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Elopak ASA

Regulatory Filings May 8, 2024

3592_rns_2024-05-08_0644f121-c7d3-4f12-ab0d-1ef3335b4a8c.pdf

Regulatory Filings

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Norway 8 May 2024

Full Rating Report

LONG-TERM RATING

BBB-

OUTLOOK

Stable

SHORT-TERM RATING

N3

PRIMARY ANALYST Anine Gulbrandsen

+4797501657 [email protected]

SECONDARY CONTACTS Geir Kristiansen +4790784593 [email protected]

Elisabeth Adebäck +46700442775 [email protected]

RATING RATIONALE

Our 'BBB-' long-term issuer rating on Norway-based carton packaging producer and distributor Elopak ASA reflects the company's solid position in the European carton packaging market, geographic diversity and its diverse customer base. It also reflects the company's improved credit metrics and moderate financial leverage. In addition, our assessment of the operating environment is positive, reflecting increasing demand for sustainable products and a likely transition to carton packaging from plastic.

The rating is constrained by Elopak's relatively small size in relation to its main peers, Tetra Pak and SIG Group AG (SIG). This is reflected by the company's relatively small share of the aseptic carton packaging market, which accounts for the bulk of the wider market for carton packaging of liquid products. The rating is also constrained by the cyclical nature of the raw materials market, though this is partly offset by contract stipulations and pricing mechanisms.

STABLE OUTLOOK

The outlook is stable, reflecting our expectations that Elopak will maintain its current market position in Europe while growing in the US and new markets. In addition, it reflects our belief that Elopak will maintain stable operating margins and be committed to the company's medium-term leverage target of 2.0x (excluding off-balance-sheet financing). The outlook also takes into account the sustainability aspects of and growing potential for carton packaging of liquids.

POTENTIAL POSITIVE RATING DRIVERS POTENTIAL NEGATIVE RATING DRIVERS

  • Net debt/EBITDA sustainably below 2.0x or EBITDA/net interest sustainably above 13x; and
  • improved operating efficiency, reflected in an EBITDA margin sustainably above 15% over time.
  • A noticeable shift towards the use of carton packaging and an increasing share of the liquid packaging market.

  • Net debt/EBITDA above 3.0x and funds from operations/net debt below 20% over a protracted period.

  • Increased substitution risk from alternative packaging solutions or loss of key customers.
  • Increased risk appetite, indicated by higher dividend pay-outs or a more aggressive acquisition strategy.

Figure 1. Key credit metrics, 2020–2026e

EURm 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024e 2025e 2026e
Revenues 914 940 1,024 1,132 1,240 1,351 1,473
EBITDA 115 119 116 161 175 188 212
EBITDA margin (%) 12.6 12.7 11.3 14.2 14.1 13.9 14.4
FFO 93 93 95 123 133 144 165
Net debt 371 303 448 393 475 479 472
Total assets 749 783 956 963 1,119 1,133 1,156
Net debt/EBITDA (x) 3.2 2.5 3.9 2.4 2.7 2.5 2.2
EBITDA/net interest (x) 12.1 12.2 14.0 7.3 7.1 7.2 8.8
FFO/net debt (%) 25.0 30.7 21.3 31.3 27.9 30.0 35.0
FOCF/net debt (%) 16.8 13.7 -1.8 28.2 -3.2 13.1 13.9

Source: NCR estimates and company data. e–estimate. FFO–funds from operations. FOCF–free operating cash flow. All metrics adjusted in line with NCR methodology.

ISSUER PROFILE

Elopak is a Norway-based carton packaging manufacturer and distributor. Since its establishment in 1957 as a licensee of Pure-Pak, the company has been majority-owned by family-owned investment holding company Ferd AS. Following the company's IPO in July 2021, Ferd AS's ownership was reduced to 60%, but it is still the controlling owner. With operations in more than 70 countries, 2,700 employees and manufacturing facilities in 11, the company produces and distributes about 14bn items of carton packaging per year. In addition to the production and distribution of carton packaging, Elopak manufactures aseptic filling machinery, sells and distributes new machinery for packaging fresh products from partners, and provides service and maintenance support.

BUSINESS RISK ASSESSMENT

Business risk assessment 'bbb-' Our business risk assessment reflects Elopak's solid market position in a sector that benefits from general economic conditions and global megatrends such as the reduction in emissions and energy use, and environmentally sound waste management. It also reflects the diversity of the company's revenue streams and customer base. Although Elopak is smaller than its closest industry peers, we expect it to maintain stable operating margins on the basis of its ability to pass on most changes in commodity raw material costs, which are subject to volatility.

Global packaging industry benefits from increasing environmental focus

Operating environment 'bbb-'

The global carton packaging industry is characterised by relatively stable overall demand, with consumption correlated with general economic conditions and levels of urbanisation. However, the commodity-based inputs, such as paperboard, aluminium foil, and energy are highly cyclical. The industry is fragmented, and economies of scale are important to ensure resource availability and sustainable profit margins, while catering to multinational clients. Barriers to entry exist in the form of stringent health and safety requirements and sustainable access to raw materials. Another industry characteristic is that operators typically develop strong long-term customer relationships, often based on extensive customer investments in filling machinery and the time-consuming process of replacing these systems.

Figure 2. Sales by geographic region, 2023 Figure 3. Sales by segment, 2023

Cartons and closures, 90.8 %

Source: company.

Elopak operates within the packaging market for liquid products, which represents approximately 40% of the total global packaging market. Recent years have been subject to high input prices, supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressure adversely affecting consumption. However, Elopak's operations are largely concentrated on fresh dairy and aseptic milk and juice, for which demand has proven to be less price sensitive. Packaging producers and distributors have largely been able to pass on costs and maintain operating margins. Elopak's largest shares of revenue come from fresh packaging products, which account for 76%, while 20% comes from aseptic packaging products, which have a longer shelf life. While the aseptic market is larger and more concentrated, the fresh market has lower barriers to entry, although with some patents. Margins also tend to be higher in the aseptic market.

We expect the overall liquid packaging market to continue growing on the basis of underlying economic fundamentals. In the liquid packaging sector, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging has historically gained market share at the expense of carton packaging. This has been driven by growth in emerging markets, which tend to favour plastic, and the increasing market share of bottled water. However, we note the increasing global focus on environmental issues such as emissions reduction, waste management and recycling, and believe that carton packaging could become the preferred choice, resulting in increasing market share for carton packaging companies.

Figure 4. Global packaging market 2020, EURbn

Source: company, Metsä Board, Roland Berger.

This expected shift to carton packaging away from plastic packaging could also be driven by regulatory initiatives such as the EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive and Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.

European leader in carton packaging for fresh products, but lacking in scale globally

Market position 'bbb-'

The global carton packaging market is dominated by just a few companies, of which privately owned competitor Tetra Pak is by far the largest, with a focus on aseptic carton packaging and packaging for fresh products (see Figure 5). Elopak has a leading position in the European market for carton packaging for fresh products, having focused on this sector since the start of its Pure-Pak licence agreement in 1957. However, the aseptic carton market is much larger than the market for carton packaging of fresh products; aseptic cartons offer a long shelf life of 6–12 months, compared with a shorter shelf life of up to three months for fresh products. We expect this to remain the case. Unlike Asian markets, which prefer products with a longer shelf life, Elopak's existing markets in Europe and the US prefer fresh food packaging. We expect this to support Elopak's market traction in Europe and the US.

Elopak's strong market position enables it to enter into long-term sourcing contracts for inputs such as paperboard at competitive prices. Such contracts have ensured stability through the volatile price fluctuations seen in recent years. Elopak's market position is supported by its strong Pure-Pak brand name, which accounts for a significant part of the company's revenue. However, in the larger, highergrowth, aseptic carton market, Elopak remains a small player. In a bid to capture market share, Elopak introduced Roll Fed carton packaging in 2014. Roll Fed packaging can be used on a large share of units of installed Tetra Pak filling machinery worldwide, as well as those installed by Elopak. Elopak has the fourth-largest revenues in its peer group, but remains much smaller than Tetra Pak. The latest data available shows that Elopak had a 5% market share in 2020, compared with Tetra Pak's 68% (see Figure 5).

Figure 5. Elopak peers' market share, carton packaging, 2020 Figure 6. Elopak peers' revenues, 2022

Source: companies. *Reflects revenues for Beverage Merchandising, EUR/USD=0.94.

Elopak has identified five areas where it plans to pursue growth: packaging for fresh products in the Americas; driving market share in aseptic markets; growth in the Middle East and North Africa; plastic to carton conversion globally; and margin optimisation. We believe that the company's current market position will support these growth strategies. Elopak's acquisition of Naturepak Beverage Packaging, a leading provider of liquid cartons and packaging in the Middle East and North Africa, and its expansion into the Indian market through its joint venture GLS Elopak in 2022, have rapidly increased Elopak's regional footprint, diversified revenues and the customer base, and built market position. Elopak aims to be among the top three players in India by 2030. There have also been some regulatory developments in India, including a 2022 ban on selected single-use plastic items, which further support the shift to more sustainable packaging.

The new plant in the US (Little Rock, Arkansas), where production is expected to begin in the first half of 2025, further supports growth and market position. The company also aims to continue to foster the shift from plastic to carton packaging, not only in food and beverage packaging, but also in non-food packaging for products such as detergents. We believe Elopak will at least maintain its market position. In addition, we expect the global packaging market to grow, and this could offer additional growth prospects even if its market position remains stable.

Machinery sales and support bolster client relationships

Elopak's market position is supported by its long-term relationships with clients, to which it supplies packaging machinery. The company produces its own aseptic filling machinery and has introduced new module-based machinery to lower transaction costs with the aim of increasing sales and market position. Due to the significant upfront investments required for machinery, customers tend to remain loyal to the distributor. Machinery is either sold or leased to clients, supporting subsequent sales of compatible carton packaging for an average of 15 years. Contracts are often entered into on a shorterterm basis, but clients typically renegotiate prior to expiry.

The company's top 10 clients generated 26% of sales volumes in 2023. These clients were both European and American, reducing revenue concentration risk. Elopak's proprietary Pure-Pak carton packaging can be filled only on machinery distributed by the company. However, we note that the risk of losing a client at the end of a contract period increases with the age of the respective machinery. Revenues are further diversified through joint ventures and licensing agreements. Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd has a licence agreement to distribute Pure-Pak cartons in Japan, while Nampak Products Ltd has a licence agreement to distribute them in several African countries such as South Africa, Namibia and Sudan. Elopak is also represented through joint ventures in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Kenya and India.

Size and diversification 'bb+'

Figure 7. Revenues by country, 2023

Elopak is dependent on raw materials sourced from third parties. It sources paperboard from two suppliers in Europe, Stora Enso Oyj of Finland and BillerudKorsnäs AB of Sweden, and two in North America, market leader Pactiv Evergreen Inc. and Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd., to cover production at its 11 global facilities. The company has demonstrated resilience to market fluctuations, such as the recent rapid increase in raw materials, but reliance on third-party inputs remains an area of risk.

Margins in line with medium-term targets

Operating efficiency 'bbb-'

Although the input factors in Elopak's production operations are cyclical and volatile, the company offsets some volatility risk by entering into multi-year CPI-linked fixed price contracts for raw board in the European market. This practice, as well as other hedging activities, has effectively reduced its sensitivity to the rapidly increasing prices seen in recent years. We also expect most additional costs to be absorbed by customers, keeping operating margins relatively stable. In the Americas, Elopak's revenues are linked to raw-material price indexes, effectively hedging against price increases.

The EBITDA margin decreased somewhat in 2022, due to inflationary pressure and supply chain delays, coupled with a sizeable loss of business (including the sale of its Russian operation, which generated EBITDA of EUR 8–10m annually), but positive market dynamics have led to an increase in margins at year-end 2023. Raw material prices have stabilised and the positive EBITDA trend is being driven by price increases and continued growth in the Americas, such as volume growth from onboarding new customers and organic growth within the customer base. Positive development in new markets with stable volumes in the Middle East and North Africa, along with Roll Fed volume growth in India, have also had a positive impact. We expect competition to keep margins in check and that the company's EBITDA margin will remain on a level with its mid-term targets of 14–15%.

Elopak's EBITDA margins are significantly lower than those of its closest peers and we expect this to continue. We note that SIG's operations differ significantly from Elopak's and that it has a greater focus on North Africa, Asia, and the Pacific region. It also uses machinery leasing agreements to a greater extent than Elopak, resulting in above-industry-average operating margins. We expect Tetra Pak to have higher margins due to its superior market position. Pactiv Evergreen Inc., which focuses largely on the Americas and distributes to Tetra Pak, SIG and Elopak, has somewhat lower margins than Elopak.

Figure 8. Revenues by end-markets, 2023

Fresh, 76%

Figure 9. Elopak peers' revenues and margins, 2022 Figure 10. Elopak operating margins, 2020–2026e 0 5 10 15 20 25 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024e 2025e 2026e 0 300 600 900 1,200 1,500 %EURm Total revenues EBITDA EBITDA margin (rhs)

Source: NCR estimates and company data. e–estimate.

FINANCIAL RISK ASSESSMENT

FOCF/net debt (%) -3.2 13.1 13.9 Source: company and NCR estimates. e–estimate. FFO–funds from operations. FOCF–free operating cash flow. All metrics adjusted in line with NCR methodology.

Net debt/EBITDA (x) 2.7 2.5 2.2 EBITDA/net interest (x) 7.1 7.2 8.8 FFO/net debt (%) 27.9 30.0 35.0

Figure 12. Net debt/EBITDA and EBITDA/net interest, 2020–

Figure 13. FFO/net debt and FOCF/net debt, 2020–2026e

Moderate mid-term leverage target

Risk appetite 'bbb-'

We view Elopak's risk appetite as commensurate with our assessment of the company's financial ratios. We expect the company to continue its acquisitive strategy, but also expect a generally prudent approach to future acquisitions. We believe Elopak will increase its capital investments over the next few years. The company targets net debt/EBITDA of 2.0x over time (1.9x as of 31 Dec. 2023, excluding off-balance-sheet financing), and we expect the company to exceed that level somewhat in 2024 and 2025.

The company is largely funded by equity, bank debt and factoring. Its bank debt consists of a multicurrency revolving credit facility (RCF), and other available overdraft facilities, both governed centrally at the parent level. The RCF, originally a five-year facility, matures in May 2025 and is with a consortium of Nordic and other European banks. The current narrow financing structure is offset by the diversity of banks in the consortium and the flexible terms of the RCF, which, we believe, will support refinancing solutions. Elopak uses interest hedging to reduce interest rate fluctuation risk. As of year-end 2023, Elopak had around EUR 130m in interest rate swaps with an average duration of about three years.

Elopak's balance sheet structure is relatively straightforward. By year-end 2023, Elopak delivered on all 3–5 year targets set out in the 2021 IPO, including the leverage target of 2.0x, EBITDA target of 14– 15% and organic revenue growth of 2–3% per annum. Elopak aims to pay dividends of 50–60% of adjusted net profit and the proposed dividend payout for 2023 is EUR 34m. We would expect the company to forgo dividend payments if its financial position requires it. We expect no significant share buy-backs.

Figure 14. Balance sheet composition, 2023

ADJUSTMENT FACTORS

Adjustment factors neutral

Liquidity adequate

Adjustment factors are assessed as neutral and have no effect on our standalone credit assessment.

Liquidity

Our 12-month liquidity analysis is based on a stressed scenario in which the company cannot access the capital markets or extend bank loans, and therefore has to rely on internal or committed external funding sources to cover its liquidity needs. We typically expect a company with an investment grade rating ('BBB-' or above) to cover its liquidity needs, with limited need for external funding over the coming 12 months. We assess Elopak's liquidity position as adequate. Projected net sources of liquidity outweigh net uses by 1.6x in 2024.

Figure 15. Liquidity analysis (stressed scenario) 31 Dec. 2023–31 Dec. 2024

Liquidity, next 12 months AMOUNT (EURM)
Cash and cash equivalents (100%) 11
Adjusted FFO (75%) 100
Unutilised credit facilities 175
Total sources 286
Repayment of borrowings 19
Committed capital expenditure 128
Dividend payment 34
Total uses 182
Sources/uses (x) 1.6
Sources - uses (EURm) 104
Source: company and NCR estimates. FFO–funds from operations.

Environmental, social and governance factors

ESG factors adequate

The main environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues that could affect our credit rating on Elopak are factors that could contribute to loss of revenue, increased operational costs, increased capital spending, loss of value of assets and decreased access to funding. We note the company's strong sustainability profile in an industry that aims to leverage megatrends related to increased environmental focus.

We assess increasing demand from investors, consumers and other stakeholders for sustainable packaging solutions as positive for the overall business risk profile. We believe the main credit risks are related to alternative usage of raw materials that could significantly affect access to and/or the costs of vital inputs in Elopak's value chain. Health and safety risk is also a concern, especially in areas such as food safety and the use of filling machinery. Rapidly changing legislation governing sustainability could significantly increase capital expenditure or result in substandard products and erode market share if the company cannot adapt to new regulations.

Elopak has sustainability targets approved by the UN's Science-Based Targets initiative and the World Resource Institute, which align with the aims of the Paris Agreement.

Figure 16. Elopak ESG considerations
Issue Risk Mitigating efforts Result
Health and
safety
Loss of reputation,
customers, revenue and
brand recognition.
Zero-harm philosophy
regarding health and safety,
training, and use of certification
to document safety.
Reduction in serious
accidents by 19% in
2020–2022. No reports of
issues with food safety.
CO2 New regulations and
increased taxation could
reduce operating efficiency.
Regulatory requirements
could increase capital
spending.
Sustainability is a core industry
philosophy. The company aims
for high levels of recycling and
reductions in emissions.
Targeting 100% renewable
materials by 2030 and carbon
neutral products.
20% reduction in Scope 1
and 2 GHG emissions and
7% reduction in Scope 3
GHG emissions in 2022.
Elopak has been carbon
neutral since 2016.
Waste and
waste
management
New regulations could
reduce operating efficiency
and increase capital
spending. Increased
consumer focus on waste.
Strong focus on recycling.
Targeting 50% recycling of
fresh milk cartons in Europe by
2025 and 100% renewable or
recycled content in all beverage
containers by 2030.
99% of Elopak's carton
production waste is
recycled. In Europe, 84%
of materials used are
renewable or recycled
and 30% of milk cartons
are renewable.
Changing
weather
patterns or
sharp
increase in
demand for
wood
Loss of access to raw
materials, sharp price
increases affecting
margins, deteriorating
market position.
Long-term relations with
suppliers, contracts for several
years at a time. Diversification
of suppliers.
Stable input and relatively
stable costs.

Source: company. See ESG factors in corporate ratings.

OWNERSHIP ANALYSIS

Ownership neutral

Since its IPO in 2021, Elopak remains majority owned by family-owned investment holding company Ferd AS. We expect Ferd AS to remain a long-term owner, and we note that Ferd AS has supported Elopak financially in the past. We do not typically regard family-owned firms as parent companies in a group structure.

Figure 17. Ownership structure, 2023

Owner Share of capital and votes
Ferd AS 60.0%
Mizuho Trust & Banking (Lux.) S.A. 5.8%
Folketrygdfondet 3.8%
Pareto Aksje Norge Verdipapirfond 2.8%
The Bank of New York Mellon 2.7%
The Northern Trust Comp. 2.5%
Brown Brothers Harriman 1.7%
JP Morgan SE 1.3%
Bank Pictet & Cie 1.1%
BNP Paribas 1.1%
Other 21.5%
Total 100%

Source: company.

ISSUE RATINGS

Elopak is largely financed through the RCF (unsecured but containing negative pledges), cash and factoring. We anticipate that the capital structure will remain flat, with no subordination risk for debtholders. We expect senior unsecured bonds to be issued by the company to be rated in line with the 'BBB-' long-term issuer rating.

SHORT-TERM RATING

The 'N3' short-term rating reflects the company's liquidity profile relative to its long-term issuer rating of 'BBB-'. The company's committed funding sources to uses stood at 1.6x according to our liquidity analysis, which we regard as indicative of a strong liquidity profile for the long-term issuer rating.

METHODOLOGIES USED

  • (i) Corporate Rating Methodology, 8 May 2023.
  • (ii) Rating Principles, 14 Feb. 2024.
  • (iii) Group and Government Support Rating Methodology, 14 Feb. 2024.
EURm 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024e 2025e 2026e
EBITDA 123 111 110 164 174 189 214
Dividends from JV 5 2 7 4 4
Capitalised development expenses -2 -3 -3 -5 -5 -5 -5
Other EBITDA adjustments -5 7 9
NCR-adj. EBITDA 115 119 116 161 175 188 212
Net interest -5 -6 3 -15 -18 -20 -20
Financial costs from leases -5 -4 -4 -7 -7 -6 -4
Other interest adjustments -8
NCR-adj. net interest -10 -10 -8 -22 -25 -26 -24
NCR-adj. EBITDA 115 119 116 161 175 188 212
NCR-adj. net interest -10 -10 -8 -22 -25 -26 -24
Current tax -13 -16 -12 -16 -18 -18 -23
NCR-adj. FFO 93 93 95 123 133 144 165
Changes in working capital 4 -15 -70 27 -25 15 -3
Capital spending -44 -37 -42 -41 -128 -101 -102
Capitalised development expenses 2 3 3 5 5 5 5
Other cash flow from operations 8 -2 5 -4
NCR-adj. FOCF 62 42 -8 111 -15 63 65
Cash and cash equivalents 6 24 26 13 77 71 56
Restricted cash -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 -2
NCR-adj. cash and equivalents 5 23 24 11 75 69 54
Gross interest-bearing debt 229 184 326 244 377 377 377
Long-term lease liabilities 69 62 74 78 78 66 44
Short-term lease liabilities 19 18 17 23 35 45 45
Retirement benefit obligations 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Adjustments due to factoring 38 40 38 40 40 40 40
Adjustments due to reversed factoring 19 19 16 17 17 17 17
NCR-adj. total debt 376 326 472 405 550 548 526
NCR-adj. cash and equivalents -5 -23 -24 -11 -75 -69 -54
NCR-adj. net debt 371 303 448 393 475 479 472

Figure 18. NCR's adjustments to Elopak credit metrics, 2020–2026e

Source: NCR estimates and company data. e–estimate. FFO–funds from operations. FOCF–free operating cash flow.

EURm 2020 2021 2022 2023
INCOME STATEMENT
Revenue 914 940 1,024 1,132
Cost of goods sold -577 -608 -681 -720
Selling, general & admin. expenses -214 -222 -232 -248
EBITDA 123 111 110 164
Depreciation and amortisation -52 -56 -62 -60
Other non-financial items 0 0 -7 -1
Net financial items -11 -9 5 -18
Pre-tax profit 60 45 46 85
Total taxes -12 -16 -12 -16
After-tax adjustments 0 0 -24 -1
Net profit 48 29 11 68
BALANCE SHEET
Property, plant and equipment 188 186 202 203
Intangible assets and goodwill 114 109 176 168
Interest in associates and joint ventures 27 28 35 38
Other non-current assets 107 98 119 124
Total non-current assets 436 421 532 533
Cash and cash equivalents 6 24 26 13
Other current assets 306 338 399 416
Total current assets 313 363 425 429
Total assets 749 783 956 963
Total equity 185 269 268 315
Long-term interest-bearing liabilities 213 169 304 224
Other long-term liabilities 90 79 95 100
Total non-current liabilities 303 249 399 324
Short-term interest-bearing liabilities 16 14 22 19
Other short-term liabilities 245 251 267 304
Total current liabilities 261 265 289 323
Total equity and liabilities 749 783 956 963
CASH FLOW STATEMENT
Pre-tax profit 60 45 46 85
Adjustments for items not in cash flow 39 38 48 45
Changes in working capital 4 -15 -70 27
Operating cash flow 103 68 25 157
Cash flow from investing activities -36 -26 -126 -32
Cash flow from financing activities -74 -31 103 -137
Cash and cash equivalents at start of the year 20 11 24 26
Cash flow for the year -9 13 2 -12
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year 11 24 26 13

Figure 20. Elopak rating scorecard

Subfactors Impact Score
Operating environment 20.0% bbb
Market position 10.0% bbb
Size and diversification 10.0% bb+
Operating efficiency 10.0% bbb
Business risk assessment 50.0% bbb
Ratio analysis bbb
Risk appetite bbb
Financial risk assessment 50.0% bbb
Indicative credit assessment bbb
Liquidity Adequate
ESG Adequate
Peer calibration Neutral
Stand-alone credit assessment bbb
Support analysis Neutral
Issuer rating BBB
Outlook Stable
Short-term rating N3

Figure 21. Capital structure ratings

Seniority Rating
Senior unsecured BBB

DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer © 2024 Nordic Credit Rating AS (NCR, the agency). All rights reserved. All information and data used by NCR in its analytical activities come from sources the agency considers accurate and reliable. All material relating to NCR's analytical activities is provided on an "as is" basis. The agency does not conduct audits or similar warranty validations of any information used in its analytical activities and related material. NCR advises all users of its services to carry out individual assessments for their own specific use or purpose when using any information or material provided by the agency. Analytical material provided by NCR constitutes only an opinion on relative credit risk and does not address other forms of risk such as volatility or market risk and should not be considered to contain facts of any kind for the purpose of assessing an issuer's or an issue's historical, current or future performance. Analytical material provided by NCR may include certain forward-looking statements relating to the business, financial performance and results of an entity and/or the industry in which it operates. Forward-looking statements concern future circumstances and results and other statements that are not historical facts, sometimes identified by the words "believes", "expects", "predicts", "intends", "projects", "plans", "estimates", "aims", "foresees", "anticipates", "targets", and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in any analytical material provided by NCR, including assumptions, opinions and views either of the agency or cited from third-party sources are solely opinions and forecasts which are subject to risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from anticipated events. NCR and its personnel and any related third parties provide no assurance that the assumptions underlying any statements in analytical material provided by the agency are free from error, nor are they liable to any party, either directly or indirectly, for any damages, losses or similar, arising from use of NCR's analytical material or the agency's analytical activities. No representation or warranty (express or implied) is made as to, and no reliance should be placed upon, any information, including projections, estimates, targets and opinions, contained in any analytical material provided by NCR, and no liability whatsoever is accepted as to any errors, omissions or misstatements contained in any analytical material provided by the agency. Users of analytical material provided by NCR are solely responsible for making their own assessment of the market and the market position of any relevant entity, conducting their own investigations and analysis, and forming their own view of the future performance of any relevant entity's business and current and future financial situation. NCR is independent of any third party, and any information and/or material resulting from the agency's analytical activities should not be considered as marketing or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any financial instruments or similar. Relating to NCR's analytical activities, historical development and past performance does not safeguard or guarantee any future results or outcome. All information herein is the sole property of NCR and is protected by copyright and applicable laws. The information herein, and any other information provided by NCR, may not be reproduced, copied, stored, sold, or distributed without NCR's written permission.

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