S&P gives first building society rating

SCBS, which has been operating since 1923, is the first building society in New Zealand to be rated by Standard & Poor's.

The ratings on SCBS partly reflect S&P's opinion of the concentration of SCBS's customers in the higher-risk sectors of rural and commercial lending. "Furthermore, in the current economic environment, there has been an increase in SCBS's nonperforming assets. These risks are mitigated by SCBS's sizeable portfolio of residential loans, manageable loan-to-value ratios, and proactive management of the portfolio in the weakening environment."

"Given SCBS is undergoing a cultural and strategic change and faces an uncertain operating environment, the building society is exposed to a degree of risk. However, unlike some non-bank deposit-taker peers in New Zealand, SCBS is free of related-party concerns. What's more, its governance framework, which has been revamped under the new board and management, compares favorably to many other entities in the sector," S&P says.