Fitch upgrades ratings of Petrovietnam, Vietnam Electricty, subsidiaries to ‘BB+’

By Tri Duc
Thu, December 14, 2023 | 10:38 am GMT+7

Fitch Ratings has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) of state-owned oil-gas group Petrovietnam, state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN), and subsidiaries of the two power giants to “BB+” with a “Stable” outlook.

In a Wednesday release, Fitch said the latest action follows the upgrade of Vietnam’s long-term foreign-currency IDR to “BB+” last week.

 Petrovietnam's facility at Bach Ho oilfield in the Cuu Long basin, offshore southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the Vietnam News Agency.

Petrovietnam's facility at Bach Ho oilfield in the Cuu Long basin, offshore southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the Vietnam News Agency.

EVN’s rating is equalized with Vietnam’s latest sovereign rating, reflecting a strong likelihood of support by the state. EVN’s standalone credit profile (SCP) is assessed as “bb”, Fitch added.

The six EVN subsidiaries with updated ratings are EVN National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT), EVN Southern Power Corporation (EVNSPC), Hanoi Power Corporation (EVNHANOI), Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation (EVNHCMC), EVN Northern Power Corporation (EVNNPC), and EVN Central Power Corporation (EVNCPC).

EVNNPT’s SCP is “bb+” while that of five power corporations EVNHANOI, EVNHCMC, EVNSPC, EVNNPC, EVNCPC is “bb,” Fitch noted.

Petrovietnam's rating reflects its SCP of 'bb+', the same level as the IDR of its parent, the Vietnam sovereign, Fitch highlighted. Three PVN subsidiaries with new ratings are PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power), PetroVietnam Gas (PV Gas) and Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical (BSR).

Fitch revised PV Power's SCP to 'bb+' from 'bb' in line with its key counterpart, EVN. SCP was previously constrained by PVN's IDR, even though PV Power's financial profile is stronger than its SCP assessment indicates, Fitch stressed.

PV Gas' rating reflects its SCP of 'bb+', which is at the same level as that of the parent, PVN. BSR's rating is equalised with that of its parent, PVN, based on Fitch's rating criteria.

On December 8, Fitch Ratings upgraded Vietnam's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to “BB+”, from “BB” with a stable outlook. The upgrade reflects Vietnam's favorable medium-term growth outlook, underpinned by robust foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, which Fitch Ratings expects will continue to drive sustained improvements in its structural credit metrics.

Comments (0)
  • Read More
Vietnam business lobby urges easing of football betting limits

Vietnam business lobby urges easing of football betting limits

Vietnam’s leading business lobby VCCI has called on the government to sharply ease limits on international football betting and relax foreign ownership rules to make the industry more appealing to investors.

Finance - Thu, October 23, 2025 | 9:30 pm GMT+7

Powering growth from within

Powering growth from within

The development of a strong domestic private sector is essential for building a resilient, independent, and self-reliant economy that is less dependent on state-owned enterprises or foreign investment, writes Tim Evans, CEO of HSBC Vietnam.

Economy - Thu, October 23, 2025 | 9:09 pm GMT+7

Vietnam's stock market regulator appoints 2 new vice chairpersons

Vietnam's stock market regulator appoints 2 new vice chairpersons

The State Securities Commission of Vietnam (SSC) has appointed Nguyen Hoang Duong and Le Thi Viet Nga as its new vice chairpersons.

Finance - Thu, October 23, 2025 | 4:14 pm GMT+7

Vinhomes chairman appointed CEO of VinSpeed

Vinhomes chairman appointed CEO of VinSpeed

Pham Thieu Hoa, chairman of Vinhomes, has been appointed CEO of VinSpeed, a newly established company specializing in railway construction.

Companies - Thu, October 23, 2025 | 3:40 pm GMT+7

De Heus, Hung Nhon to invest $380 mln in high-tech agriculture hub in southern Vietnam

De Heus, Hung Nhon to invest $380 mln in high-tech agriculture hub in southern Vietnam

Dutch agribusiness group Royal De Heus and Vietnam’s Hung Nhon Group plan to invest VND10 trillion ($380 million) to develop a high-tech agricultural ecosystem in Tay Ninh province between 2025 and 2030.

Industries - Thu, October 23, 2025 | 2:35 pm GMT+7

Consumer finance major F88’s credit rating upgraded on improved funding capability, liquidity

Consumer finance major F88’s credit rating upgraded on improved funding capability, liquidity

Vietnamese credit ratings agency FiinRatings has upgraded F88's credit rating from “BBB-” to “BBB”, with a “stable” outlook, citing the company's enhanced capital-raising ability and improved liquidity position.

Companies - Thu, October 23, 2025 | 2:00 pm GMT+7

Vietnam's benchmark VN-Index could surpass 2,000 points in 2026: exec

Vietnam's benchmark VN-Index could surpass 2,000 points in 2026: exec

VN-Index could top 2,000 points next year, said Huynh Minh Tuan, founder of FIDT - a Ho Chi Minh City-based investment consulting firm.

Finance - Thu, October 23, 2025 | 10:55 am GMT+7

Key factors helping firms export to demanding markets: DH Foods exec

Key factors helping firms export to demanding markets: DH Foods exec

Don’t treat business as a week-to-week or month-to-month affair. To go the distance, you must conduct business ethically, writes Nguyen Trung Dung, CEO of DH Foods.

Consulting - Thu, October 23, 2025 | 8:00 am GMT+7

Gold exchange, gold derivatives, gold ETFs proposed to be launched in Vietnam

Gold exchange, gold derivatives, gold ETFs proposed to be launched in Vietnam

Forming a gold exchange under state management in Vietnam is suitable to the reality, said Dao Xuan Tuan, head of the foreign exchange management department under the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV).

Finance - Wed, October 22, 2025 | 9:00 pm GMT+7

Real estate major Novaland wins key approval for $5 bln project in central Vietnam

Real estate major Novaland wins key approval for $5 bln project in central Vietnam

Novaland Group (HoSE: NVL), one of Vietnam’s leading property developers, has received investment approval for its flagship project worth $5 billion in the central province of Lam Dong after years of delay due to legal obstacles.

Real Estate - Wed, October 22, 2025 | 4:20 pm GMT+7

Vietnam's plastics heavyweights Tien Phong, Binh Minh report profit surges

Vietnam's plastics heavyweights Tien Phong, Binh Minh report profit surges

Tien Phong Plastic (HNX: NTP) recorded pre-tax profit of nearly VND949 billion ($36.04 million) in the first nine months of the year, exceeding its full-year target by 10.85%, while Binh Minh Plastic (HoSE: BMP) achieved record net profit of VND350 billion ($13.29 million) in Q3, surpassing its VND330 billion milestone set in the previous quarter.

Companies - Wed, October 22, 2025 | 4:17 pm GMT+7

Vietnam, Finland firms sign multiple MoUs on satellite, cybersecurity, aviation partnerships

Vietnam, Finland firms sign multiple MoUs on satellite, cybersecurity, aviation partnerships

A series of cooperation agreements were signed between Vietnam and Finland on Tuesday, within the framework of Party chief To Lam's official visit to Helsinki, while bilateral relationship was lifted to a "strategic partnership".

Economy - Wed, October 22, 2025 | 12:43 pm GMT+7

Trung Nam Ca Na seeks to convert agri-forest land for $147 mln industrial park in central Vietnam

Trung Nam Ca Na seeks to convert agri-forest land for $147 mln industrial park in central Vietnam

Industrial park developer Trung Nam Ca Na is seeking approval to convert about 170 hectares of agricultural and forest land for the construction of a VND3,875 billion ($147 million) project in Vietnam’s central coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

Industrial real estate - Wed, October 22, 2025 | 10:54 am GMT+7

PV Power's arm posts 5-fold jump in Q3 profit on margin recovery

PV Power's arm posts 5-fold jump in Q3 profit on margin recovery

PetroVietnam Power Nhon Trach 2 JSC (HoSE: NT2) reported a sharp rebound in third-quarter earnings as improved margins and higher revenue lifted profits nearly fivefold from a year earlier.

Companies - Wed, October 22, 2025 | 8:37 am GMT+7

TCBS overtakes SSI to become Vietnam’s largest securities company by market cap

TCBS overtakes SSI to become Vietnam’s largest securities company by market cap

Over 2.3 billion shares of Techcom Securities JSC (TCBS) debuted on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HoSE) on Tuesday. The stock, TCX, recorded the highest price and the largest market capitalization in the Vietnamese securities sector.

Finance - Tue, October 21, 2025 | 10:27 pm GMT+7

Indonesia’s palm oil industry becomes investment magnet

Indonesia’s palm oil industry becomes investment magnet

Indonesia’s palm oil sector attracted IDR52.7 trillion, or approximately $3.2 billion, in investment during the first nine months of this year, with the money going into enabling the country to capture more value out of its top commodity, the country’s Ministry of Investment reported.

Southeast Asia - Tue, October 21, 2025 | 9:34 pm GMT+7