Fitch Ratings has taken various conforming rating actions on enhanced municipal bonds and tender option bonds (TOBs) corresponding to actions taken on their associated enhancement providers or underlying bonds.
Long-term ratings on enhanced municipal bonds may be higher than those of their enhancement providers as discussed in Fitch's 'Dual-Party Pay Criteria for Long-Term Ratings on LOC-Supported U.S. Public Finance Bonds', dated March 10, 2011.
Short-term ratings on enhanced municipal bonds may be lower than those of their liquidity providers, as discussed in Fitch's 'Rating Guidelines for Variable-Rate Demand Obligations Issued with External Liquidity Support', dated Feb. 28, 2011.
Long-term ratings assigned to TOBs are the higher of the ratings assigned by Fitch to the applicable enhancement providers supporting the bonds and the ratings assigned by Fitch to the underlying bonds deposited in the issuing trust. Short-term ratings on TOBs, if assigned, are based on ratings assigned by Fitch to their liquidity providers, with consideration given to the TOBs' long-term ratings.
Please see the corresponding spreadsheet for a full list of rating actions.
Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'. The ratings above were solicited by, or on behalf of, the issuer, and therefore, Fitch has been compensated for the provision of the ratings.
Applicable Criteria and Related Research:
--'U.S. Municipal Structured Finance Rating Criteria' (April 25, 2011);
--'Rating Guidelines for Letter of Credit-Supported Bonds' (July 26, 2011);
--'Rating Guidelines for Variable-Rate Demand Obligations Issued with External Liquidity Support' (Feb. 28, 2011);
--'Dual-Party Pay Criteria For Long-Term Ratings on LOC-Supported U.S. Public Finance Bonds' (March 10, 2011);
--'Rating Guidelines for Commercial Paper Note Programs Issued with External Support' (April 11, 2011);
--'Guidelines for Rating Tender Option Bond Securities' (May 25, 2011).
Applicable Criteria and Related Research: Fitch Takes Various Rating Actions on Enhanced Municipal Bonds and TOBs
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=661437
U.S. Municipal Structured Finance Rating Criteria
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=624129
Rating Guidelines for Letter of Credit-Supported Bonds
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=647311
Rating Guidelines for Variable-Rate Demand Obligations Issued with External Liquidity Support
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=607665
Dual-Party Pay Criteria for Long-Term Ratings on LOC-Supported U.S. Public Finance Bonds
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=611525
Rating Guidelines for Commercial Paper Note Programs Issued with External Support
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=619027
Guidelines for Rating Tender Option Bond Securities
http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=632790
ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE.
Contacts:
Fitch Ratings
Primary Analyst:
Jeff Schaub, +1-212-908-0680
Managing
Director
Fitch, Inc.
33 Whitehall Street
New York, NY
10004
or
Secondary Analyst:
Ferona Leonard,
+1-212-908-0541
Senior Director
or
Media Relations:
Sandro
Scenga, New York, +1-212-908-0278
sandro.scenga@fitchratings.com