DBRS Morningstar Assigns Provisional Ratings to Affirm Asset Securitization Trust 2022-A

DBRS, Inc. (DBRS Morningstar) assigned provisional ratings to the following notes to be issued by Affirm Asset Securitization Trust 2022-A (Affirm 2022-A):

-- $413,330,000 Class A Notes at AAA (sf)
-- $26,270,000 Class B Notes at AA (sf)
-- $24,680,000 Class C Notes at A (sf)
-- $16,580,000 Class D Notes at BBB (sf)
-- $19,140,000 Class E Notes at BB (sf)

The provisional ratings on the notes are based on DBRS Morningstar's review of the following considerations:

(1) The transaction assumptions consider DBRS Morningstar’s baseline macroeconomic scenarios for rated sovereign economies, available in its commentary Baseline Macroeconomic Scenarios For Rated Sovereigns December 2021 Update, published on December 9, 2021. These baseline macroeconomic scenarios replace DBRS Morningstar’s moderate and adverse COVID-19 pandemic scenarios, which were first published in April 2020. The baseline macroeconomic scenarios reflect the view that recent COVID-19 developments, particularly the new Omicron variant with subsequent restrictions, combined with rising inflation pressures in some regions, may dampen near-term growth expectations in coming months. However, DBRS Morningstar expects the baseline projections will continue to point to an ongoing, gradual recovery.

(2) The transaction’s form and sufficiency of available credit enhancement.
-- Subordination, overcollateralization, amounts held in the Reserve Account, the Yield Supplement Overcollateralization Amount, and excess spread create credit enhancement levels that are commensurate with the proposed ratings.
-- Transaction cash flows are sufficient to repay investors under all AAA (sf), AA (sf), A (sf), BBB (sf), and BB (sf) stress scenarios in accordance with the terms of the Affirm 2022-A transaction documents.

(3) Inclusion of structural elements featured in the transaction such as the following:
-- Eligibility criteria for receivables that are permissible in the transaction.
-- Concentration limits designed to maintain a consistent profile of the receivables in the pool.
-- Performance-based Amortization Events that, when breached, will end the revolving period and begin amortization.

(4) The experience, sourcing, and servicing capabilities of Affirm, Inc. (Affirm).

(5) The experience, underwriting, and origination capabilities of Affirm Loan Services LLC (ALS), Cross River Bank (CRB), and Celtic Bank.
(6) The ability of Nelnet Servicing to perform duties as a Backup Servicer.

(7) The annual percentage rate charged on the loans and CRB and Celtic Bank’s status as the true lender.
-- All loans in the initial pool included in Affirm 2022-A are originated by Affirm through its subsidiary ALS or by originating banks, CRB and Celtic Bank, New Jersey and Utah, respectively, state-chartered FDIC-insured banks.
-- Loans originated by ALS utilize state licenses and registrations and interest rates are within each state's respective usury cap.
-- Loans originated by CRB are all within the New Jersey state usury limit of 30.00%.
-- Loans originated by Celtic Bank are all within the Utah state usury limit of 36.00%.
-- Loans may be in excess of individual state usury laws; however, CRB and Celtic Bank as the true lenders are able to export rates that preempt state usury rate caps.
-- Loans originated to borrowers in New York will be limited to the respective state usury cap.
-- Loans originated to borrowers in Iowa will be eligible to be included in the Receivables to be transferred to the Trust. These loans will be originated under the ALS entity using Affirm’s state license in Iowa.
-- Loans originated to borrowers in West Virginia will be eligible to be included in the Receivables to be transferred to the Trust. Affirm has the required licenses and registrations that will enable it to operate the bank partner platform in West Virginia.
-- Loans originated to borrowers in Colorado above the state usury cap will be eligible to be included in the Receivables to be transferred to the Trust. Affirm has the required licenses and registrations in the state of Colorado.
-- Loans originated to borrowers in Vermont above the state usury cap will be eligible to be included in the Receivables to be transferred to the Trust. Affirm has the required licenses and registrations in the state of Vermont.
-- Loans originated to borrowers in Connecticut above the state usury cap will be eligible to be included in the Receivables to be transferred to the Trust contingent on Affirm obtaining the required licenses and registrations in the state of Connecticut.
-- Under the loan sale agreement, Affirm is obligated to repurchase any loan if there is a breach of representation and warranty that materially and adversely affects the interests of the purchaser.

(9) The legal structure and expected legal opinions that will address the true sale of the unsecured consumer loans, the nonconsolidation of the Trust, and that the Trust has a valid perfected security interest in the assets and consistency with the DBRS Morningstar “Legal Criteria for U.S. Structured Finance.”

ESG CONSIDERATIONS
A description of how DBRS Morningstar considers ESG factors within the DBRS Morningstar analytical framework can be found in the DBRS Morningstar Criteria: Approach to Environmental, Social, and Governance Risk Factors in Credit Ratings at https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/373262.

Notes:
All figures are in U.S dollars unless otherwise noted.

The principal methodology is Rating U.S. Structured Finance Transactions (October 20, 2021), which can be found on dbrsmorningstar.com under Methodologies & Criteria.

The DBRS Morningstar Sovereign group releases baseline macroeconomic scenarios for rated sovereigns. DBRS Morningstar analysis considered impacts consistent with the baseline scenarios as set forth in the following report: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/384482.

The rated entity or its related entities did participate in the rating process for this rating action. DBRS Morningstar had access to the accounts and other relevant internal documents of the rated entity or its related entities in connection with this rating action.

Please see the related appendix for additional information regarding the sensitivity of assumptions used in the rating process.

The full report providing additional analytical detail is available by clicking on the link under Related Documents below or by contacting us at info@dbrsmorningstar.com.

For more information on this credit or on this industry, visit www.dbrsmorningstar.com or contact us at info@dbrsmorningstar.com.

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