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Rating Action:

Moody's assigns Aaa to Metropolitan Museum of Art's (NY) $250M Series 2015 bonds; outlook stable

Global Credit Research - 20 Jan 2015

$393M pro-forma rated debt

New York, January 20, 2015 --

Moody's Rating

Issue: Series 2015 Taxable Bonds; Rating: Aaa; Sale Amount: $250,000,000; Expected Sale Date: 01-26-2015; Rating Description: General Obligation

Opinion

Moody's Investors Service assigned a Aaa rating to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's, NY (The Met's) $250 million of Series 2015 taxable bonds and affirmed the Aaa/VMIG 1 ratings on the museum's prior debt. The outlook is stable. The prior bonds were issued through the Trust for Cultural Resources of the City of New York and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.

SUMMARY RATING RATIONALE

The Aaa assignment to the Met's proposed $250 million increase in debt incorporates its fiscal discipline around capital investment, with no identified borrowing plans beyond this issuance, strong and growing philanthropic support, and healthy growth of wealth and liquidity.

The Aaa rating and stable outlook reflect the Metropolitan Museum of Art's exemplary brand recognition as one of the world's largest art museums, with excellent prospects for continued strong donor support, and diverse revenue streams supporting favorable cash flow. The rating and outlook incorporate the museum's ongoing need to prioritize strategic investments in capital, programs, audience development, and digital initiatives.

The short-term VMIG 1 ratings reflect the museum's excellent long-term credit quality as well as sound liquidity and treasury management. The self-liquidity program includes the museum's own cash and investments as well as a bank facility to pay bondholders in the event of a potential failed remarketing of the variable rate demand obligations.

OUTLOOK

The stable outlook reflects our expectations that the museum will continue to generate revenue and resource growth in support of its increased leverage. It is also predicated on the continuation of positive operating performance, maintenance of strong liquidity, no additions to long-term debt, and no material increase in the use of short-term debt.

WHAT COULD MAKE THE RATING GO UP

Not applicable

WHAT COULD MAKE THE RATING GO DOWN

A move to operating deficits, material reduction in flexible reserves, reduced donor support or increase in debt could provide downward pressure.

OBLIGOR PROFILE

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is an encyclopedic museum founded in 1870. Its primary location is in Manhattan's Central Park and includes 2.2 million of square footage. It also has a location in Fort Tyron Park known as The Cloisters with a focus on medieval art.

LEGAL SECURITY

Repayment is an unsecured general obligation of the museum. The Series 1993A and 1993B Variable Interest Rate Bonds are additionally secured by the museum's annual membership dues.

USE OF BOND PROCEEDS

Proceeds of the 2015 bonds will be available for general corporate purposes of the museum. Management currently intends to use the proceeds for various capital infrastructure improvements over the next ten years.

PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY

The principal methodology used in this rating was Not-for-Profit Organizations (other than Healthcare and Education) published in March 2014. An additional methodology used in the short-term rating was Rating Methodology for Municipal Bonds and Commercial Paper Supported by a Borrower's Self-Liquidity published in January 2012. Please see the Credit Policy page on www.moodys.com for a copy of these methodologies.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.

Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.

Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.

Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.

Dennis M. Gephardt
Vice President - Senior Analyst
Public Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653

Karen Kedem
VP - Sr Credit Officer/Manager
Public Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653

Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 212-553-0376
SUBSCRIBERS: 212-553-1653

Moody's assigns Aaa to Metropolitan Museum of Art's (NY) $250M Series 2015 bonds; outlook stable
No Related Data.
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