Standard & Poor's cuts its long-term credit rating on AIB today, citing the bank's deteriorating reputation in light of its increased capital requirements.
The agency lowered the rating to BBB+ from A-, but affirmed the bank’s A-2 short-term credit rating.
"The rating action reflects our view that AIB's reputation has deteriorated further as a result of the higher level of capital that it is required to raise by its regulator and due to government-imposed management changes," said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Nigel Greenwood.
The agency said it was unlikely to return to 'a' category stand-alone credit profile for a number of years.
Last month, the Financial Regulator said AIB must raise an additional €3 billion of capital on top of the €7.4 billion it is required to raise as part of the Prudential Capital Assessment Review that it published in March.
AIB is planning a €5.4 billion equity capital raise next month, underwritten by the Government. It is also selling assets, including its Polish interests and its stake in US bank M&T. The Government has said that it will meet any shortfall in the required capital.
“In our view, it seems probable that AIB will likely become majority owned by the State,” S&P said.
"The negative outlook on AIB reflects our opinion of the downside risk to the recovery in its earnings, our expectation that its significant reliance on funding and liquidity support from the authorities will persist for the foreseeable future, and a degree of uncertainty that persists over AIB's business disposal programme.”
The bank faces further downgrades if the agency anticpates weak earnings, or difficulties in AIB's restructuring process, S&P said.