–MIS is subject to formal regulation and periodic or other inspections in the EU and other foreign jurisdictions, such as, but not limited to, the U.K., Australia, Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong, where it operates through registered subsidiaries.
–In the EU and the U.K., applicable rules include procedural requirements with respect to credit ratings of sovereign issuers, liability for intentional or grossly negligent failure to abide by applicable regulations, mandatory analyst rotation requirements, and restrictions on CRAs or their shareholders if certain ownership thresholds are crossed. Additional procedural and substantive requirements include conditions for the issuance of credit ratings, rules regarding the organization of CRAs, restrictions on activities deemed to create a conflict of interest, including requirements that fees be based on costs and non-discriminatory, special requirements for credit ratings of structured finance instruments. Certain products currently offered by MIS may fall into scope of the EU Regulation on ESG Rating Activities, which could impose new substantive and procedural requirements on MIS relating to those products similar to those applicable to credit ratings. In addition, EU CRAs are also subject to DORA, which imposes a range of requirements in relation to the management of ICT risk, regulatory reporting, testing and the management of risks related to ICT services provided by third-parties.
–In Hong Kong, applicable rules include liability for the intentional or negligent dissemination of false and misleading information and procedural requirements for the notification of certain matters to regulators. In addition, MIS Hong Kong is subject to a code of conduct applicable to CRAs that imposes procedural and substantive requirements on the preparation and issuance of credit ratings, restrictions on activities deemed to create a conflict of interest including the disclosure of its compensation arrangements with rated entities and special requirements for credit ratings of structured finance instruments.
–In China, while MIS is not a licensed CRA, it does issue global credit ratings on Chinese issuers from offices outside of China. In addition, the Company holds a 30% investment in CCXI, a domestic CRA licensed in China. China has laws applicable to domestic CRAs as well as foreign investment in such entities and entities in general (including national security review).
–In Australia, unless an exemption applies, CRAs are required to hold an Australian financial services license (AFSL) if they carry on a business of providing credit ratings in Australia. MIS Australia holds an AFSL authorizing it to provide general advice to wholesale clients only by issuing a credit rating. It is therefore required to comply with obligations as an AFSL holder including the requirement to provide financial services efficiently, honestly, and fairly, to manage conflicts of interest, and to comply with the conditions of its AFSL (which conditions include specific conditions about credit ratings).
Future laws and regulations could extend to products and services not currently regulated. These regulations could:
–affect the need for debt securities to be rated;
–expand supervisory remits to include credit ratings issued outside the home jurisdiction;
–increase the level of competition for credit ratings, including the distribution of credit ratings;
–establish criteria for credit ratings or limit the entities authorized to provide credit ratings;
–restrict the collection, use, accuracy, correction and sharing of information by CRAs; or
–regulate pricing (for example, to require fees that are based on costs and are non-discriminatory) on products and services provided by MA such as those products that incorporate credit ratings and research originated by MIS.
In turn, such developments may affect MIS’s communications with issuers as part of the rating assignment process, alter the manner in which MIS’s credit ratings are developed, assigned and communicated, affect the manner in which MIS or its customers or users of credit ratings operate, impact the demand for MIS’s credit ratings or alter the economics of the credit ratings business, including by restricting or mandating business models for CRAs. It is difficult to accurately assess the future impact of legislative and regulatory requirements on MIS’s business and its customers’ businesses. If these laws and regulations, and any future rulemaking or court rulings, reduce demand for credit ratings or increase costs, MIS may be unable to pass such costs through to customers. Additionally, legislative and regulatory initiatives that apply to CRAs and credit markets generally may affect Moody’s in a disproportionate manner. Each of these developments increases the costs and legal risk associated with the issuance of credit ratings and can have a material adverse effect on Moody’s operations, profitability and competitiveness, the demand for credit ratings and the manner in which such ratings are utilized.
Moody's Analytics. Certain of MA’s subscription products contain credit ratings data and related research produced by MIS, and often are used by MA customers for regulatory compliance purposes, including determination of capital charges and regulatory reporting.
Regulations concerning the issuance of credit ratings and the activities of CRAs, including the dissemination of ratings data, are likely to continue to be considered in the future, including, for example, provisions regarding fair and reasonable availability of ratings data, the terms and conditions associated with such data feeds, remuneration for data and the nature of the information to be included in credit opinions. Other laws, regulations and rules that are being considered or are likely to be considered in the future may impact MA products and services, for example, by requiring certain information to be provided free of charge.