The credit rating industry is characterised by the high concentration of a small number of firms and, allegedly, this concentration stems from certain anticompetitive behaviours made manifest by the dominant firms in the industry. Therefore, as has yet to be done in empirical research, the purpose of this study is to carry out an exploration of the antitrust behaviours supposedly perpetuated by agents in the credit rating process for debt finance. The aim is to determine what influences, if any, the interactions and relationships in the rating process have on the sustenance of the oligopoly in the rating industry and on impeding new rating agencies trying to enter the market. Through the application of thematic analysis, this study aims to gather evidence on the behavioural motivations of rating analysts and underwriters in the rating process. Furthermore, the theoretical framework suggests notching and tying to be the anticompetitive behaviours that strengthen the oligopoly. Hence, the study finds that the drivers of anticompetitive notching in the rating process are the taking of haircuts and mapping, the guise of protecting investors’ interests, punitive ratings and a quid pro quo rating norm. Similarly, it finds that the enablers of anticompetitive tying are continuous dealing in the rating process, covert negotiation, repeat rating requests, ancillary services and the regulatory overdependence on credit ratings. In addition, this thesis explores the impediments of new rating agencies trying to enter the credit rating industry and finds that new rating agencies face peculiar market, regulatory and organisational barriers. Firstly, the market barriers comprise arbitrage, economic rents, investor preference and the issuer-pay model. Secondly, the regulatory barriers are discretionary regulation, new regulations and the designation of nationally recognised statistical rating organisation status. Lastly, the organisational barriers include down-trading, inadequate funding, the lack of geographic spread, low added intellectual value and a narrow product and service scope. Finally, this research recommends for regulatory authorities to agree to a harmonised convention on the recognition of credit rating agencies that may lead to the emergence of new robust agencies. It also proposes the standardisation of mapping practices in the notching process to reduce rating variance among credit rating agencies. Lastly, the research offers evidence of notching for competition and tying through informal services that may substantiate antitrust liability for possible antitrust intervention.

A securitização de recebíveis é uma modalidade de estruturação financeira que permite à empresa originadora de créditos o acesso direto ao mercado de capitais, constituindo-se em importante ferramenta para a desintermediação financeira. Basicamente, esta modalidade consiste na cessão dos créditos a uma companhia constituída especificamente para este fim e a emissão de títulos, por esta última, lastreados nos créditos adquiridos. O investidor em um título securitizado se beneficia porque não corre o risco da empresa originadora dos créditos, e sim o risco diversificado dos recebíveis que lastreiam o título. No Brasil, a securitização se desenvolveu na forma dos fundos de investimento em direitos creditórios os FIDCs , que captam emitindo cotas seniores e cotas subordinadas. Este trabalho investiga as técnicas relacionadas à securitização, as práticas do mercado de capitais, os benefícios desta modalidade de estruturação financeira, e avalia os riscos dos FIDCs para o investidor em cotas sênior e para o originador que, normalmente, adquire as cotas subordinadas. São apresentadas também as normas estabelecidas pelas autoridades monetárias visando fazer frente aos riscos inerentes à securitização, uma vez que esta forma de estruturação é largamente empregada por instituições financeiras; e avaliado se estas normas estão adequadas para seu propósito. / The securitization is a type of structure finance which allows a company capable of originate receivables to access the capital market, and so, contributing to the financial disintermediation. Basically, the securitization consists in selling credits for a special purpose vehicle, responsible for issuing securities collateralized by those receivables. The investor in a securitized obligation has the benefit of avoiding the risks coming from the credit originator, but the diversified risk from its collateral. In Brazil, the securitization took the form of mutual funds the FIDC, which borrow funds by issuing senior and subordinated cotes. This study investigates the securitization techniques, the capital market practices, the benefits of this structure finance model and, in the case of a FIDC, the risks arising from senior and subordinated cotes. The rules established by the monetary authorities focusing the risks inherent of the securitization process are also presented, considering the fact this structure is largely used by financial institutions; additionally, the adequacy of those rules are evaluated.

The introduction, and evolution of securitisation over the years, has made a phenomenal contribution to the area of corporate finance. Securitisation is specialised area which has evolved to deliver considerable advantages to banks and their corporate and government clients, a sub-subjected explored in this thesis. Securitisation is using the cashflow, creditworthiness and collateral of receivables to raise finance from the capital markets. To date, research on the subject of securitisation has produced a few textbooks and numerous articles written by academics and practitioners. The ambit of these writings addresses three questions, namely, what is securitisation; how does it work in practice; and how can securitisation be developed so that it can continue delivering advantages in the evolving world of corporate finance. Securitisation is very much a practical subject, and given that the author had very little, if any, practical exposure to the subject prior to developing this thesis, the author, admittedly, felt challenged to ascertain significant issues that could be developed to the extent that such development represents an original contribution to knowledge. Case law in the US had already explored the most significant issue regarding securitisation, namely, true sale. Armed with a solid theoretical base of knowledge that author looked for inspiration, and discovered it during the initial days when the Enron scandal hit the headlines. In short, the Enron scandal involved using the concept of securitisation to facilitate financial crime. The masterminds (if its appropriate to use such description) of the scandal, as this thesis will unfold later, cleverly used thousands of securitisation and hedging transactions to raise funds in order to give financial creditability to a giant corporation which on the surface appeared prosperous but, in reality, was breathing to a large extent on borrowed funds. This scandal, in which securitisation was used, inspired the author to develop the originality of the thesis by focusing on the issue of securitisation and financial crime. Given that financial crime is a huge area to explore, the author narrowed the focus to look at money laundering, and address the question: can the practice of securitisation facilitate money laundering? To approach this question and answer it at doctorate level required a solid understanding of what securitisation is and how it works in practice. Using textbooks, articles and conversations with practitioners, the thesis documents under Part 1, what securitisation is and how it works in practice before moving on to Part 2 to look at if and how securitisation can facilitate money laundering.

A securitização de recebíveis é uma modalidade de estruturação financeira que permite à empresa originadora de créditos o acesso direto ao mercado de capitais, constituindo-se em importante ferramenta para a desintermediação financeira. Basicamente, esta modalidade consiste na cessão dos créditos a uma companhia constituída especificamente para este fim e a emissão de títulos, por esta última, lastreados nos créditos adquiridos. O investidor em um título securitizado se beneficia porque não corre o risco da empresa originadora dos créditos, e sim o risco diversificado dos recebíveis que lastreiam o título. No Brasil, a securitização se desenvolveu na forma dos fundos de investimento em direitos creditórios os FIDCs , que captam emitindo cotas seniores e cotas subordinadas. Este trabalho investiga as técnicas relacionadas à securitização, as práticas do mercado de capitais, os benefícios desta modalidade de estruturação financeira, e avalia os riscos dos FIDCs para o investidor em cotas sênior e para o originador que, normalmente, adquire as cotas subordinadas. São apresentadas também as normas estabelecidas pelas autoridades monetárias visando fazer frente aos riscos inerentes à securitização, uma vez que esta forma de estruturação é largamente empregada por instituições financeiras; e avaliado se estas normas estão adequadas para seu propósito. / The securitization is a type of structure finance which allows a company capable of originate receivables to access the capital market, and so, contributing to the financial disintermediation. Basically, the securitization consists in selling credits for a special purpose vehicle, responsible for issuing securities collateralized by those receivables. The investor in a securitized obligation has the benefit of avoiding the risks coming from the credit originator, but the diversified risk from its collateral. In Brazil, the securitization took the form of mutual funds the FIDC, which borrow funds by issuing senior and subordinated cotes. This study investigates the securitization techniques, the capital market practices, the benefits of this structure finance model and, in the case of a FIDC, the risks arising from senior and subordinated cotes. The rules established by the monetary authorities focusing the risks inherent of the securitization process are also presented, considering the fact this structure is largely used by financial institutions; additionally, the adequacy of those rules are evaluated.

The explosion of the global financial crisis in 2007-08 reignited the urgency to reflect on the origins and causes of financial collapses. As the above events kick-started an economic meltdown that is still ongoing, comparisons with the Great Crash of 1929 started to abound. In particular, the externalities that a broad spectrum of societal groups had to bear as a consequence of various banking failures highlighted the necessity of a more inclusive and balanced regulation of firms whose activities impact on a wide range of stakeholders.The thesis is centred on the proposal of a paradigm, the “enlightened sovereign control”, that provides a theoretical, institutional and substantive framework as a response to the legal issues analysed in the thesis. These stem primarily from the analysis of two sequences of events (the 2001-03 wave of “accounting frauds” and the 2007-08 global crisis) which represent the background upon which modern financial scandals are explained. This is done by highlighting a number of common denominators emerging from the case studies (Enron and Parmalat, Northern Rock and Lehman Brothers) which caused financial instability and scandals. The research is grounded on the initial recognition of theoretical themes in the field of corporate and financial law, which eventually link with the more practical events examined. This parallel enquiry leads to the investigation of two heavily interrelated spheres of law and finally highlights more practical legal issues that emerge from the analysis.Through this multifaceted approach, the thesis contends that the occurrence of financial crises during the last decade is essentially rooted in two main problems: a corporate governance one, represented by the lack of effective control systems within large public firms; and a corporate finance one identified with the excesses of financial innovation and related abuses of capital market finance. Research conducted in this thesis ultimately seeks to contribute to current debates in the areas of corporate and financial law, through the proposals of the “enlightened sovereign control” paradigm.

Submitted by Maria Julia Costa Severiano da Silva (mariajuliacss@gmail.com) on 2011-11-08T00:37:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2011-11 MPAgro Op Estruturadas Financiamento Projetos.pdf: 1995531 bytes, checksum: 9ac72fd73a833a24a99ff3fc021f68f5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Gisele Isaura Hannickel (gisele.hannickel@fgv.br) on 2011-11-08T11:56:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2011-11 MPAgro Op Estruturadas Financiamento Projetos.pdf: 1995531 bytes, checksum: 9ac72fd73a833a24a99ff3fc021f68f5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2011-11-08T12:18:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2011-11 MPAgro Op Estruturadas Financiamento Projetos.pdf: 1995531 bytes, checksum: 9ac72fd73a833a24a99ff3fc021f68f5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-24 / O setor sucroenergético brasileiro passou por um intenso ciclo de crescimento nos últimos anos. Ainda assim, a demanda de etanol no país continua a superar a capacidade de produção, principalmente devido ao sucesso dos carros flex-fuel. As usinas voltaram também a atenção à bioeletricidade, aos alcoolquímicos e a diversos outros subprodutos e coprodutos do processo de produção de açúcar e etanol. Por estes motivos, se faz necessária a realização de maiores investimentos em ampliação e modernização das atuais usinas, e no aumento do número de unidades de produção. Para que tais investimentos sejam realizados da maneira mais eficiente, é necessário conhecer todas as opções de linhas de crédito disponíveis. Uma delas, pouco usada e com bons resultados é a Structured Project Finance. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo discutir o modelo de Structured Project Finance e apresentá-lo como uma possível alternativa de financiamento de projetos de usinas de açúcar e etanol no Brasil. Sua principal contribuição é apresentar uma alternativa de financiamento que agregue mais valor ao negócio. / The Brazilian sugarcane industry has gone through an intense cycle of growth in recent years. Still, the demand for ethanol continues to outpace production capacity in the country, mainly due to the success of flex-fuel cars. The mills have also turned their attention to bioelectricity, non-fuel ethanol and several other co-products and by-products of the sugar and ethanol production process. For these reasons, major investments in expansion and modernization of existing mills, and the construction of new mill are necessary. For these investments to be carried out in the most efficient manner, all the available credit line options must be considered. One of them, infrequently used and with good results is Structured Project Finance. This paper aims to discuss the model of Structured Project Finance and present it as a possible alternative for financing sugar and ethanol mill projects in Brazil. Its main contribution is to present a financing alternative that generates added value to the business.

Les financements structurés semblent se construire comme des instruments de neutralisation de la procédure collective. Ces montages, utilisés tant en matière de financement d'acquisition (LBO) qu'en matière de financement de projet, ont vocation à influencer tant lu saisie collective que les répartitions qui en découle (première partie). Face au caractère d'ordre public de la procédure collective, le nombre de stratégies permettant d'assurer l 'efficacité des financements structurés en cas de restructuration est limitée. Les montages pourront s'appuyer sur deux méthodes s'appuyer sur des textes dérogatoires (ex : titrisation) ou s'appuyer sur les limites des procédures collectives pour éviter les effets de la faillite (ex : les double Lux co). L'utilisation des limites du droit des procédures collectives ou de régimes spécifiques sera-t-elle suffisante pour échapper aux contraintes des procédures collectives? Cette question se posera tant durant la phase de saisie collective que durant celle des répartitions. Il conviendra donc d'étudier la résistance de financements structurés face à l'épreuve de la procédure collective (seconde partie). / Structured finance seems to be design as a tools to neutralize insolvency procedures. Those financing agreement, used in LBO and in project finance, are intended to influence both the assets seizure and the resulting distributions during the restructuring process (Part 1 ). Most of the time, rules of insolvency procedures are considered binding and should not be impacted by contracts. Therefore, the number of efficient strategies for structured finance in the event of restructuring ore limited. The structure can be based on specific legal status (e.g: securitization) or rely on the limits of insolvency procedures (c.g.: schemes implying Luxemburgish holding). Will contractual forecast defined by structured finance be enforceable during the restructuring process? It will therefore be necessary to study the resistance of structured finance to the constrained or insolvency procedures (second part).

La crise économique et financière de 2008 a été un moment révélateur pour les collectivités locales et les établissements de crédit dans l’utilisation des produits financiers structurés devenus « toxiques ». Depuis de nombreuses années, ces deux acteurs ont établi des relations contractuelles basées sur la combinaison de produits financiers classiques et de produits financiers dérivés devenus de plus en plus sophistiqués. Or, le contexte dans lequel ces relations s’exercent devient complexe et nécessite une prise de décision immédiate et durable pour encadrer leur avenir. Que ce soit le juge par sa jurisprudence ou l’État et le législateur qui ont mis en place un fonds de soutien, des lois, des circulaires et une charte, chacun a tenté de trouver des solutions aux problèmes rencontrés par les collectivités locales et leurs partenaires financiers.L’objet de notre thèse sera d’expliquer les raisons et les conséquences de l’utilisation, par les collectivités locales, de ces produits d’un nouveau genre proposés par les établissements de crédit. En suivant la chronologie des évènements que les acteurs en présence ont vécu, des réflexions juridiques seront menées autour de ces relations contractuelles passées, présentes et futures. / The 2008 economic crisis was a revealing event for local and regional authorities and credit institutions regarding the use of structured finance products, which had become « toxic ». For many years, both of them have been establishing contractual relationships based on the association of standard structured finance products and increasingly sophisticated derived finance products. However, as the context in which such relationships are taking place is becoming complex, an immediate and a sustainable decision-making is necessary to provide a framework to their future. Whether it is the judge through case laws or the State and the legislator through the development of a support fund, various laws, circular notes and a charter, each of them has tried to find solutions to the problems faced by the local and regional authorities and their financial partners.The object of the thesis is to explain why local and regional authorities used this new type of finance products provided by credit institutions and what the resulting consequences were. Following the chronology of the events experienced by all of these stakeholders, legal considerations on these past, current and future contractual relationships will be presented.

Doctor Legum - LLD / The ideals of shareholder and creditor protection are affected by legislation pertaining to the validity of a company’s transactions. Until legislative reforms introduced in the twentieth century, a company’s capacity and the ultra vires doctrine traditionally limited the company’s ability to contract. Therefore, the legal framework regulating corporate capacity influences a company’s interactions with outsiders. The goal of the law in this regard should be to facilitate commerce while providing adequate protection to all affected stakeholders. South Africa’s Companies Act 71 of 2008 (the Act) contains several novel provisions regarding a company’s capacity, the desirability of which is questionable. Special purpose vehicles (SPVs) are used for various purposes in commerce, from asset holding in the financial services sector to concluding complex financial functions in corporate finance. For instance, traditional securitisation is a financial engineering technique that makes use of corporate SPVs. Traditional securitisation is a valuable risk management, earnings management, and corporate financing tool. Incorporators of securitisation SPVs often include capacity restrictions in the constitutions of such entities as a means of reducing the likelihood that the SPV will be subject to liquidation proceedings.This thesis analyses the capacity provisions in the Act to determine whether they provide a commercially desirable framework to facilitate the activities of SPVs used in traditional securitisation schemes. The thesis argues that the capacity provisions in the Act in their current form are undesirable because they place third parties at too great a risk in exchange for inconsistent and unreliable shareholder protection. Executory ultra vires contracts concluded by limited capacity companies are at the same time valid and capable of being restrained by a single shareholder, director or prescribed officer of the company. It is argued that the Act’s approach to corporate capacity is detrimental to commercial certainty and creditor protection, and that capacity restrictions under the current framework do not provide any more shareholder protection than ordinary authority limitations would. Consequently, it is argued that the capacity provisions in the Act do not make a positive contribution to the “insolvency-remoteness” of SPVs used in traditional securitisation schemes. It is recommended that the capacity provisions in the Act should be substantially amended, or deleted.

Problem Statement: The business of property finance has not been properly documented in South Africa. Available resource material focuses on the perspective of the property developer and investor largely neglecting the business of property finance. Thus comprehensive information on this business was not available to students and researchers This study set out to correct this deficiency. Research Procedure: Key property finance personnel in the major banks in the Republic of South Africa were interviewed to establish how the business of property finance is conducted. Jointly the interviewees represent 77% by volume of business over a period of two years A parallel process of literature research was undertaken to compliment the interview research and provide technical depth to the findings. Findings: The empirical and literature research results were combined to comprehensively document the processes, structures, systems, products / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)