Fitch Downgrades CIT's IDR to 'RD' Following Completion of Tender Offer
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NEW YORK--(Business Wire)-- Fitch Ratings has downgraded CIT Group Inc.'s (CIT) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to Restricted Default (RD) from 'C' following completion of the company's bond tender offer, which covered the purchase of 59.81% of the company's $1 billion floating rate senior secured notes. The purchase is considered a Coercive Debt Exchange (CDE) and consistent with Fitch's CDE criteria. Specifically, bondholders that validly tendered will receive a reduction in principal and, absent completion of the offer, there would have existed a very high probability that CIT would file for bankruptcy. Despite completion of the offer, Fitch believes CIT's liquidity issues remain acute with bankruptcy still a potential outcome. Fitch also believes that, as part of the company's broader recapitalization plan, additional CDEs are forthcoming. Since the company's future prospects remain uncertain, Fitch does not anticipate raising CIT's IDR in the near term. The issue level ratings of CIT and the ratings of CIT Bank and CIT's non U.S. subsidiaries are unaffected by today's action. The following has been downgraded: CIT Group Inc. --Long-term IDR to 'RD' from 'C'; --Short-term IDR at to 'RD' from 'C'; --Individual rating to 'F' from 'E'. The following ratings remain unchanged: CIT Group Inc. --Senior debt of 'C/RR4'; --Subordinated of 'C/RR6'; --Junior subordinated debt of 'C/RR6'; --Senior subordinated debt of 'C/RR6'; --Preferred stock of 'C/RR6' --Short-term debt of 'C' --Support rating of '5'; --Support floor of 'NF'. CIT Bank --Long-term IDR 'C'; --Long-term deposits 'CCC/RR2'; --Short-term IDR'C'; --Short-term deposits 'C'; --Individual rating 'E'; --Support rating '5'; --Support floor 'NF'. CIT Funding Group of Canada, Inc. --Long-term IDR 'C'; --Senior debt 'C/RR4'; --Short-term IDR 'C'. CIT Group (Australia) Inc. --Long-term IDR 'C'; --Senior 'C/RR4'; --Short-term IDR 'C'; --Short-term 'C'. Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, 'www.fitchratings.com'. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch's code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the 'Code of Conduct' section of this site. Fitch Ratings Vincent Arscott, CFA, 212-908-0872, New York William Artz, 312-368-3178, Chicago or Media Relations: Brian Bertsch, 212-908-0549, New York Email: brian.bertsch@fitchratings.com Copyright Business Wire 2009
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