Fitch Rates Sun Life Financial Inc.'s C$1B Subordinated Debt 'BBB+' <Origin Href="QuoteRef">SLF.TO</Origin>

(The following statement was released by the rating agency)CHICAGO, September 20 (Fitch) Fitch Ratings has assigned a rating of 'BBB+' to Sun Life Financial Inc.'s (SLF) C$1 billion issuance of 3.05% fixed/floating subordinated unsecured debentures due 2028. KEY RATING DRIVERSThis new issue is rated equivalent to the ratings of SLF's existing subordinated unsecured debt. The net proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes of SLF, which may include investments in subsidiaries and repayment of indebtedness. SLF's financial leverage ratio (FLR) was modest at 14.4% and total leverage at 23.5% as of June 30, 2016. Pro forma FLR and total leverage remain within Fitch's expectations for the rating category at approximately 17.7% and 26.5%, respectively. SLF's ratings reflect its strong capitalization, improved earnings and fixed-charge coverage, solid asset quality and stable operating profile. The ratings also reflect the company's leading market position in Canada and continued growth in the U.S. and emerging Asian markets.RATING SENSITIVITIESThe key rating triggers that could result in an upgrade include: --Consistent maintenance of fixed-charge coverage, excluding the net impact of market factors, of over 10x;--Sustained improvement in underlying and reported profitability with a ROE maintained above 12%;--Stable balance sheet fundamentals evidenced by an MCCSR ratio at or above 220% and financial leverage below 20%.The key rating triggers that could result in a downgrade include: --A decline in fixed-charge coverage, excluding the net impact of market factors, to below 6x;--A sustained drop in the company's risk-adjusted capital position, including the MCCSR ratio falling below 200%;--An increase in financial leverage to over 25% or an increase in total leverage to over 35%;--A large acquisition that involves execution and integration risk or impacts the company's leverage and capitalization.Fitch assigns the following rating: --3.05% subordinated debentures due 2028 'BBB+'.Fitch currently rates the SLF entities as follows:Sun Life Financial, Inc. --Long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) 'A';--5.7% senior notes due 2019 'A-';--4.57% senior notes due 2021 'A-'; --4.38% subordinated debentures due 2022 'BBB+';--5.59% subordinated debentures due 2023 'BBB+';--2.77% subordinated debentures due 2024 'BBB+';--2.60% subordinated debentures due 2025 'BBB+';--3.10% subordinated debentures due 2026 'BBB+';--5.4% subordinated debentures due 2042 'BBB+';--4.75% noncumulative preferred shares, series 1, 'BBB-'; --4.8% noncumulative preferred shares, series 2, 'BBB-';--4.45% noncumulative preferred shares, series 3, 'BBB-';--4.45% noncumulative preferred shares, series 4, 'BBB-';--4.5% noncumulative preferred shares, series 5, 'BBB-';--2.275% noncumulative preference shares series 8R, 'BBB-';--2.075% (floating rate) noncumulative preference shares series 9QR, 'BBB-';--3.9% noncumulative preference shares series 10R, 'BBB-'; --4.25% noncumulative preference shares series 12R 'BBB-'.Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada--IFS ratings 'AA-';--Long-Term IDR 'A+'; --6.30% subordinated notes due 2028 'A'.Sun Life Capital Trust--Sun Life ExchangEable Capital Securities (SLEECS), 7.093% series B, 'A-';--Sun Life ExchangEable Capital Securities (SLEECS), 5.863% Series 2009-1, 'A-'.The Rating Outlook is Stable.Contact: Primary Analyst Dafina M. Dunmore, CFADirector+1-312-368-3136Fitch Ratings, Inc.70 W. Madison StreetChicago, IL 60602 Secondary AnalystTana M. HigmanDirector+1-312-368-3122Committee ChairpersonJames Auden, CFAManaging Director+1-312-368-3146 Media Relations: Hannah James, New York, Tel: + 1 646 582 4947, Email: hannah.james@fitchratings.com.Date of Relevant Rating Committee: July 18, 2016Additional information is available on www.fitchratings.com.Applicable Criteria Insurance Rating Methodology - Effective May 17, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2016 (pub. 17 May 2016)https://www.fitchratings.com/site/re/881564Additional Disclosures Solicitation Status https://www.fitchratings.com/gws/en/disclosure/solicitation?pr_id=1011915Endorsement Policy https://www.fitchratings.com/jsp/creditdesk/PolicyRegulation.faces?context=2&det ail=31ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE.