Moody's downgrades Coinbase citing 'uncertain magnitude' of SEC charges
Credit ratings agency Moody's has downgraded its rating of Coinbase from “stable” to “negative” following the SEC’s legal action against the crypto exchange for allegedly operating as an unregistered securities broker.
In a June 8 statement, Moody's said the downgrade was due to concerns about the impact of the SEC action on Coinbase’s day-to-day operations.
Despite the downgrade, Moody's noted that Coinbase maintains a “strong” liquidity position. The rating agency looked favorably on the company’s $5 billion in cash and equivalents compared to its $3.4 billion in long-term debt.
MOODY'S: COINBASE OUTLOOK TO NEGATIVE FROM STABLE.
The firm added that it expects Coinbase to maintain its “focus on expense management” that has successfully mitigated declines in transaction revenue in the past.
Related: Coinbase CEO’s stock sale was probably not planned to occur a day ahead of SEC suit
Moodys wasn’t alone in adjusting its outlook on Coinbase. While financial services firm Berenberg Capital reiterated its pre-existing “hold” rating to its clients, it slashed its price target for COIN shares from $55 to $39.
In emailed comments to Cointelegraph, Berenberg research analyst Mark Palmer explained that the reduction in the price target reflects their view that Coinbase could see its already-weak Q2 trading volumes “persist and intensify” as a result of the SEC’s charges, explaining:
Additionally, Palmer noted the SEC's “desired remedy” would require the complete wind-down of COIN's core business practices, namely its staking services. As such, Palmer advised that investors should hold off on pursuing any investment in Coinbase shares in the short term.
While Palmer says Coinbase is uninvestable, ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood
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