Fitch to Rate Jamestown CLO VI Ltd./Corp.; Issues Presale

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Fitch Ratings expects to assign the following ratings and Rating Outlooks to Jamestown CLO VI Ltd./Corp.:

--$410,000,000 class A-1A notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable;

--$70,000,000 class A-1B notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable.

Fitch does not expect to rate the class A-2, B, C, D, or E notes, or the subordinated notes.

TRANSACTION SUMMARY

Jamestown CLO VI Ltd. (the issuer) and Jamestown CLO VI Corp. (the co-issuer) together comprise an arbitrage cash flow collateralized loan obligation (CLO) that will be managed by 3i Debt Management U.S. LLC (3iDM). Net proceeds from the issuance of the secured and subordinated notes will be used to purchase a portfolio of approximately $750 million of primarily senior secured leveraged loans. The CLO will have a four-year reinvestment period and a two-year noncall period.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

Sufficient Credit Enhancement: Credit enhancement (CE) of 36.0% for the class A-1A and A-1B (collectively, class A-1) notes, in addition to excess spread, is sufficient to protect against portfolio default and recovery rate projections in the 'AAAsf' stress scenario. The degree of CE available to class A-1 notes is lower than the average CE of recent CLO issuances; however, cash flow modeling indicates performance is in line with other 'AAAsf' CLO notes.

'B' Asset Quality: The average credit quality of the indicative portfolio is 'B', which is comparable to recent CLOs. Issuers rated in the 'B' rating category denote a highly speculative credit quality; however, in Fitch Ratings' opinion, the class A-1 notes are unlikely to be affected by the foreseeable level of defaults. Class A-1 notes are projected to be able to withstand default rates of up to 61.3%.

Strong Recovery Expectations: The indicative portfolio consists of 96.3% first-lien loans. Approximately 89.4% of the indicative portfolio has strong recovery prospects or a Fitch-assigned recovery rating of 'RR2' or higher, and the base case recovery assumption is 75.0%. In determining the class A-1 note rating, Fitch stressed the indicative portfolio by assuming a higher portfolio concentration of assets with lower recovery prospects and further reduced recovery assumptions of higher rating stresses resulting in a 34.5% recovery rate assumption in Fitch's 'AAAsf' scenario.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

Fitch evaluated the structure's sensitivity to the potential variability of key model assumptions, including decreases in recovery rates and increases in default rates or correlation. Fitch expects the class A-1 notes to remain investment grade, even under the most extreme sensitivity scenarios. Results under these sensitivity scenarios ranged between 'A+sf' and 'AAAsf' for the class A-1 notes.

The expected ratings are based on information provided to Fitch as of Jan. 26, 2015. Sources of information used to assess these ratings were provided by the arranger, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., and the public domain.

Key Rating Drivers and Rating Sensitivities are further detailed in the accompanying presale report, available at 'www.fitchratings.com' or by clicking on the link.

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

Applicable Criteria & Related Research:

--'Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria' (Aug. 4, 2014);

--'Global Rating Criteria for Corporate CDOs' (July 25, 2014);

--'Criteria for Interest Rate Stresses in Structured Finance Transactions and Covered Bonds' (Dec. 19, 2014);

--'Counterparty Criteria for Structured Finance and Covered Bonds' (May 14, 2014).

Applicable Criteria and Related Research: Jamestown CLO VI Ltd./Corp.

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=851828

Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=754389

Criteria for Interest Rate Stresses in Structured Finance Transactions

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=695535

Counterparty Criteria for Structured Finance and Covered Bonds

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=744158

Global Rating Criteria for Corporate CDOs

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=753057

Additional Disclosure

Solicitation Status

http://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=978689

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