Press Release

DBRS Morningstar Confirms Rating on PCL Funding I Limited

Consumer Loans & Credit Cards

July 29, 2022

DBRS Ratings Limited (DBRS Morningstar) confirmed its AAA (sf) rating on the Class A Eligible Trust Notes (ETN) of the Series 2012 Variable Funding Notes (VFN) issued by PCL Funding I Limited (the Issuer).

The rating on the Class A ETN addresses the timely payment of interest and ultimate payment of principal on or before the legal final maturity date.

The confirmation follows an annual review of the transaction and is based on the following analytical considerations;
-- Portfolio performance, in terms of delinquencies, defaults, losses, payment rate, and excess spread;
-- Updated probability of default (PD), loss given default (LGD), and expected loss assumptions on the remaining receivables; and
-- Current available credit enhancement to the Class A ETN to cover the expected losses at the AAA (sf) rating level.

The assets securing the Class A ETN include a revolving portfolio of commercial and consumer financing agreements originated by Premium Credit Limited (PCL) primarily in the UK and for the purpose of financing non-life insurance premiums, sport and leisure membership fees, professional membership fees, and private school tuition. The Class A ETN is held by several committed lenders and, together with the unrated Class B ETN, forms the Senior ETN issued by PCL Funding I Limited, which acts as a warehouse facility for the benefit of PCL.

The committed revolving period for the ETN is scheduled to end in July 2024. The legal final maturity date for the ETN is in July 2026 and is defined as the date falling two years after the termination of the revolving period.

PORTFOLIO PERFORMANCE
As of the reporting date on 30 June 2022, the 13-week average delinquency, default, and payment rate ratios were 1.0%, 0.5%, and 4.9%, respectively. The delinquency and default ratios are below their respective performance trigger levels of 3.75% and 2.25%, respectively, while the payment rate ratio is above its performance trigger level of 3.5%.

PORTFOLIO ASSUMPTIONS AND KEY DRIVERS
DBRS Morningstar conducted an analysis of the revolving pool of receivables and updated its base case PD and LGD assumptions to 13.9% and 17.8%, respectively. DBRS Morningstar’s analysis reflects an assessment of the worst-case collateral pool in accordance with the concentration limits and incorporates default risks related to the obligor, insurance carrier, and/or intermediary.

CREDIT ENHANCEMENT
The Class A ETN continues to be subject to an advance rate of 88% and additionally benefits from a reserve fund sized to cover nine weeks of senior fees and stressed interest payments on the Senior ETN.

HSBC Bank plc acts as the asset trust and Issuer account bank for the transaction. Based on DBRS Morningstar’s private rating on HSBC Bank plc, the downgrade provisions outlined in the transaction documents, and other mitigating factors inherent in the transaction structure, DBRS Morningstar considers the risk arising from the exposure to the account bank to be consistent with the rating assigned to the Class A ETN, as described in DBRS Morningstar's "Legal Criteria for European Structured Finance Transactions" methodology.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, GOVERNANCE CONSIDERATIONS
There were no Environmental/Social/Governance factors that had a significant or relevant impact on the credit analysis.

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/396929/dbrs-morningstar-criteria-approach-to-environmental-social-and-governance-risk-factors-in-credit-ratings.

DBRS Morningstar analysed the transaction structure in Da Vinci, DBRS Morningstar’s proprietary cash flow engine.

Notes:
All figures are in British pound sterling unless otherwise noted.

The principal methodology applicable to the rating is the “Master European Structured Finance Surveillance Methodology” (19 May 2022).

Other methodologies referenced in this transaction are listed at the end of this press release. These may be found at: http://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/about/methodologies.

DBRS Morningstar has applied the principal methodology consistently and conducted a review of the transaction in accordance with the principal methodology.

An asset and a cash flow analysis were both conducted. Due to the inclusion of a revolving period, the analysis continues to consider potential portfolio migration based on the replenishment criteria set forth in the transaction legal documents.

A review of the transaction legal documents was not conducted as the legal documents have remained unchanged since the most recent rating action.

For a more detailed discussion of the sovereign risk impact on Structured Finance ratings, please refer to “Appendix C: The Impact of Sovereign Ratings on Other DBRS Morningstar Credit Ratings” of the “Global Methodology for Rating Sovereign Governments” at: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/381451/global-methodology-for-rating-sovereign-governments.

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/baseline-macroeconomic-scenarios-application-to-credit-ratings.

The sources of data and information used for this rating includes portfolio and performance data provided by Lloyds Bank plc in its capacity as asset trust facilitator as well as reports provided by PCL.

DBRS Morningstar did not rely upon third-party due diligence in order to conduct its analysis.

At the time of the initial rating, DBRS Morningstar was not supplied with third-party assessments. However, this did not impact the rating analysis.

DBRS Morningstar considers the data and information available to it for the purposes of providing this rating to be of satisfactory quality.

DBRS Morningstar does not audit or independently verify the data or information it receives in connection with the rating process.

The last rating action on this transaction took place on 29 July 2021, when DBRS Morningstar confirmed its rating on the Class A ETN at AAA (sf) following a restructure of the transaction.

Information regarding DBRS Morningstar ratings, including definitions, policies, and methodologies, is available at www.dbrsmorningstar.com.

Sensitivity Analysis: To assess the impact of changing the transaction parameters on the rating, DBRS Morningstar considered the following stress scenarios as compared with the parameters used to determine the rating (the Base Case):

-- DBRS Morningstar expected a lifetime base case PD and LGD for the pool based on a review of the current assets. Adverse changes to asset performance may cause stresses to base case assumptions and therefore have a negative effect on credit ratings.
-- The base case PD and LGD of the current pool of loans for the Issuer are 13.9% and 17.8%, respectively.
-- The risk sensitivity overview below illustrates the ratings expected if the PD and LGD increase by a certain percentage over the base case assumption. For example, if the LGD increases by 50%, the rating of the Series 2012 VFN Class A ETN would be expected to fall to AA (low) (sf), assuming no change in the PD. If the PD increases by 50%, the rating of the Series 2012 VFN Class A ETN would be expected to fall to AA (low) (sf), assuming no change in the LGD. Furthermore, if both the PD and LGD increase by 50%, the rating of the Series 2012 VFN Class A ETN would be expected to fall to A (low) (sf).

Senior ETNs of Series 2012 Senior VFN Risk Sensitivity:
-- 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of AA (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of AA (low) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD, expected rating of AA (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD, expected rating of AA (low) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD and 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of A (high) (sf)
-- 25% increase in PD and 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of A (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD and 25% increase in LGD, expected rating of A (high) (sf)
-- 50% increase in PD and 50% increase in LGD, expected rating of A (low) (sf)

For further information on DBRS Morningstar historical default rates published by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) in a central repository, see: https://cerep.esma.europa.eu/cerep-web/statistics/defaults.xhtml. DBRS Morningstar understands further information on DBRS Morningstar historical default rates may be published by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on its webpage: https://www.fca.org.uk/firms/credit-rating-agencies.

This rating is endorsed by DBRS Ratings GmbH for use in the European Union.

Lead Analyst: Andrew Lynch, Vice President
Rating Committee Chair: Alfonso Candelas, Senior Vice President
Initial Rating Date: 31 October 2012

DBRS Ratings Limited
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Tel. +44 (0) 20 7855 6600
Registered and incorporated under the laws of England and Wales: Company No. 7139960

The rating methodologies used in the analysis of this transaction can be found at: http://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/about/methodologies.

A description of how DBRS Morningstar analyses structured finance transactions and how the methodologies are collectively applied can be found at https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/278375.

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

ALL MORNINGSTAR DBRS RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO DISCLAIMERS AND CERTAIN LIMITATIONS. PLEASE READ THESE DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING MORNINGSTAR DBRS RATINGS, INCLUDING DEFINITIONS, POLICIES, RATING SCALES AND METHODOLOGIES.

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