Qatar sukuk assigned ‘AA’ issue credit rating by S&P

Global credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has assigned ‘AA’ issue credit rating to Qatar’s proposed dollar-denominated sukuk. The rating has been assigned to trust certificates to be issued by SoQ Sukuk A, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) registered in Qatar and wholly-owned by the State. “We believe the reason behind the transaction is to raise funds in accordance with Islamic principles. The issuance of sukuk shall be made via the Shariah principle of ijara (leasing),” S&P said. The assets underlying the lease would be state-owned buildings and land in Qatar and under the transaction, the state would sell a pool of property assets to SoQ Sukuk A. SoQ Sukuk A would enter into a trust arrangement under which it hold the assets as trustee for the certificate holders. The state is to act as servicing agent to maintain the assets. SoQ Sukuk A will lease back the assets to the state, which would make regular rental payments to Sukuk A. These will be the basis for periodic distribution payments payable on the trust certificates, the rating agency said, adding the rental payment obligation ranks pari passu with other unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the State. On maturity (dissolution of the trust), SoQ Sukuk B QSC, a second SPV wholly-owned by the State and registered in Qatar, would purchase the lease assets from SoQ Sukuk A at the relevant exercise price, as specified in the purchase undertaking. “The purchase price in connection with this sale funds the dissolution amount that is payable to the certificate holders. The state guarantees the obligations of SoQ Sukuk B under the purchase undertaking in a timely, irrevocable, and unconditional manner,” S&P said. The rating agency considers that Qatar has a strong incentive to consider the performance of the trust certificates to be as important as its conventional debt, because the rationale for the transaction is to raise funds in accordance with Islamic principles, rather than to separate the state’s own obligations from those of the issuer, SoQ Sukuk A. from gulf times.