Morningstar DBRS Confirms Credit Ratings of the Laurentian Bank of Canada Legislative Covered Bonds at AA (high)
Covered BondsDBRS Limited (Morningstar DBRS) confirmed the AA (high) credit rating of the following outstanding series issued under the Laurentian Bank of Canada (Legislative Global Covered Bond Programme) (the Program) as part of its continued efforts to provide timely credit rating opinions and increased transparency to market participants:
-- Covered Bonds, Series CBL1
-- Covered Bonds, Series CBL2
The confirmation is based on the following analytical considerations:
-- A Covered Bond Attachment Point (CBAP) of BBB, which is the Long-Term Senior Debt rating of the Laurentian Bank of Canada (LBC or the Bank). LBC is the Reference Entity for the Program.
-- A Legal and Structuring Framework (LSF) assessment of Strong associated with the Program.
-- A Cover Pool Credit Assessment of AA.
-- An LSF-Implied Likelihood (LSF-L) of AA (low)
-- A two-notch uplift from the LSF-L for high recovery prospects to achieve the AA (high) rating. Based on the recovery notching scale, an uplift of up to two notches from the LSF-L is possible.
-- A level of overcollateralization (OC) of 16.0% (based on the Asset Percentage of 86.21% as at February 2025) to which Morningstar DBRS gives credit.
Morningstar DBRS' credit ratings on the applicable classes address the credit risk associated with the identified financial obligations in accordance with the relevant transaction documents. Where applicable, a description of these financial obligations can be found in the transactions' respective press releases at issuance.
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
ESG Considerations had a significant effect on the credit analysis.
Governance (G) Factors
The following Governance factor(s) had a significant effect on the credit analysis:
Passed-through Governance credit considerations had a significant effect on the credit analysis. The Governance factor is significant to LBC's credit ratings and affects the Long-Term Senior Debt Rating assigned to the Bank, which Morningstar DBRS downgraded to BBB with a Stable trend from BBB (high) with a Negative trend on November 1, 2024, after having downgraded it to BBB (high) with a Negative trend from A (low) on December 1, 2023. For additional information please see the latest press release at https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/442476. The downgrade of LBC's Long-Term Senior Debt Rating affected the CBAP and the credit ratings assigned to the covered bonds issued under the Program, which were downgraded to AA (high) from AAA, on November 1, 2024. For additional information please see the press release at https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/442474.
There were no Environmental/Social factor(s) 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 (August 13, 2024) https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/437781.
Notes:
All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.
The principal methodology applicable to the credit ratings is
Global Methodology for Rating and Monitoring Covered Bonds (April 02, 2024) https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/430636.
Other methodologies referenced in this transaction are listed at the end of this press release.
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@morningstar.com.
The credit rating was initiated at the request of the rated entity.
The rated entity or its related entities did participate in the credit rating process for this credit rating action.
Morningstar DBRS had access to the accounts, management and other relevant internal documents of the rated entity or its related entities in connection with this credit rating action.
This is a solicited credit rating.
Please see the related appendix for additional information regarding the sensitivity of assumptions used in the credit rating process.
More details on the Cover Pool and the Program are provided in the Monthly Canadian Covered Bond Report, which is available on dbrs.morningstar.com or by contacting us at info-DBRS@morningstar.com.
DBRS Limited
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Tel. +1 416 593-5577
The credit rating methodologies used in the analysis of this transaction can be found at: https://dbrs.morningstar.com/about/methodologies.
Legal and Derivatives Criteria for Canadian Structured Finance (August 12, 2024)
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/437761
Operational Risk Assessments for Canadian Structured Finance (August 06, 2024)
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/437547
DBRS Canadian RMBS Model 5.0.1.1
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/models
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/410863.
For more information on this credit or on this industry, visit dbrs.morningstar.com or contact us at info-DBRS@morningstar.com.