MIRA INFORM REPORT

 

 

Report No. :

308213

Report Date :

21.02.2015

 

IDENTIFICATION DETAILS

 

Name :

GENESCO, INC.

 

 

Registered Office :

1415 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217

 

 

Country :

United States

 

 

Year of Establishment :

1924

 

 

Legal Form :

Public Company

 

 

Line of Business :

Subject operates as a retailer and wholesaler of branded footwear, apparel and accessories.

 

 

No. of Employees :

9,200

 

 

RATING & COMMENTS

 

MIRA’s Rating :

B

 

RATING

STATUS

PROPOSED CREDIT LINE

26-40

B

Capability to overcome financial difficulties seems comparatively below average.

Small

 

Status :

Moderate

 

 

Payment Behaviour :

Slow but correct

 

 

Litigation :

Exist

 

 

NOTES:

Any query related to this report can be made on e-mail: infodept@mirainform.com while quoting report number, name and date.

 

 

ECGC Country Risk Classification List – December 31, 2014

 

Country Name

Previous Rating

(30.09.2014)

Current Rating

(31.12.2014)

United States

A1

A1

 

Risk Category

ECGC Classification

Insignificant

 

A1

Low

 

A2

Moderate

 

B1

High

 

B2

Very High

 

C1

Restricted

 

C2

Off-credit

 

D

 

 

 

 


 

UNITED STATES - ECONOMIC OVERVIEW

 

The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $49,800. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income. Imported oil accounts for nearly 55% of US consumption. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period. Besides dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, in October 2008 the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. In 2012 the federal government reduced the growth of spending and the deficit shrank to 7.6% of GDP. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through 2011, the direct costs of the wars totaled nearly $900 billion, according to US government figures. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform that was designed to extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on health care - public plus private - rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. In December 2012, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) announced plans to purchase $85 billion per month of mortgage-backed and Treasury securities in an effort to hold down long-term interest rates, and to keep short term rates near zero until unemployment drops below 6.5% or inflation rises above 2.5%. In late 2013, the Fed announced that it would begin scaling back long-term bond purchases to $75 billion per month in January 2014 and reduce them further as conditions warranted; the Fed, however, would keep short-term rates near zero so long as unemployment and inflation had not crossed the previously stated thresholds. Long-term problems include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits.

 

Source : CIA

 

 

 

Company Name and address

 

Company name:            GENESCO, INC.

 

Headquarters:              1415 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217 - USA

           

Telephone:                    +1 615-367-7000

Fax:                              +1 615-367-8278

 

Website:                       www.genesco.com

 

 

Company Summary

 

Corporate ID#:              12686

 

State:                           Tennessee

 

Judicial form:                Public Company (NYSE = GCO)

 

Date incorporated:        10-19-1934

 

Date founded:              1924

 

Stock:                           80,000,000 shares.

As of November 28, 2014, 24,078,058 shares of the registrant’s common stock were outstanding.

 

Value:                           USD 1= par value

 

Name of manager:         Robert J. DENNIS

 

 

ACTIVITIES & OPERATIONS

 

Business:

 

Genesco Inc. operates as a retailer and wholesaler of branded footwear, apparel and accessories.

 

The company operates five segments: Journeys Group, Schuh Group, Lids Sports Group, Johnston & Murphy Group, and Licensed Brands.

 

The Journeys Group segment includes Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Shi by Journeys and Underground by Journeys retail stores, catalog and e-commerce operations. As of February 1, 2014, Journeys Group operated 1,168 stores, including 174 Journeys Kidz stores, 50 Shi by Journeys stores and 117 Underground by Journeys stores averaging approximately 1,875 square feet, throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico and Canada, selling footwear and accessories for young men, women and children.

 

Journeys stores target customers in the 13 to 22 year age group through the use of youth-oriented decor and multi-channel media. Journeys stores carry predominately branded merchandise across a range of prices. The Journeys Kidz retail footwear stores sell footwear and accessories primarily for younger children aged 5 to 12. Shi by Journeys retail footwear stores sell footwear and accessories to a target customer group consisting of fashion-conscious women in their early 20’s to mid 30’s. Underground by Journeys retail footwear stores sell footwear and accessories primarily for men and women in the 20 to 35 age group.

 

The Lids Sports Group segment comprises headwear and accessory stores under the Lids name and other names in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada; the Lids Locker Room and Lids Clubhouse businesses, consisting of sports-oriented fan shops featuring an array of licensed merchandise, such as apparel, hats and accessories, sports decor and novelty products, operating under various trade names; licensed team merchandise departments in Macy's department stores operated under the name Locker Room by Lids and on macys.com, under a license agreement with Macy's; e-commerce operations; and an athletic team dealer business operating as Lids Team Sports. As of February 1, 2014, Lids Sports Group operated 1,133 stores, including 930 Lids stores, 177 Lids Locker Room and Clubhouse stores and 26 Locker Room by Lids leased departments, averaging approximately 1,200 square feet, throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico and Canada. The core headwear stores and kiosks, located in malls, airports, street-level stores and factory outlet stores throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico and Canada, target customers in the early-teens to mid-20’s age group. The stores offer headwear from an assortment of college, MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL teams, as well as other specialty fashion categories. The Lids Locker Room and Lids Clubhouse stores, operating under various trade names, located in malls and other locations primarily in the United States, target sports fans of all ages. These stores offer headwear, apparel, accessories and novelties representing an assortment of college and professional teams.

 

The Schuh Group segment comprises the Schuh retail footwear chain and e-commerce operations. As of February 1, 2014, this segment operated 95 Schuh stores, averaging approximately 5,000 square feet, which include both street-level and mall locations in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. As of February 1, 2014, Schuh Group operated four Schuh Kids stores averaging 2,425 square feet. Schuh stores target men and women in the 15 to 30 age group, selling a range of branded casual and athletic footwear along with a private label offering.

 

The Johnston & Murphy Group segment includes retail stores, catalog and e-commerce operations and wholesale distribution. All of the Johnston & Murphy wholesale sales are of the Genesco-owned Johnston & Murphy brand and all of the group’s retail sales are of Johnston & Murphy branded products. Johnston & Murphy Retail Operations: As of February 1, 2014, Johnston & Murphy operated 168 retail shops and factory stores throughout the United  States and in Canada averaging approximately 1,825 square feet and selling footwear, apparel and accessories primarily for men in the 35to 55 age group, targeting business and professional customers. Women’s footwear and accessories are sold in select Johnston & Murphy locations. Johnston & Murphy retail shops are located primarily in malls and airports nationwide, and sell a range of men’s dress and casual footwear, apparel and accessories. The company also sells Johnston & Murphy products directly to consumers through an e-commerce Website and a direct mail catalog. Johnston & Murphy Wholesale Operations: Johnston & Murphy men’s and women's footwear and accessories are sold at wholesale, primarily to better department and independent specialty stores.

 

 

Johnston & Murphy’s wholesale customers offer the brand’s footwear for dress, dress casual, and casual occasions, with the majority of styles offered in these channels. Additionally, the company relaunched the Trask brand, with men's and women's footwear and leather accessories offered primarily through better independent retailers and department stores, an e-commerce Website and catalog.

 

The Licensed Brands segment comprises Dockers Footwear, sourced and marketed under a license from Levi Strauss & Company; SureGripFootwear, occupational footwear primarily sold directly to consumers; and other brands. Licensed Brands sales are footwear marketed under the Dockers brand, for which the company has had the exclusive men’s footwear license in the United States. Dockers footwear is marketed to men aged 30 to 55 through the same national retail chains that carry Dockers slacks and sportswear, and in department and specialty stores across the country.

 

The company acquired Keuka Footwear in 2011 and subsequently launched its SureGrip Footwear line of slip-resistant, occupational footwear from that base. The company sources and distributes the SureGrip line to employees in the hospitality, healthcare, and other industries.

The company owns its Johnston & Murphy, H.S. Trask, Keuka and SureGrip brands and owns or licenses the trade names of its retail concepts either directly or through wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Dockers brand footwear line is sold under a license agreement granting the company the exclusive right to sell men’s footwear under the trademark in the United States, Canada and Mexico and in certain other Latin American countries. Seasonality The company's business is seasonal with its investment in inventory and accounts receivable normally reaching peaks in the spring and fall of each year. History Genesco Inc. was founded in 1924.

 

The Company is using the following registered names:

- Undergroup by Journeys

- Journeys Kids

- Shi by Journeys

- Undergroup Station Shoe Store

- Johnston & Murphy

- Journeys

 

 

EIN:                  62-0211340

 

Staff:                9,200

 

 

Operations & branches:

 

At the headquarters, we find a large warehouse, office and store, owned.

 

On December 5, 2014, Genesco Inc. announced that it plans to open or acquire 165 stores at fiscal 2015. The company plans to end fiscal 2015 with 2,658 stores.

The company's current plan is to close 47 stores during the year

 

The Company maintains a JOHNSTON store located:

4008 Reliable Parkway

Chicago, IL 60686

 

 

SHAREHOLDERS & MANAGERS

 

Shareholders:

 

The Company is listed with the NYSE under symbol GCO.

 

As of December 31, 2014, 98% of the stock is held by institutional and mutual fund owners, including:

 

FMR, LLC

14.96%

Eagle Asset Management Inc

11.96%

Royce & Associates, LLC

8.40%

Vanguard Group, Inc. (The)

6.43%

BlackRock Fund Advisors

5.63%

 

 

Management:

 

Robert J. DENNIS is the Chairman, President and CEO.

Born in 1955

Robert J. Dennis, Bob has been the Chairman of the Board of Genesco Inc., holding company of Hat World Corporation since April 1, 2010, Chief Executive Officer since August 1, 2008 and President since October 2006. Mr. Dennis served as Senior Vice President of Genesco Inc. from June 2004 to October 26, 2005 and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President from October 26, 2005 to October 2006. Mr. Dennis served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hat World Corporation since 2001. Prior to joining Hat World, Mr. Dennis served as Executive Vice President of Asbury Automotive Group. Inc., from 1997 to 1999 and as an Independent Consultant since 1999. He served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lids Corporation. From 1984 to 1997, he was a Partner of McKinsey & Company, where Mr. Dennis served as a Co-Head of the North American Retail Practice. He has been a Director of Genesco Inc. since October 2006. He served as a Director of Hat World Corp.

Mr. Dennis holds a Master of Business Administration degree with distinction from the Harvard Business School with a focus on Consumer Marketing and Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Biochemical Engineering and Organic chemistry, with honors from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

 

 

Subsidiaries & Partnership:

 

Names of Subsidiary

 

Incorporation

 

Owned by Registrant

 

 

Flagg Bros. of Puerto Rico, Inc.

 

Delaware

Genesco Brands, LLC

 

Delaware

GVI, Inc.

 

Delaware

Hat World Corporation

 

Delaware

GCO Canada Inc.

 

Minnesota

Hat World, Inc.

 

Minnesota

Hat World Services Co., Inc.

 

Delaware

Keuka Footwear, Inc.

 

Delaware

SIOPA Sports of America, LLC (50% owned)

 

Delaware

Genesco (UK) Limited

 

United Kingdom

Lids Retail Limited

 

United Kingdom

Schuh Group Limited

 

United Kingdom

Schuh (Holdings) Limited

 

United Kingdom

Schuh Limited

 

United Kingdom

Schuh (ROI) Limited

 

Republic of

Ireland

Genesco GP, LLC

 

United Kingdom

Genesco Scot LP

 

United Kingdom

Genesco (Jersey) Limited

 

Jersey

 

 

FINANCIALS

 

On attachment:

- 10K (fiscal year ending January 2014)

- 3rd 10Q 2014

 

On February 12, 2015, Genesco Inc. has reported that comparable sales, which include both stores and direct sales, increased 10% for the three months ended January 3, 2015, compared to the same period of 2013.

 

Same-store sales for the three months ended January 3, 2015 increased 9%, compared to the same period of 2013.

 

For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2015, the company expects earnings from continuing operations to be in the range of $92.35 million to $95.03 million and earnings per share to be in the range of $3.9 to $4.01.

 

The company is maintaining its most recently announced expectations for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $4.75 to $4.85 for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2015.

 

  

Banks:  Bank of America

 

 

LEGAL FILINGS

 

Legal filings & complaints:                  Several

 

Secured debts summary (UCC):            Numerous

 

 

COMPANY CREDIT HISTORY

 

National Credit Bureaus gave a correct credit rating.

 

According to our credit analysts, during the last 6 months, domestic payments were made with an average of 2 to 5 days beyond terms.

 

We noted a net increase of accounts payable during the last 3rd 10Q and a decrease in cash.

 

Our “recovery department” received debt recoveries.

 

 

Other comments:

 

The Company is in good standing.

This means that all local and federal taxes were paid on due date.

Last report was filed on 04-23-2014.

 

 

Our opinion:

 

We suggest you to be careful.

 

Standard & Poor’s

United States of America Long-Term Rating Lowered To 'AA+' Due To Political Risks, Rising Debt Burden; Outlook Negative

Publication date: 05-Aug-2011 20:13:14 EST


 

  • We have lowered our long-term sovereign credit rating on the United States of America to 'AA+' from 'AAA' and affirmed the 'A-1+' short-term rating.

·         We have also removed both the short- and long-term ratings from CreditWatch negative.

·         The downgrade reflects our opinion that the fiscal consolidation plan that Congress and the Administration recently agreed to falls short of what, in our view, would be necessary to stabilize the government's medium-term debt dynamics.

·         More broadly, the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating on April 18, 2011.

·         Since then, we have changed our view of the difficulties in bridging the gulf between the political parties over fiscal policy, which makes us pessimistic about the capacity of Congress and the Administration to be able to leverage their agreement this week into a broader fiscal consolidation plan that stabilizes the government's debt dynamics any time soon.

·         The outlook on the long-term rating is negative. We could lower the long-term rating to 'AA' within the next two years if we see that less reduction in spending than agreed to, higher interest rates, or new fiscal pressures during the period result in a higher general government debt trajectory than we currently assume in our base case.

 

TORONTO (Standard & Poor's) Aug. 5, 2011--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that it lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the United States of America to 'AA+' from 'AAA'. Standard & Poor's also said that the outlook on the long-term rating is negative. At the same time, Standard & Poor's affirmed its 'A-1+' short-term rating on the U.S. In addition, Standard & Poor's removed both ratings from CreditWatch, where they were placed on July 14, 2011, with negative implications.

 

The transfer and convertibility (T&C) assessment of the U.S.--our assessment of the likelihood of official interference in the ability of U.S.-based public- and private-sector issuers to secure foreign exchange for

debt service--remains 'AAA'.

 

We lowered our long-term rating on the U.S. because we believe that the prolonged controversy over raising the statutory debt ceiling and the related fiscal policy debate indicate that further near-term progress containing the growth in public spending, especially on entitlements, or on reaching an agreement on raising revenues is less likely than we previously assumed and will remain a contentious and fitful process. We also believe that the fiscal consolidation plan that Congress and the Administration agreed to this week falls short of the amount that we believe is necessary to stabilize the general government debt burden by the middle of the decade.

 

Our lowering of the rating was prompted by our view on the rising public debt burden and our perception of greater policymaking uncertainty, consistent with our criteria (see "Sovereign Government Rating Methodology and Assumptions ," June 30, 2011, especially Paragraphs 36-41). Nevertheless, we view the U.S. federal government's other economic, external, and monetary credit attributes, which form the basis for the sovereign rating, as broadly unchanged.

 

We have taken the ratings off CreditWatch because the Aug. 2 passage of the Budget Control Act Amendment of 2011 has removed any perceived immediate threat of payment default posed by delays to raising the government's debt ceiling. In addition, we believe that the act provides sufficient clarity to allow us to evaluate the likely course of U.S. fiscal policy for the next few years.

 

The political brinksmanship of recent months highlights what we see as America's governance and policymaking becoming less stable, less effective, and less predictable than what we previously believed. The statutory debt ceiling and the threat of default have become political bargaining chips in the debate over fiscal policy. Despite this year's wide-ranging debate, in our view, the differences between political parties have proven to be extraordinarily difficult to bridge, and, as we see it, the resulting agreement fell well short of the comprehensive fiscal consolidation program that some proponents had envisaged until quite recently. Republicans and Democrats have only been able to agree to relatively modest savings on discretionary spending while delegating to the Select Committee decisions on more comprehensive measures. It appears that for now, new revenues have dropped down on the menu of policy options. In addition, the plan envisions only minor policy changes on Medicare and little change in other entitlements,

the containment of which we and most other independent observers regard as key to long-term fiscal sustainability.

 

Our opinion is that elected officials remain wary of tackling the structural issues required to effectively address the rising U.S. public debt burden in a manner consistent with a 'AAA' rating and with 'AAA' rated sovereign peers (see Sovereign Government Rating Methodology and Assumptions," June 30, 2011, especially Paragraphs 36-41). In our view, the difficulty in framing a consensus on fiscal policy weakens the government's ability to manage public finances and diverts attention from the debate over how to achieve more balanced and dynamic economic growth in an era of fiscal stringency and private-sector deleveraging (ibid). A new political consensus might (or might not) emerge after the 2012 elections, but we believe that by then, the government debt burden will likely be higher, the needed medium-term fiscal adjustment potentially greater, and the inflection point on the U.S. population's demographics and other age-related spending drivers closer at hand (see "Global Aging 2011: In The U.S., Going Gray Will Likely Cost Even More Green, Now," June 21, 2011).

 

Standard & Poor's takes no position on the mix of spending and revenue measures that Congress and the Administration might conclude is appropriate for putting the U.S.'s finances on a sustainable footing.

 

The act calls for as much as $2.4 trillion of reductions in expenditure growth over the 10 years through 2021. These cuts will be implemented in two steps: the $917 billion agreed to initially, followed by an additional $1.5 trillion that the newly formed Congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction is supposed to recommend by November 2011. The act contains no measures to raise taxes or otherwise enhance revenues, though the committee could recommend them.

 

The act further provides that if Congress does not enact the committee's recommendations, cuts of $1.2 trillion will be implemented over the same time period. The reductions would mainly affect outlays for civilian discretionary spending, defense, and Medicare. We understand that this fall-back mechanism is designed to encourage Congress to embrace a more balanced mix of expenditure savings, as the committee might recommend.

 

We note that in a letter to Congress on Aug. 1, 2011, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated total budgetary savings under the act to be at least $2.1 trillion over the next 10 years relative to its baseline assumptions. In updating our own fiscal projections, with certain modifications outlined below, we have relied on the CBO's latest "Alternate Fiscal Scenario" of June 2011, updated to include the CBO assumptions contained in its Aug. 1 letter to Congress. In general, the CBO's "Alternate Fiscal Scenario" assumes a continuation of recent Congressional action overriding existing law.

 

We view the act's measures as a step toward fiscal consolidation. However, this is within the framework of a legislative mechanism that leaves open the details of what is finally agreed to until the end of 2011, and Congress and the Administration could modify any agreement in the future. Even assuming that at least $2.1 trillion of the spending reductions the act envisages are implemented, we maintain our view that the U.S. net general government debt burden (all levels of government combined, excluding liquid financial assets) will likely continue to grow. Under our revised base case fiscal scenario--which we consider to be consistent with a 'AA+' long-term rating and a negative outlook--we now project that net general government debt would rise from an estimated 74% of GDP by the end of 2011 to 79% in 2015 and 85% by 2021. Even the projected 2015 ratio of sovereign indebtedness is high in relation to those of peer credits and, as noted, would continue to rise under the act's revised policy settings.

 

Compared with previous projections, our revised base case scenario now assumes that the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, due to expire by the end of 2012, remain in place. We have changed our assumption on this because the majority of Republicans in Congress continue to resist any measure that would raise revenues, a position we believe Congress reinforced by passing the act. Key macroeconomic assumptions in the base case scenario include trend real GDP growth of 3% and consumer price inflation near 2% annually over the decade.

 

Our revised upside scenario--which, other things being equal, we view as consistent with the outlook on the 'AA+' long-term rating being revised to stable--retains these same macroeconomic assumptions. In addition, it incorporates $950 billion of new revenues on the assumption that the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for high earners lapse from 2013 onwards, as the Administration is advocating. In this scenario, we project that the net general government debt would rise from an estimated 74% of GDP by the end of 2011 to 77% in 2015 and to 78% by 2021.

 

Our revised downside scenario--which, other things being equal, we view as being consistent with a possible further downgrade to a 'AA' long-term rating--features less-favorable macroeconomic assumptions, as outlined below and also assumes that the second round of spending cuts (at least $1.2 trillion) that the act calls for does not occur. This scenario also assumes somewhat higher nominal interest rates for U.S. Treasuries. We still believe that the role of the U.S. dollar as the key reserve currency confers a government funding advantage, one that could change only slowly over time, and that Fed policy might lean toward continued loose monetary policy at a time of fiscal tightening. Nonetheless, it is possible that interest rates could rise if investors re-price relative risks. As a result, our alternate scenario factors in a 50 basis point (bp)-75 bp rise in 10-year bond yields relative to the base and upside cases from 2013 onwards. In this scenario, we project the net public debt burden would rise from 74% of GDP in 2011 to 90% in 2015 and to 101% by 2021.

 

Our revised scenarios also take into account the significant negative revisions to historical GDP data that the Bureau of Economic Analysis announced on July 29. From our perspective, the effect of these revisions underscores two related points when evaluating the likely debt trajectory of the U.S. government. First, the revisions show that the recent recession was deeper than previously assumed, so the GDP this year is lower than previously thought in both nominal and real terms. Consequently, the debt burden is slightly higher. Second, the revised data highlight the sub-par path of the current economic recovery when compared with rebounds following previous post-war recessions. We believe the sluggish pace of the current economic recovery could be consistent with the experiences of countries that have had financial crises in which the slow process of debt deleveraging in the private sector leads to a persistent drag on demand. As a result, our downside case scenario assumes relatively modest real trend GDP growth of 2.5% and inflation of near 1.5% annually going forward.

 

When comparing the U.S. to sovereigns with 'AAA' long-term ratings that we view as relevant peers--Canada, France, Germany, and the U.K.--we also observe, based on our base case scenarios for each, that the trajectory of the U.S.'s net public debt is diverging from the others. Including the U.S., we estimate that these five sovereigns will have net general government debt to GDP ratios this year ranging from 34% (Canada) to 80% (the U.K.), with the U.S. debt burden at 74%. By 2015, we project that their net public debt to GDP ratios will range between 30% (lowest, Canada) and 83% (highest, France), with the U.S. debt burden at 79%. However, in contrast with the U.S., we project that the net public debt burdens of these other sovereigns will begin to decline, either before or by 2015.

 

Standard & Poor's transfer T&C assessment of the U.S. remains 'AAA'. Our T&C assessment reflects our view of the likelihood of the sovereign restricting other public and private issuers' access to foreign exchange needed to meet debt service. Although in our view the credit standing of the U.S. government has deteriorated modestly, we see little indication that official interference of this kind is entering onto the policy agenda of either Congress or the Administration. Consequently, we continue to view this risk as being highly remote.

 

The outlook on the long-term rating is negative. As our downside alternate fiscal scenario illustrates, a higher public debt trajectory than we currently assume could lead us to lower the long-term rating again. On the other hand, as our upside scenario highlights, if the recommendations of the Congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction--independently or coupled with other initiatives, such as the lapsing of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for high earners--lead to fiscal consolidation measures beyond the minimum mandated, and we believe they are likely to slow the deterioration of the government's debt dynamics, the long-term rating could stabilize at 'AA+'.

 


 

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES

 

Currency

Unit

Indian Rupees

US Dollar

1

Rs.62.26

UK Pound

1

Rs.96.01

Euro

1

Rs.70.72

 

INFORMATION DETAILS

 

Analysis Done by :

KAR

 

 

Report Prepared by :

NIT

 

               

RATING EXPLANATIONS

 

RATING

STATUS

PROPOSED CREDIT LINE

 

>86

Aaa

Possesses an extremely sound financial base with the strongest capability for timely payment of interest and principal sums

 

Unlimited

 

71-85

Aa

Possesses adequate working capital. No caution needed for credit transaction. It has above average (strong) capability for payment of interest and principal sums

 

Large

 

56-70

A

Financial & operational base are regarded healthy. General unfavourable factors will not cause fatal effect. Satisfactory capability for payment of interest and principal sums

 

Fairly Large

 

41-55

Ba

Overall operation is considered normal. Capable to meet normal commitments.

 

Satisfactory

 

26-40

B

Capability to overcome financial difficulties seems comparatively below average.

 

Small

 

11-25

Ca

Adverse factors are apparent. Repayment of interest and principal sums in default or expected to be in default upon maturity

 

Limited with full security

 

<10

C

Absolute credit risk exists. Caution needed to be exercised

 

Credit not recommended

 

--

NB

New Business

--

 

This score serves as a reference to assess SC’s credit risk and to set the amount of credit to be extended. It is calculated from a composite of weighted scores obtained from each of the major sections of this report. The assessed factors and their relative weights (as indicated through %) are as follows:

 

Financial condition (40%)            Ownership background (20%)                  Payment record (10%)

Credit history (10%)                   Market trend (10%)                                Operational size (10%)

 

PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL : This information is provided to you at your request, you having employed MIPL for such purpose. You will use the information as aid only in determining the propriety of giving credit and generally as an aid to your business and for no other purpose. You will hold the information in strict confidence, and shall not reveal it or make it known to the subject persons, firms or corporations or to any other. MIPL does not warrant the correctness of the information as you hold it free of any liability whatsoever. You will be liable to and indemnify MIPL for any loss, damage or expense, occasioned by your breach or non observance of any one, or more of these conditions

This report is issued at your request without any risk and responsibility on the part of MIRA INFORM PRIVATE LIMITED (MIPL) or its officials.