Aboitiz Equity Ventures  
BUSINESS

Solid credit grade aids Aboitiz push

Maria Bernadette Romero

Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. (AEV) has built a solid profile with investors after securing an “A-” foreign-currency long-term issuer rating with a “stable” outlook from Japan Credit Rating Agency Ltd. (JCR) as it pushes deeper into infrastructure, banking, consumer, and energy transition businesses beyond power.

The company said Tuesday that the rating signals confidence in its ability to sustain stable cash flows despite market volatility, high fuel prices and geopolitical risks, while reinforcing investor support for the group’s diversification strategy.

JCR is one of Japan’s leading credit rating agencies and is widely tracked by investors and financial institutions assessing corporate creditworthiness.

“This rating reflects the strength of our diversified portfolio, the resilience of our operating businesses, and the discipline of our long-term approach to growth,” Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin M. Aboitiz said.

“As we continue to scale our businesses, we remain focused on creating sustainable long-term value while maintaining financial prudence and operational discipline,” he added.

Strong business base

JCR said AEV has a “strong and stable business base and cash flow generation,” backed by disciplined capital allocation and a growing mix of earnings sources outside its traditional power operations.

The agency noted that non-power businesses accounted for 42 percent of AEV’s beneficial earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization  in 2025, signaling the conglomerate’s deliberate shift toward a broader, less power-dependent earnings base.

While AboitizPower remains the group’s main profit engine, JCR cited the growing contributions of Union Bank of the Philippines, Aboitiz InfraCapital and Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines as key to broadening the company’s exposure to infrastructure and consumer-driven sectors.