May 17, 5:53
In NEW YORK article headlined ``UPDATE 1-Sunterra ratings cut to default, shutdown risk seen,'' please read
in second paragraph ``Standard & Poor's cut its corporate credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on Orlando-based
Sunterra (NYSE:OWN - news) to ''D,`` or default, from single-B, its fifth-highest junk grade ...'' not ``... from
BB-minus, its third-highest junk grade...'' (Correcting rating.)
A corrected article, including closing stock price,
follows.
By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK, May 17 (Reuters) - The two leading U.S. rating
agencies on Wednesday cut their ratings for Sunterra Corp., the world's largest owner and manager of vacation ownership
resorts, and said the company may have to cease operations.
Standard & Poor's cut its corporate credit and senior unsecured debt ratings on Orlando-based Sunterra (NYSE:OWN
- news) to ``D,'' or default, from single-B, its fifth-highest junk grade, after the company said late Monday it
did not make three scheduled payments.
Moody's Investors Service then cut its ratings on the company and its debt by two notches, to between Caa3, its
third-lowest rating, and single-C, its lowest.
Sunterra said it missed a $6.475 million payment on its 9.25 percent senior notes maturing May 2006. It has 30
days to cure before this becomes an ``event of default.''
Sunterra said it also missed a $4 million payment under its senior bank credit facility, and a $1.1 million payment
on its ``pre-sale line,'' a line of credit to finance certain notes and mortgages receivable.
In addition, the company said that because it suffered an after-tax loss of $15.6 million, or 43 cents a diluted
share, in the first quarter, it violated net worth and net worth-related covenants in the credit facility, the
pre-sale line, and a $50 million inventory line of credit to finance unsold vacation interests inventory.
First-quarter revenues totalled $98.1 million, down 14 percent from $114.3 million a year earlier, when the company
reported net income of $10 million, or 27 cents per diluted share.
S&P, which also cut its rating for Sunterra's subordinated debt to single-C, its lowest grade other than default,
said ``there is no availability under existing credit facilities, and cash balances are at a minimum. The company
continues to seek additional liquidity alternatives, but if unsuccessful, it is unlikely to be able to continue
operations.''
Moody's said its cuts reflect ``Sunterra's lack of liquidity, uncertain ability to continue to operate without
protection under a bankruptcy filing, and the likelihood that recovery of principal on the company's notes could
be significantly impaired.''
Moody's said its ratings affect $478 million of debt.
Sunterra operates 90 resort locations worldwide and has about 300,000 time-share customers.
Sunterra shares closed on the New York Stock Exchange at 9/16, down 3/16. Their 52-week high is 15-3/4.