Press Release

Morningstar DBRS Assigns Provisional Credit Ratings to Fortuna Consumer Loan ABS 2024-2 Designated Activity Company

Consumer Loans & Credit Cards
September 03, 2024

DBRS Ratings GmbH (Morningstar DBRS) assigned provisional credit ratings to the following classes of notes (collectively, the Rated Notes) to be issued by Fortuna Consumer Loan ABS 2024-2 Designated Activity Company (the Issuer):

-- Class A1 Notes at AAA (sf)
-- Class A2 Notes at AAA (sf)
-- Class B Notes at AA (sf)
-- Class C Notes at A (high) (sf)
-- Class D Notes at BBB (high) (sf)
-- Class E Notes at BB (high) (sf)
-- Class F Notes at B (sf)

Morningstar DBRS did not assign a provisional credit rating to the Class G or Class X Notes (together with the Rated Notes, the Notes) also expected to be issued in this transaction.

The credit ratings of the Class A1, Class A2, and Class B Notes address the timely payment of scheduled interest and the ultimate repayment of principal by the legal final maturity date. The credit ratings of the Class C, Class D, Class E, and Class F Notes address the ultimate payment of interest (but timely when as the most senior class outstanding) and the ultimate repayment of principal by the legal final maturity date.

CREDIT RATING RATIONALE
Morningstar DBRS credit ratings of the Rates Notes are based on the following analytical considerations:
-- The transaction's structure, including the form and sufficiency of available credit enhancement to withstand stressed cashflow assumptions and repay the Issuer's financial obligations according to the terms under which the Rated Notes are issued
-- The credit quality of auxmoney GmbH's (auxmoney) portfolio, the diversification of the collateral, its historical performance, and Morningstar DBRS projected performance under various stress scenarios
-- Morningstar DBRS operational risk review of auxmoney's capabilities with regard to the origination and underwriting
-- The capabilities of CreditConnect GmbH (CreditConnect) with respect to the servicing
-- The transaction parties' financial strength with regard to their respective roles
-- The expected consistency of the transaction's structure with Morningstar DBRS "Legal Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions" and "Derivative Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions" methodologies, and
-- Morningstar DBRS long-term sovereign credit rating on the Federal Republic of Germany, currently at AAA with a Stable trend

TRANSACTION STRUCTURE
The transaction is a securitisation of fixed-rate, unsecured, amortising consumer loans granted to individuals domiciled in Germany and brokered through auxmoney in co-operation with Süd-West-Kreditbank Finanzierung GmbH as the nominal originator and payment services provider. CreditConnect, a fully owned affiliate of auxmoney, is the initial servicer.

The transaction has a scheduled revolving period of [12] months with separate interest and principal waterfalls for the available distribution amount. After the end of the scheduled revolving period, the Rated Notes will enter into a pro rata redemption period if no sequential amortisation trigger event occurs: for example, when the Class G principal deficiency ledger (PDL) exceeds 0.25% of the outstanding principal balance of the receivables or when the cumulative default ratio is higher than pre-determined thresholds. The pro rata amortisation amounts are based on the percentages of the outstanding amount of each class of Rated Notes minus the related class PDL divided by the aggregate amount. After the breach of a sequential redemption trigger, the Notes (excluding the Class X Notes) will be repaid sequentially.

On the other hand, the Class X Notes will start the redemption immediately after closing in the interest waterfalls until a post-enforcement event occurs.

The transaction benefits from an amortising liquidity reserve expected to be fully funded at closing by the Notes' issuance proceeds. The liquidity reserve is available to the Issuer only in scenarios where the interest and principal collections are not sufficient to cover the shortfalls in senior expenses, senior swap payments, interest payments on the Class A1 and Class A2 Notes, and, if not deferred, on the other classes of the Rated Notes.

The principal available funds may be used to cover certain senior expenses and interest shortfalls, which would be recorded in the transaction's PDL in addition to the defaulted receivables. In addition, the transaction includes in the interest waterfalls a mechanism of PDL-debit curing and interest deferral triggers on the subordinated classes of Notes (excluding the Class X Notes), conditional on the PDL debit amount and the seniority of the Notes.

The transaction is expected to have an interest rate swap to mitigate the interest rate mismatch risk between the fixed-rate collateral and the floating-rate Rated Notes (excluding the Class X Notes) and unrated Class G Notes. The swap notional amount is based on a scheduled amount derived from certain prepayment assumptions.

TRANSACTION COUNTERPARTIES
Deutsche Bank AG is the account bank for the transaction. Morningstar DBRS has a Long-Term Issuer Rating of "A" on Deutsche Bank, which meets the Morningstar DBRS criteria to act in such capacity. The transaction documents contain downgrade provisions largely consistent with Morningstar DBRS' criteria.

BNP Paribas is the interest rate swap provider for the transaction. Morningstar DBRS has a Long-Term Issuer Rating of AA (low) on BNP Paribas, which meets the Morningstar DBRS criteria to act in such capacity. The transaction documents also contain downgrade provisions largely consistent with Morningstar DBRS' criteria.

PORTFOLIO ASSUMPTIONS
As auxmoney's portfolio data history continues to lengthen, Morningstar DBRS updated the expected defaults of some score classes and set the portfolio expected gross default at 10.6% based on the estimated score class compositions at the end of the scheduled revolving period. On the other hand, Morningstar DBRS maintained the expected recovery unchanged at 27.5% or the expected loss given default (LGD) at 72.5%.

Morningstar DBRS credit ratings on the Rated Notes address the credit risk associated with the identified financial obligations in accordance with the relevant transaction documents. The associated financial obligations for each of the Rated Notes are the related Interest Amounts and the Initial Note Principal Amount.

Morningstar DBRS credit ratings on the Rated Notes also addresses the credit risk associated with the increased rate of interest applicable to the Rated Notes if the Rated Notes are not redeemed on the first optional redemption date as defined in and in accordance with the applicable transaction documents.

Morningstar DBRS credit ratings do not address non-payment risk associated with contractual payment obligations contemplated in the applicable transaction document(s) that are not financial obligations.

Morningstar DBRS long-term credit ratings provide opinions on risk of default. Morningstar DBRS considers risk of default to be the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy the financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which a long-term obligation has been issued.

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

A description of how Morningstar DBRS considers ESG factors within the Morningstar DBRS analytical framework can be found in the "Morningstar DBRS Criteria: Approach to Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors in Credit Ratings" at https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/437781.

Morningstar DBRS analysed the transaction structure in Intex Dealmaker.

Notes:
All figures are in euros unless otherwise noted.

The principal methodology applicable to the credit ratings is "Rating European Consumer and Commercial Asset-Backed Securitisations" (22 August 2024), https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/438224.

Other methodologies referenced in this transaction are listed at the end of this press release.

Morningstar DBRS has applied the principal methodology consistently and conducted a review of the transaction in accordance with the principal methodology.

An asset and a cashflow analysis were both conducted. Due to the inclusion of a revolving period in the transaction, the analysis considers potential portfolio migration based on replenishment criteria set forth in the transaction legal documents.

For a more detailed discussion of the sovereign risk impact on Structured Finance credit ratings, please refer to "Appendix C: The Impact of Sovereign Ratings on Other Morningstar DBRS Credit Ratings" of the "Global Methodology for Rating Sovereign Governments" methodology at https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/436000.

The sources of data and information used for these credit ratings include the following data provided by auxmoney or through the arranger, BNP Paribas:
-- Loan-level data from January 2014 to May 2024
-- Static default data from Q2 2014 to Q1 2024
-- Recovery data from June 2017 to April 2024
-- Dynamic delinquency information from June 2018 to May 2024
-- Prepayment rates from May 2016 to May 2024
-- Stratification tables and loan by loan data as of 28 August 2024

Morningstar DBRS did not rely upon third-party due diligence in order to conduct its analysis.

Morningstar DBRS was supplied with third-party assessments. However, this did not affect the credit rating analysis.

Morningstar DBRS considers the data and information available to it for the purposes of providing these credit ratings to be of satisfactory quality.

Morningstar DBRS does not audit or independently verify the data or information it receives in connection with the credit rating process.

A provisional credit rating is not a final credit rating with respect to the above-mentioned securities and may change or be different than the final credit rating assigned or may be discontinued. The assignment of final credit ratings on the above-mentioned securities is subject to receipt by Morningstar DBRS of all data and/or information and final documentation that Morningstar DBRS deems necessary to finalise the credit ratings.

These credit ratings concern expected-to-be-issued new financial instruments. These are the first Morningstar DBRS credit ratings on these financial instruments.

Information regarding Morningstar DBRS credit ratings, including definitions, policies, and methodologies, is available at https://dbrs.morningstar.com.

Sensitivity Analysis: To assess the impact of changing the transaction parameters on the credit ratings, Morningstar DBRS considered the following stress scenarios as compared with the parameters used to determine the credit ratings:

-- Expected default of 10.6%
-- Expected LGD of 72.5%

Scenario 1: 25% increase in expected default
Scenario 2: 50% increase in expected default
Scenario 3: 25% increase in expected LGD
Scenario 4: 50% increase in expected LGD
Scenario 5: 25% increase in both expected default and expected LGD
Scenario 6: 25% increase in expected default and 50% increase in expected LGD
Scenario 7: 50% increase in expected default and 25% increase in expected LGD
Scenario 8: 50% increase in both expected default and expected LGD

Morningstar DBRS concludes that the expected credit ratings under the eight stress scenarios are:
-- Class A1 and Class A2 Notes: AA (sf), AA (low) (sf), AA (sf), AA (sf), AA (low) (sf), A (high) (sf), AA (low) (sf), A (high) (sf)
-- Class B Notes: AA (low) (sf), A (sf), AA (low) (sf), AA (low) (sf), A (sf), A (low) (sf), A (sf), A (low) (sf)
-- Class C Notes: A (sf), BBB (high) (sf), A (low) (sf), BBB (high) (sf), BBB (sf), BB (sf), BBB (low) (sf), BB (low) (sf)
-- Class D Notes: BBB (low) (sf), BB (low) (sf), BBB (low) (sf), BB (high) (sf), B (high) (sf), below B (low) (sf), BB (high) (sf), below B (low) (sf), below B (low) (sf)
-- Class E Notes: B (high) (sf), below B (low) (sf), B (high) (sf), below B (low) (sf), below B (low) (sf), below B (low) (sf), B (sf), below B (low) (sf)
-- Class F Notes: below B (low) (sf) for all scenarios

For further information on Morningstar DBRS historical default rates published by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in a central repository, see https://registers.esma.europa.eu/cerep-publication. For further information on Morningstar DBRS' historical default rates published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in a central repository, see https://data.fca.org.uk/#/ceres/craStats.

These credit ratings are endorsed by DBRS Ratings Limited for use in the United Kingdom.

Lead Analyst: Roberto Perez, Assistant Vice President
Credit Rating Committee Chair: David Lautier, Senior Vice President
Initial Credit Rating Date: 3 September 2024

DBRS Ratings GmbH, Sucursal en España
Paseo de la Castellana 81, Plantas 26 & 27
28046 Madrid, Spain
Tel. +34 (91) 903 6500

DBRS Ratings GmbH
Neue Mainzer Straße 75
60311 Frankfurt am Main Deutschland
Tel. +49 (69) 8088 3500
Geschäftsführer: Detlef Scholz
Amtsgericht Frankfurt am Main, HRB 110259

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

-- Rating European Consumer and Commercial Asset Backed Securitisations (22 August 2024),
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/438224
-- Rating European Structured Finance Transactions Methodology (25 June 2024),
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/434970
-- Legal Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions (28 June 2024), https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/435165
-- Operational Risk Assessment for European Structured Finance Originators (6 August 2024),
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/437541
-- Operational Risk Assessment for European Structured Finance Servicers (6 August 2024),
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/437543
-- Interest Rate Stresses for European Structured Finance Transactions (28 June 2024),
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/435278
-- Derivative Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions (28 June 2024),
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/435260
-- Morningstar DBRS Criteria: Approach to Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors in Credit Ratings (13 August 2024),
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/437781

A description of how Morningstar DBRS analyses structured finance transactions and how the methodologies are collectively applied can be found at https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/278375.

For more information on this credit or on this industry, visit dbrs.morningstar.com or contact us at info-DBRS@morningstar.com.

Ratings

Fortuna Consumer Loan ABS 2024-2 Designated Activity Company
  • US = Lead Analyst based in USA
  • CA = Lead Analyst based in Canada
  • EU = Lead Analyst based in EU
  • UK = Lead Analyst based in UK
  • E = EU endorsed
  • U = UK endorsed
  • Unsolicited Participating With Access
  • Unsolicited Participating Without Access
  • Unsolicited Non-participating

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.