NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
Fitch affirms 'AAA' rating assigned to the auction preferred
shares (APS) series A, B, C and D issued by Eaton Vance Senior
Floating Rate Trust (the Trust) in the total amount of $131,300,000.
The rating affirmation follows redemption of certain shares of the
above mentioned series in the total amount of $262,700,000. The 'AAA'
rating denotes expectations of very low credit risk.
The Trust intends to change its primary method of leverage from
APS to a combination of debt and APS. A proportionate amount of each
series of the Trust's APS is expected to be redeemed at the next
dividend payable date on or after May 1, 2008.
Eaton Vance Senior Floating Rate Trust is a diversified,
closed-end management investment company organized as a Massachusetts
business trust on Aug. 5, 2003, whose common shares are traded on the
NYSE under the symbol 'EFR.' As of March 31, 2008 the Trust had
approximately $896 million in assets under management.
The Trust's investment objective is to provide a high level of
current income. The Trust may as a secondary objective, also seek
preservation of capital to the extent consistent with its primary goal
of high current income. The Trust will seek to achieve its investment
objectives by investing primarily in senior secured floating rate
loans. Under normal market conditions, the Trust will invest at least
80% of its total assets in Senior Loans.
The affirmed rating is based on the strength of the Trust's
underlying portfolio that provides preferred stock liquidation
coverage as well as the quality and experience of the Trust's
investment manager. At the time of the rating, the Trust's pro forma
APS coverage ratios that take the above named redemption into effect,
calculated in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act as
amended and the Fitch coverage ratio satisfied regulatory requirements
mandating an asset coverage ratio of at least 200% as well as Fitch's
minimum coverage ratio requirements of at least 100%.
The Trust is managed by Eaton Vance Management, a subsidiary of
Eaton Vance Corp. (NYSE: EV). Eaton Vance and its affiliates had
$152.9 billion in assets under management as of Jan. 31, 2008.
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, New York
Viktoria Baklanova, CFA, 212-908-9162
Yuriy Layvand, CPA, 212-908-9191
or
Media Relations:
Sandro Scenga, 212-908-0278
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