Credit enhancement
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Credit enhancement is a key part of a Asset-backed security Securitization transaction, and important for the Credit rating agency when rating a securitization.
[edit] Types of Credit Enhancement
- Excess Spread
Typically one of the first defenses against loss is the excess spread. This refers to the difference between the interest rate received on the underlying collateral and the coupon on the issued security. In this manner, even if some of the underlying loan payments are late or default, the coupon payment can still be made. In the process of “turboing,” excess spread is applied to outstanding classes as principal.[1]
- Overcollateralization
Overcollateralization is a commonly used form of credit enhancement. With this support structure, the face value of the underlying loan portfolio is larger than the security it backs, thus the issued security is overcollateralized. In this manner, even if some of the payments from the underlying loans are late or default, principal and interest payments on the ABS can still be made.[1]
- Reserve Account
A reserve account is created to reimburse the issuing trust for losses up to the amount allocated for the reserve. To increase credit support, the reserve account will often be non-declining throughout the life of the security, meaning that the account will increase proportionally up to some specified level as the outstanding debt is paid off.[1]
- Surety Bonds
External forms of credit enhancement include surety bonds, which are insurance policies that reimburse the ABS for any losses. ABS paired with surety bonds have ratings that are the same as that of the surety bond’s issuer.[1]
- Wrapped Securities
A wrapped security is insured or guaranteed by a third party. A third party or, in some cases, the parent company of the ABS issuer may provide a promise to reimburse the trust for losses up to a specified amount. Deals can also include agreements to advance principal and interest or to buy back any defaulted loans. The third-party guarantees are typically provided by AAA-rated financial guarantors or monoline insurance companies.[1]
- Letter of Credit
With a letter of credit (LOC), a financial institution—usually a bank—is paid a fee to provide a specified cash amount to reimburse the ABS-issuing trust for any cash shortfalls from the collateral, up to the required credit support amount. Letters of credit are becoming less common forms of credit enhancement, as much of their appeal was lost when the rating agencies downgraded the long-term debt of several LOC-provider banks in the Fixed Income Sectors: Asset-Backed Securities—6 early 1990s. Because securities enhanced with LOCs from these lenders faced possible downgrades as well, issuers began to utilize cash collateral accounts instead of LOCs in cases where external credit support was needed.[1]
- Cash Collateral Account
With a cash collateral account (CCA), credit enhancement is achieved when the issuer borrows the required credit support amount from a commercial bank and then deposits this cash in short-term commercial paper that has the highest available credit quality. Because a CCA is an actual deposit of cash, a downgrade of the CCA provider would not result in a similar downgrade of the security.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g Fixed Income Sectors: Asset-Backed Securities A primer on asset-backed securities, Dwight Asset Management Company 2005
