
Tel. +1 416 593-5577

The rating methodologies used in the analysis of this transaction can be found at: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/about/methodologies.

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

ALL MORNINGSTAR DBRS RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO DISCLAIMERS AND CERTAIN LIMITATIONS. PLEASE READ THESE DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING MORNINGSTAR DBRS RATINGS, INCLUDING DEFINITIONS, POLICIES, RATING SCALES AND METHODOLOGIES.