Fitch Ratings affirmed long term rating at “BB” and outlook remains “positive”

BPER Banca informs that today the rating agency Fitch affirmed the Bank’s long and short term ratings respectively at “BB” and “B” with “positive” outlook.

The rating action follows the announcement made by the Bank on 8 February 2019 that the Board of Directors approved two strategic transactions: the agreement with Unipol Group for the acquisition of 100% of Unipol Banca by BPER Banca with the simultaneous disposal of a bad loans portfolio for approximately € 1.0 billion and the acquisition of the minority stake in the subsidiary Banco di Sardegna from Fondazione di Sardegna in exchange for 33 million newly issued BPER Banca shares and a convertible subordinated Additional Tier 1 instrument with a nominal value of € 150 million.

Therefore, ratings assigned to BPER are as indicated below:

• Long-term Issuer Default Rating: affirmed at ‘BB’; Outlook Positive
• Short-term Issuer Default Rating: affirmed at ‘B’
• Viability Rating: affirmed at ‘bb’
• Support Rating: affirmed at ’5’
• Support Rating Floor: affirmed at ‘No Floor’