Kyiv, Ukraine – AVANGARDCO INVESTMENTS PUBLIC LIMITED («Company», «Avangard», «Agroholding «Avangard») – One of the leading agroindustrial companies in Ukraine focusing on the production of shell eggs and egg products, announces that Fitch Ratings assigned the Company Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) of 'B' respectively. Fitch has also assigned Avangard a National Long-term Rating of 'A+'(ukr). The Outlooks for the Long-term IDRs and National Long-term rating are Stable.
Avangard's assigned Long-term IDRs reflect its average business risks and concentration on one product line (poultry/eggs). This factor is mitigated by the opportunities derived from increasing market shares in the Ukrainian industrial eggs market, considering the high market fragmentation, and from export markets. In addition, the level of vertical integration into fodder production and distribution, along with proven pricing power, provides sustainable profit margins compared to peers.