Municipal Bond Forum
Tobacco bonds that make the grade
Q
I imagine Chicago’s plan to increase cigarette taxes, which you discussed in your article, “Clouds Darkening for Tobacco Bonds,” will cause problems for Illinois tobacco bonds. I purchased Erie, New York, tobacco bonds, rated BBB/BBB+, first tranche taxable. The maturity date is 2028 but they pay faster as all principal reductions for the bond issue go to the first tranche. Are you concerned about these types of bonds?
A
James A. Klotz responds:
Under the Master Settlement Agreement, the amount of revenue due from tobacco companies is based on general cigarette sales throughout the United States. Any regional impact would result from the particular structure of the bonds issued by the individual states.
Your Erie County bonds are refunding securities issued in 2005 and, as you say, still maintain investment grade ratings by both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s. Their “turbo” structure has provided for the rapid pay-down to which you refer. We are quite comfortable with this issue.
The intent of our commentary was to alert investors with medium or low risk tolerance that many tobacco securities purchased as “investment grade” are now rated below this standard.
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