Halister News

(Bloomberg) -- UniCredit’s and Intesa Sanpaolo’s EU1b investments in Italy’s bank rescue fund Atlante is credit negative for them because the fund is buying shares of banks that are at risk of resolution, Moody’s Investors Service says in twice-weekly Credit Outlook.

• Atlante’s guarantee of Pop. Vicenza’s EU1.5b share sale, previously guaranteed by UniCredit alone, remains credit negative because UniCredit’s capital buffer is smaller than those of other investing banks
• If UniCredit’s stake in Atlante were deducted from regulatory capital, “it would leave UniCredit with a smaller capital buffer in excess of its prudential capital requirement,” leaving investors in bank’s AT1 securities at risk of coupon suspension
• UniCredit’s Atlante investment amounts to 0.26% of RWAs; bank has 10.73% CET1 ratio, vs requirement of 10%
• NOTE: Italy Bank Lifeline Buys Time as Atlas Shows Herculean Task (April 19)