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The Pakistan Credit Rating Agency Limited
Press Release

Date
29-May-18

Analyst
Muhammad Usman
muhammad.usman@pacra.com
+92-42-35869504
www.pacra.com

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This press release is being transmitted for the sole purpose of dissemination through print/electronic media. The press release may be used in full or in part without changing the meaning or context thereof with due credit to PACRA

PACRA Maintains Stability Rating of Atlas Islamic Income Fund

Rating Type Stability Rating
Current
(29-May-18 )
Previous
(12-Jul-17 )
Action Maintain Maintain
Long Term AA-(f) AA-(f)
Short Term - -
Outlook Stable Stable
Rating Watch - -

The investment objective of the fund is to preserve capital and generate reasonable rate of return by investing in short, medium and long-term Islamic income instruments.

The rating incorporates the fund's strong credit quality and sound liquidity profile emanating from the fund's policy to invest only in good quality Shariah compliant instruments. At end Dec-17, 93% of the fund's net assets were invested with cash, whilst 5% were invested in bank sukuks rated 'AA-'. The fund has well diversified unit holding pattern, with top10 investors representing 66% of the fund size.
Going forward, the fund intends to maintain its exposure in cash. Material changes in the fund's asset allocation strategy, which could negatively impact the fund's credit quality and exposure to interest rate risk, remains critical for the rating.

About the Entity
Atlas Asset Management Limited (AAML), incorporated in August 2002 and a part of Atlas Group (AG), is a wholly owned (100%) subsidiary of Shirazi Investments (Pvt.) Limited (SIL) - the holding company of the Group. Atlas Group, established in 1962, is one of the well-known business groups of the country with presence in manufacturing, financial, and trading sectors. With an AUM base of PKR 29.56bln at Dec-17, AAML is currently managing six open-end funds; along with conventional and Islamic Pension Funds.

AAML's seven-member board of directors comprises four representatives of Atlas Group, two independent directors and the CEO. The Vice-Chairman & CEO of AAML, Mr. M. Habib-ur-Rahman is a veteran of the mutual fund industry. He has been associated with the company since 2004. Mr. M. Abdul Samad, Chief Operating Officer, has over sixteen years of experience in the field of Investment Management. The senior management team is well qualified with related experience and has demonstrated relative stability over the years.

The primary function of PACRA is to evaluate the capacity and willingness of an entity to honor its obligations. Our ratings reflect an independent, professional and impartial assessment of the risks associated with a particular instrument or an entity. PACRA's comprehensive offerings include instrument and entity credit ratings, insurer financial strength ratings, fund ratings, asset manager ratings and real estate gradings. PACRA opinion is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a security, in as much as it does not comment on the security's market price or suitability for a particular investor.