ֳ

Non-Rating Action Commentary

ֳ Completes 2024 EMEA Equipment Leasing Peer Review; Affirms Ratings

Thu 21 Mar, 2024 - 8:38 AM ET

ֳ-London/Frankfurt am Main-21 March 2024: ֳ has affirmed the Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) of Boels Topholding B.V. (BB-/Positive), Ashtead Group plc (BBB/Stable), Ren10 Holding AB (Renta; B+/Stable) and BCP V Modular Services Holdings III Limited (Modulaire; B/Stable) in its recent peer review of rated EMEA-based equipment leasing companies.

The Positive Outlook on Boels’ rating reflects its growing EBITDA base, improvements to leverage since its major acquisition of Cramo plc in 2020, and increasing funding diversification. A successful integration of Riwal through the recently announced sizeable acquisition, accompanied by continued deleveraging, could lead to an upgrade.

The relative resilience of lessors to the macroeconomic challenges, underpinned by consistent EBITDA generation and increasing penetration rates benefitting customer preference for leasing, support the Stable Outlooks on all other rated issuers.

ֳ has a ‘deteriorating’ sector outlook for the European equipment leasing sector in 2024, largely because prolonged reduced economic activity could affect the demand for lessors’ equipment and weigh on revenue. However, rating headroom for rated lessors remains adequate as larger firms with greater geographical diversification, less reliance on the residential construction sector, and a more diverse inventory should be better-placed to cope with the challenging environment.

In the medium term, we believe lessors should benefit from lower inflation and a reduction in interest rates, easing the current pressure on profitability. In addition, lessors’ credit profile remain supported by often fixed-rate or hedged funding structures, long-dated funding profiles and – at least in the short-term – benefits related to asset price inflation as the bulk of inventories have been purchased at pre-inflation prices, supporting current rental rates.

Rating differentials mainly reflect ֳ’s assessment of the issuers' business profiles and leverage position. Larger, younger, and more diverse inventory portfolios are less sensitive to economic cycles and support higher ratings via greater stability of earnings. Scale benefits offer purchasing power with manufacturers and allow lessors to move equipment between locations for more efficient utilisation.

Issuer-specific rating action commentaries are available by clicking on the links below or at :

ֳ Affirms Ashtead at 'BBB'; Outlook Stable (March 2024)
Boelsֳ Affirms Boels at 'BB-'; Outlook Positive (March 2024)
ֳ Affirms Ren10 Holding at 'B+', Outlook Stable (March 2024)
ֳ Affirms Modulaire at 'B'; Outlook Stable (March 2024)





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