Prime auto ABS

Ford Motor Credit has emerged with a new issuance of auto-loan backed securities, joining a select group of prime auto ABS issuers confident in drawing in investors despite a gloomy, pandemic-afflicted outlook for the automotive industry.

Over 236,000 prime and subprime vehicle-loan borrowers received payment deferrals of between 30 and 120 days during the early economic turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the ratings agency.

The new-issue pipeline of prime auto loans remains open despite the gloomy forecasts for pandemic-related stresses on auto sales and consumer unemployment levels.

Weakening fortunes in the auto industry from the COVID-19 pandemic is prompting elevated loss expectations for a new-issue portfolio of prime automobile loans originated and serviced by Hyundai Capital America.

GM Financial's next auto-loan securitization is expected to have more front-loaded losses due to pandemic-related stresses

American Honda Finance's 78th term securitization has a potential upsizing to $1.62 billion - a similar option the captive-finance lender has taken in recent transactions.

Credit unions have seized share in auto lending. It may not be long before the same happens in auto ABS.

The Ford Credit Auto Owner Trust 2020-REV1 transaction is Ford’s 12th under its platform that permits revolving assets during the pre-amortization period of the transaction.

The lease deal – Santander’s sixth ABS of Chrysler Capital leases since 2017 – has a higher proportion of leases with original terms longer than 36 months (44.5%) than prior deals through the platform.

Toyota Motor Credit Co. is sponsoring a $1.25 billion loan-backed transaction (potentially upsized to $1.75 billion), while regional Toyota captive finance lender World Omni Finance Corp. is sponsoring an auto-lease deal at either $766.5 million or $962.9 million.