TMCnet News

Fitch Rates Navient Student Loan Trust 2014-8
[November 25, 2014]

Fitch Rates Navient Student Loan Trust 2014-8


NEW YORK --(Business Wire)--

Fitch Ratings rates Navient Student Loan Trust 2014-8 as follows:

--$285,000,000 class A-1 notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable;

--$235,000,000 class A-2 notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable;

--$468,800,000 class A-3 notes 'AAAsf'; Outlook Stable;

--$27,900,000 class B notes 'Asf'; Outlook Stable.

Key Rating Drivers

High Collateral Quality: The trust's collateral consists of 100% Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans, approximately 20% of which are rehabilitated loans. The credit quality of the trust's collateral is high as the trust student loans are guaranteed for at least 97% principal and accrued interest by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Fitch currently rates the U.S. at 'AAA'/Stable.

Sufficient Credit Enhancement: The cash flow results for the class A and B notes were satisfactory under Fitch 'AAAsf' and 'Asf' stresses, respectively. Total credit enhancement (CE) is provided by initial overcollateralization (OC) of approximately 0.80% of trust collateral balance, excess spread and, in the case of the class A notes, approximately 2.82% of subordination provided by the class B notes. A target OC amount equal to the greater of 1.00% of the adjusted pool balance and $1.5 million must be met before excess cash can be released.

Adequate Liquidity Support: Liquidity support is provided by a reserve account sized at 0.50% of initial student loan balance and funded at closing. The required reserve account balance for any distribution dates prior to Dec. 25, 2015 (the step-down date) is 0.50% of the current student loan balance; then on and after the step-down date, the greater of 0.25% of the current student loan balance and 0.10% of the initial student loan balance.

Acceptable Servicing Capabilities: Navient Solutions, Inc. (formerly known as Sallie Mae, Inc.) will service 100% of the trust's student loan pool. In Fitch's opinion Navient Solutions, Inc. is an acceptable servicer of FFELP student loans.

RATING SENSITIVITY

Since FFELP student loan ABS (News - Alert) rely on the U.S. government to reimburse defaults, 'AAAsf' FFELP ABS ratings will likely move in tandem with the 'AAA' U.S. sovereign rating. Aside from the U.S. sovereign rating, defaults and basis risk account for the majorit of the risk embedded in FFELP student loan transactions. Additional defaults and basis shock beyond Fitch's published stresses could result in future downgrades. Likewise, a buildup of CE driven by positive excess spread given favorable basis factor conditions could lead to future upgrades.



Key Rating Drivers and Rating Sensitivities are further described in the pre-sale report titled 'Navient Student Loan Trust 2014-8', dated November 13, 2014, available on www.fitchratings.com, or by clicking on the link.

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.


Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

--'Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria' (May 20, 2014);

--'Rating U.S. Federal Family Education Loan Program Student Loan ABS Criteria' (June 23, 2014).

Applicable Criteria and Related Research:

Rating U.S. Federal Family Education Loan Program Student Loan ABS Criteria

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=750530

Global Structured Finance Rating Criteria

http://www.fitchratings.com/creditdesk/reports/report_frame.cfm?rpt_id=754389

Additional Disclosure

Solicitation Status

http://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=934796

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON (News - Alert) THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE '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 MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE.


[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]