KED Credit Rating Methodology CONTACT Model Development Team Credit Rating Management Team Disclaimer 1) The following document contains information that is protected under the law. Photocopying, reproducing or distributing the information without the prior written consent of KED is strictly prohibited. 2) The information contained in this document cannot be used as a proof or a guarantee. KED's officers, directors, shareholders, and employees shall not be liable to any third party for any actions, damages, claims, or losses in any way arising out of or relating to this document.
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KED Credit Rating
Methodology
CONTACT
Model Development Team
Credit Rating Management Team
Disclaimer
1) The following document contains information that is protected under the
law. Photocopying, reproducing or distributing the information without the
prior written consent of KED is strictly prohibited.
2) The information contained in this document cannot be used as a proof or
a guarantee. KED's officers, directors, shareholders, and employees shall
not be liable to any third party for any actions, damages, claims, or
losses in any way arising out of or relating to this document.
Credit Rating Methodology1
1. Overview of Issuer Rating
This Rating methodology explains how both qualitative and quantitative factors, which play
the most prominent role in credit rating, are used to produce a rating of an issuer. The
purpose of this document is to help users, supervising authorities, and related parties
understand how KED's ratings are produced and guide them in making ideal decisions on
their prospective business.
KED's methodology comes from a combination of quantitative credit rating model and
qualitative analysis with heavier focus on the former. A consistent credit risk measuring
methodology is applied to KED's model building methodology, which is used in producing
ratings for corporations, and also in compliance with the BASEL II requirements.
In order to produce a rating for a corporation, over 300 credit investigators and analysts
evaluate the qualitative aspects of the target corporation such as industry trends and risks,
business risks, operating risk, and management risk. Next we combine the result of the
analysis with the scores generated from the quantitative models to produce a rating.
Lastly, the rating is taken under the deliberations of the Rating Committee. Once
adjustments (overriding if necessary) are made, the Committee approves of the rating and
the final rating is produced.
Credit rating grade is KED's own opinion on corporations' credibility derived from ranking
them based on their PD (probability of default) and sorting them out with meaningful
symbols.
KED targets Korean enterprises including but not limited to corporations, self-employed,
newly-created enterprises, public institutions, financial institutions, and non-profit
organization.
Credit ratings are valid until one year from the day they were first given. There are two
different types of ratings, first being the periodic rating and the second being on
demand(updated) rating which takes place when a credit-related event occurs to an issuer.
The factors that are taken into consideration when rating a corporation are analysis on
past management accomplishment, objective information available at the time of
assessment, financial forecast under normal and stress-scenario, expert judgment and
diverse experience of credit analysts, and etc. However, none of the characteristics related
to individual financial obligation such as guarantee, security, and repayment are not
considered at all.
Credit Rating Methodology2
The main features of KED's corporate credit assessment are as follows:
Features of KED credit rating structure
- Corporations are divided into several different segments according to asset size and
industry type with proper models being used for each segment.
- There is a qualitative (non-quantitative non-financial) model dedicated to Public
Institutions.
- Financial institutions are classified into seven different segments with each segment
having its own rating model.
- The application of quantitative factors have increased as well as the application
scope of CEO information.
- Quantitative and non-quantitative rating processes are independent of each other
when producing credit ratings.
- Normal and Stress Projections (financial forecasts) are reflected on the rating
process.
KED Ratings
- There are 22 different ratings.
- Regardless of the enterprise size and industry type, identical ratings represent the
same level of risk.
- Qualitative analysis and projection results (financial forecast) are used in the
overriding process.
1.1. Issuer Rating System
1) Who are we rating?
Both private and corporate enterprises including public and financial institutions.
Individuals are not rated.
2) What information are we using?
KED only uses information that assures objectivity.
Financial Information
- For general corporations, we evaluate audit reports and the most recent three or
more annual financial statements. For newly-established ones and in the case of
incorporating business, the number of annual financial statements required can
Credit Rating Methodology3
be reduced to two or less.
- In the case of consolidation and spin-off, we use the merged and/or separated
F/S of the corporations relevant to such event.
- In the case of transfer and/or acquisition of business whether in part or in
whole, including financial obligations, we evaluate the financial condition of the
company after the transfer and/or acquisition process.
Qualitative Information
Interview material, on-site inspections, and off-site investigation need to be
objective and rational.
How the necessary information is obtained
Information necessary for rating is obtained by two different ways. The information
related to financial and public transactions comes from the Korea Federation of
Banks where such information is pooled. The other information comes directly from
KED's own credit investigation results. The information acquired from credit
investigation, whether it was given to or requested by us, is handled and inputted
into our computers according to the instructions stated in the [Standards on Using
Client Information].
- Information obtained from credit investigation : copy of the resident registration,
written confirmation of financial transactions(if necessary),
financial statements and annexation, enterprise outline,
certified copy of the corporation registration, certified copy of
the real estate registration, copy of the VAT form, and etc.
- Information obtained from KFB : default, issuance of credit, loan,
guarantee(surety) information, and etc.
3) How is the system structured?
A rating system consists of models, filtering, and overriding. The final rating is
produced after going through each of the above stage in order.
- Rating Model : It is a quantitative model making use of quantitative factors. It
consists of financial model, quantitative non-financial model, and CEO model.
Each model has its own sub-models for different segments which is classified
based on size and industry type
- Risk Filtering : It is a process of adjusting the initial score generated by the
rating models. Essential factors and the factors not reflected on the rating
models are utilized during this stage.
Credit Rating Methodology4
- Overriding : It is a process when credit analysts and Rating Committee adjust
and conclude the final rating. Expert judgment, results from qualitative models,
and projection results are taken into consideration.
[ Procedure of Issuer Rating ]
4) How are the issuers classified?
By size
Audit, unaudit, and small corporations are classified by asset size only. How the
enterprise is established is not taken into account. SOHO refers to private
enterprise without financial statements.
Audit : Audited Corporations whose asset is worth over 7 billion KRW. The
corporations whose asset was worth less than 7 billion KRW in the previous
year(t-1) but is worth over 7 billion in the current year(t), belongs to this
category as well.
Unaudit : Corporations whose closing financial statement is submitted with
asset worth between 1 billion and 7 billion KRW. The corporations with
unsuitable audit report are considered to be classified as unaudit even if their
asset is worth over 7 billion KRW.
Small Corporation : Corporations with asset worth less than 1 billion KRW or
private enterprises.
SOHO : Private enterprises without any financial information(bookkeeping by
double-entry or did not submit any).
Credit Rating Methodology5
By Corporation Type
Depending on the type, enterprises are classified into General Corporation
(Corporate) and Non-general Corporation. Non-general Corporation
(Non-corporate) is further divided into Public Institution and Financial Institution.
General Corporation (Corporate) : Corporations or private enterprises
excluding public and financial institutions. They are classified into
Audit, Unaudit, Small Corporation, and SOHO depending on the
asset size and reliability of information.
Financial Institution : Those subject to Financial Supervisory Service(FSS)'s
audit according to the [Act on Establishment of Financial
Supervisory Body]. Financial Institutions are divided into seven
different categories based on the classification rules of the Korea
Listed Company Association.
- Life insurance Business : Life insurance Companies
- Non-life(accidental) insurance business : Non-life insurance
companies
- Securities business : Securities and futures companies
- Investment banking business : Asset managers, investment
advisers
- Non-bank depository institution : mutual savings bank, credit
union
- Credit-financing business : credit card, installments, leasing, and
Venture capital funding companies
Public Institution : Institutions that are being invested by central or local
governments. The central and local governments must possess
ownership in part or in whole and exercise some control over
them.
Based on the New BIS standards, public institutions are categorized as
follows.
- Public corporations established by special Acts, whose deficit is
not recovered by the government
- Institutions established by the Local Autonomous Government
Act including directly-managed corporations, local corporations,
and local complexes
- Government (including local autonomous governments) invested
or re-invested institutions
- Other institutions classified as public institution at FSS director's
own discretion
* When using quantitative ratings, public institutions are treated
as same as general corporations (corporate), whereas a
Credit Rating Methodology6
designated model is utilized for public institutions when using
non-quantitative ratings.
By Industry Type
Classification by industry type is done after the corporations are classified
according to the asset size, corporation type, and which rating method to be
applied. The standards for classification is based on how the differences among
the corporations are utilized in order to improve the outcome of the rating
models by applying KED's segmentation methodology.
(The classification by industry type is exhibited in detail in the quantitative and
non-quantitative model classification table)
Credit Rating Methodology7
1.2. The Structure of Issuer Rating Model
There are two fundamental ways to classify the rating models. The rating models can
be divided into general corporation (corporate) and non-general corporation
(non-corporate) by corporation type. On the other hand, they can also be divided into
quantitative and non-quantitative based on the characteristics of models. The
quantitative rating model consists of financial, quantitative non-financial, and CEO
models. The qualitative rating model consists of non-quantitative non-financial models.
General Corporation (Corporate) Model
Model designed for general corporations which consists of financial, quantitative
non-financial, and CEO models.
- Financial Model
Model utilizing the financial ratios of past and present information of a
corporation
- Quantitative Non-financial Model
Model making use of non-financial factors which can be quantified
- CEO Model
Model based on CEO's private and financial information
- Qualitative Model
Model reflecting the credit analysts expert judgment on non-financial
characteristics of a corporation. The model is utilized during the overriding
process.
※ Financial, quantitative non-financial, and CEO models all have specific
sub-models for different segments categorized by asset size and industry type.
Non-General Corporation (Non-corporate) Model : Non-corporate rating models are
divided into financial institution model and public institution model.
- Financial Institution Model
Designed for those subject to FSS's audit, it is only composed of financial models
which are further broken down depending on the categories explained above. The
institutions are rated using both quantitative and qualitative aspects on which the
attributes of financial business are reflected.
- Public Institution Model
The financial, quantitative non-financial, and CEO models for public institutions
are exactly the same as the ones used for general corporations. Only the
non-quantitative non-financial model is specially designed and added to public
institution.
1) Model Classification Structure
Rating models are divided into quantitative and non-quantitative models which use
quantitative aspects and qualitative aspects respectively.
Credit Rating Methodology8
Segmentation Sub-models Sub-models by industry type
GeneralCorporation
Audit
Financial Light IndustryHeavy
IndustryConstruction Retail, Wholesale, & Service
Quantitative
Non-financialAll Industry
Unaudit
Financial Light IndustryHeavy
IndustryConstruction Retail & Wholesale Service
Quantitative
Non-financialAll Industry
CEO All Industry
SmallCorporation
Financial Manufacturing Construction Retail & Wholesale Service
Quantitative
Non-financialAll Industry
CEO All Industry
SOHO
Quantitative
Non-financialAll Industry
CEOSmall-scale
Manufacturing
Heavy Equipment &
ConstructionWholesale Retail Service
Financial
InstitutionFinancial Banking Non-life
Insurance Securities Investment Banking
Non-bank Depository Institution
Credit Finance
Life Insurance
Quantitative models consist of financial model evaluating the financial characteristics,
quantitative non-financial model reflecting the quantitative aspects of non-financial
characteristics, and CEO model which examines the reliability of the CEO. Each model
is segmented further according to asset size, corporation type, and industry type.
Non-quantitative models are used for the purpose of evaluating the factors which
cannot be obtained through quantitative measures but have impact on the credit
rating of corporations. They are also segmented further, according to asset size,
corporation type, and industry type.
Quantitative Model Classification
[ Quantitative Model Segmentation ]
General Corporation (Corporate)
- The financial model separates risks into growth, profitability, stability,
liquidity, volatility, and cash flow and then uses the risk factors selected from
each area. Different financial ratios are used depending on the asset size and
industry type. If identical financial ratios are used, weight may be distributed
differently.
- The quantitative non-financial model has its own version for audit, unaudit,
small corporation, and SOHO. It's risk factors include company overview,
reliability of financial transactions and financial statements, change in money
flow, and shareholder status. Each model has its own rating standards and
risk factors.
- The CEO model only applies to unaudit, small corporation, and SOHO. There
is only one model for unaudit and small corporation each, whereas there are
Credit Rating Methodology9
Classification Qualitative (non-quantitative non-financial) Models by Industry Type
EBITDA/Financial Expense(Operating Income+Depreciation Cost on PL+Amortization on Intangible Assets+Depreciation cost on CR)/(Interest Expense+Loss on Disposal of Trade Receivables)
EBITDA/Total Borrowings
(Operating Income+Depreciation Cost on PL+Amortization on Intangible Assets+Depreciation Cost on CR)/(Short-term Borrowings+Current Portion of Long-term Liabilities+Corporate Bonds+Long-term Borrowings+Capital Lease Liabilities) *100
Adjusted Interest Coverage Ratio
(Operating income+Depreciation Cost on PL+Depreciation Cost on CR+Amortization of Intangible Assets+Retirement Allowance on PL+Retirement Allowance on CR+Bad Debt Expenses+Other Bad Debt Expenses)/(Interest Expense+Loss on Disposal of Trade receivables-Interest Income)
Total Shareholders' Equity/ Financial Expense
((Total Shareholders' equity(Current Period)+Total Shareholders' equity(Prior Period))/2)/(Interest Expense(Current Period)+Loss on Disposal of Trade Receivables(Current Period)
(Net Profit+Depreciation Cost on PL+Amortization on Intangible Assets+Depreciation Cost on CR)/(Short-term Borrowings(Prior Period)+Current Portion of Long-term Liabilities(Prior Period) *100
(Net Profit+Tangible&Intangible Assets Depreciation Cost)/ Current Liabilities
(Net Profit+Depreciation Cost on PL+Amortization on Intangible Assets+Depreciation Cost on CR)/Current Liabilities *100
Average CPI : Average Consumer Price Index on financial Settlement Date
(CPI, The National Statistical Office)
Credit Rating Methodology19
C
A
T
E
G
O
R
Y
Financial Ratio
Audit UnauditSmall
Corporation
L.I. H.I. C
R,W
&
S
L.I. H.I. C R&W S M C R&W S
S
T
A
B
I
L
I
T
Y
(Total Liabilities-Retained Earnings)
/(Tangible Assets)O O O O O O O O
Borrowings Dependency
RatioO O O
Gross Profit/
Interest ExpenseO O O O O
Net Financial Expense/Sales O O
Current Assets/Total Assets O
Retained Earnings/
Total LiabilitiesO
Retained Earnings/
Current AssetsO O
Retained Earnings/
Total AssetsO O O O O
Total Shareholders'
Equity/
Financial Expense
O O O O O
Reserve Ratio O
Total Borrowings and
Bonds Payable to
Total Assets
O O O O
EBITDA/Financial Expense O O
EBITDA/Total Borrowings O
Adjusted Interest Coverage
RatioO
P
R
O
F
I
T
A
B
I
L
I
T
Current Profit to Sales
RatioO O O O
Gross Profit/Current Assets O
Ordinary Income to
Capital StockO O
Net Income on
Capital StockO
Gross Value Added to
Total AssetsO O O O
Return on Assets O
EBITDA(Corrected) O
EBITDAmargin O
3) Financial Risk Factors Breakdown The table below shows the financial risk factors for each rating model. Identical
financial ratios may be applied with different weights depending on the sub-models.
The explanation on the risk factors of each major category is as follows.
Industry Risk
RiskFactor
Rated Contents Rating Method
Industrial Environment
the elements which effect the industry where the company belongs to
grade 1 through 6 is given depending on the level of damage inflicted.
Impact under Stress
the level of impact caused by business fluctuations and critical situations
grade A through F is given depending on the level of damage inflicted on sales, operating profit, net income, and etc under stressed situation.
Credit Rating Methodology31
Operating Risk
RiskFactor
Rated Contents Rating Method
Stability ofDemand
Basis
The proportion of sales allotted to regular clients (more than 2 years of transaction experience) A through F is given depending on the said proportion.
Diversity of clients A through E is given depending on the number clients the company is having transactions with compared to competitors.
Market situation & economic prospects for the main line of business
A through F is given depending on the stability of demand basis, probability of maintaining good relationships with existing clients, and ability to acquire new clients.
Contract-undertaking levelA through F is given depending on the contract-undertaking rankings in the country and the ability to carry out construction work.
Construction brought forward & contract price
A through F is given depending on the value from the following equation.{(Price of construction brought forward in the previous fiscal year+Sum of contract prices in the current fiscal year) / Cost of construction in the previous fiscal year}
Construction stability
Construction(general)
A trough F is given depending on sales to number of construction undertaken ratio.
A through E is given depending on size if the construction area.
Construction(housing)
A through F is given depending on the rate of sold and leased houses. A through F is given depending on the completion rate of construction work.
Construction(specialized)
A through D is given depending on the number of construction license and engineer licenses possessed. Company without a license is given an F.
A, B, C, E, or F is given depending on the number of regular clients and their credit ratings.
PurchaseStability
Change in price and change in material demanded and supplied due to diversity of sellers, contract terms, history of fluctuations in the price of raw materials and etc, future prospects, oil price, and foreign exchange rate
A through F is given depending on purchasing stability by examining the change in price and change in material demanded and supplied due to external elements such as diversity of sellers, oil price, foreign exchange rate.
HR & Technical
Competitiveness
Human resources and technical competitiveness
Excellent, above average, average, below average, or unsatisfactory is given depending on the human resources and technical competitiveness possessed.
Locations&Facilities
Locations & facilities quality Excellent, above average, average, below average, or unsatisfactory is given depending on the quality of business locations and facilities.
CompetitionStructure
Comprehensive evaluation on Suppliers,customers, competition within the same industry, available substitutes, and potential competitors
A through F is given according to the number of competing companies and possibility of substitute product and/or service appearing.
Credit Rating
ofPrimaryClients
Primary client's(client with the biggest sales proportion) credit rating
A through F is given depending on primary client's credit rating and its existence.
Qualityof
TradeReceivables
Whether to own dishonored bills and bad long-term bonds
A, C, E, or F is given depending on the quantity of dishonored bills and bad long-term bonds owned and how they affect the operation of money by checking the trade receivables status based on the day of investigation and financial settling day.
Credit Rating Methodology32
Management Risk
RiskFactor
Rated Contents Rating Method
Professionalism &
ManagingAbilities
Expertise, external negotiation abilities, marketing abilities, and ability to cope with crisis
Excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor is given depending on the expertise, external negotiation abilities, marketing abilities, and ability to cope with crisis. The relevance of CEO's degree to the work he/she is doing, work experience in previous jobs, and directors and employees of the same industry are reviewed as well.
Stability of Top
Management
Crisis over top management, succeeding issues, CEO's term, and replacement of heavy shareholders (except construction business)
A, C, E, or F is given depending on whether the top management has been replaced in the last two years. If so, the number of times it happened and whether there is any on-going crisis for the right of top management.
Relations between Labor
Union & Management
Relations between labor union and management, possibility of dispute, and employee benefits package
A through F is given depending on the relationship between labor union and management, quality of work environment, and level of employee benefits package.
Risk from Affiliates & Subsidiary Companies
Internal & external credit ratings of affiliates and subsidiary companies, financial situation, and degree of internal transactions
Excellent, above average, average, below average, or unsatisfactory is given depending on the credit ratings of the affiliates and subsidiary firms, financial situation, internal transactions, and the amount of funds provided to.
Ability to Raise Funds(Audit)
Whether any unsecured debentures were issued and their grades, possibility of increase in paid-in capital, ability to borrow money from financial institutions and the terms and conditions on the borrowed money.
Excellent, above average, average, below average, or unsatisfactory is given depending on whether any unsecured debentures were issued and their grades, possibility of increase in paid-in capital, ability to borrow money from financial institutions and the terms and conditions on the borrowed money.
Ability to Raise Funds
(Others except Audit)
Ability to borrow money and the terms and conditions on it, possibility of raising funds through affiliated companies, the value of CEO's own asset.
Excellent, above average, average, below average, or unsatisfactory is given depending on the ability to borrow money and the terms and conditions on it, possibility of raising funds through affiliated companies, the value of CEO's own asset.
Foreign Exchange
Risk
Evaluation of foreign exchange risk according to the Financial Supervisory Service's policy
A through F is given depending on the rating scores of foreign exchange risk.
Management Ethics
Ethical management
Excellent, above average, average, below average, or unsatisfactory is given depending on the CEO's morality and his/her will to ethically manage the company. (whether the company violated any ethics code, was awarded for faithfully paying tax on time, and did any community service on a regular basis are also reviewed.)
SocialResponsibilities
Whether there are any civil appeals regarding environmental pollution
Excellent, above average, average, below average, or unsatisfactory is given depending on whether there are any civil appeals regarding environmental pollution.
Whether there are any pollution control facilities
A through F is given depending on whether any pollution control facilities exist. Quality of the facilities and the rate of operation are also taken into consideration.
Product Liability
Excellent, above average, average, below average, or unsatisfactory is given depending on whether designated team for PL exists, degree of PL risk management, CEO's interest in PL, PL training for directors & employees, quality of rules & regulations regarding PL, whether insured or not, and the compensation level of the insurance.
Company reputations and lawsuits against the company
F is given if the company is having troubles maintaining their usual business due to reasons such as delinquency in payment of taxes & public dues, occurrence of lawsuits, delayed payments of wage, legal restrictions, and environmental regulations
Reliability of Financial
InformationReliability of financial information
A through F depending on the auditing firm's report In the case of unaudited firms, the same grades are given depending on the reliability of financial information
Qualitative risk factors can be added, subtracted, and modified if necessary.
Credit Rating Methodology33
Weight Distribution of Each Risk Category
Qualitative weight distribution of each risk category is as follows.
Category Audit UnauditSmall Enterprise
& SOHO
Industry Risk 23 9 9
Operating Risk 50 62 62
Management Risk 27 29 29
3) Rating Method for Qualitative Risk Factors
The risk factors of judging the level of contract-undertaking.
-The national contract-undertaking standings means the ranking with respect to "the ability to carry out contracts" and the ability to carry out contracts means "the price of contracts."
-Although a company is ranked within the top 10% in the national contract-undertaking standings, if the price of contracts has been declining, a second grade is given.
-If a single company owns multiple construction licenses, the company's contract-undertaking standing is based on its main line (the license with the highest contract price) of business.
The stability of Construction is rated as follows.
-Classification Standards of General Construction, Housing Construction, and Specialized Construction is as follows.
ClassificationConstruction
(general)
Construction
(housing)
Construction
(specialized)
Industry F45 (except F4521 ) F4521, L70121 F46
-Companies that supply realty(realty supplying business L70121) belong to housing construction which runs self-operated business only. Companies in the realty business(L70) other than L70121 are classified into Service.
-The risk factors of General Construction, Housing Construction, and Specialized Construction are different from one another.
-The rate of sold and leased houses is calculated with only on-going business as destination as of the investigation date.
Credit Rating Methodology34
Construction brought forward and contract price are rated as follows.
-The construction brought forward and contract price mean the remaining balance of construction and contract price received from other companies by undertaking the contracts.
-The cost of construction in the previous fiscal year should be computed by using the cost occurring from the constructions contracted. However if the construction contracted by self-operated business is insignificant, therefore making it difficult to compute the cost of construction contracted, the total cost of construction can be used as the cost of construction in the previous fiscal year.
- Fourth grade is given to construction companies that run self-operated business only without any contracted constructions.
Stress forecasting applies to small enterprises and SOHOs only. The risk
factors are rated as follows.
- Definition of stressed scenario : Companies are rated under the assumption that domestic market is getting stagnant
․ The assumptions are GDP growth rate in the previous year is less than or
equal to 2%, highest exchange rate against the USD is over 1,300 KRW,
lowest exchange rate against the USD is under 850 KRW, oil price is
over 50 USD, WTI (West Texas Intermediate) oil price is over 60 USD,
and etc. The variables with favorable effects on the domestic market are
excluded when rating the firms.
Credit Rating Methodology35
Category Weight
Management System
establishment & administration of regulations
0.28division of organization & duties
level of computerization process
specialization of the employees in charge
Limit Setting
foreign exchange risk limit setting
0.12open position limit setting
derivatives transaction (with the purpose of selling and buying) limit setting
Management State
ratio of total open position
0.60
ratio of profit and loss occurred due to exchange rate
possession ratio of derivatives transaction (with the purpose of
selling and buying)
Category Weight
Management System
establishment & administration of regulations
0.24division of organization & duties
level of computerization process
specialization of the employees
4) Rating Method for Foreign Exchange Risk
Rated Companies
Companies applicable to the "Act on the external audit of corporations" or audited
companies whose foreign currency assets or liabilities are over 1 million USD or
they account for more than 10% of the total assets. (policy of supervising
institutions)
※ 1 million USD is equal to 1 billion KRW during computerizing data
Instruction for Inputting Relevant Data into the Computer
․ Input the foreign currency assets, foreign currency liabilities, and derivatives
balance, located at the bottom of the balance sheet, into the computers in USD
and KRW.
․ When filling out the credit grade table, input the necessary data and
non-quantitative risk factors on the foreign exchange risk screen, proper grade
will be generated. (A through F)
Risk factors and Weight of Each Category: Divided into Large companies and
derivatives transaction (with the purpose of selling and buying) limit setting
Management State
ratio of total open position
0.70
ratio of profit and loss occurred due to exchange rate
possession ratio of derivatives transaction (with the purpose of
selling and buying)
Requested Information and Rating Method
- The ‘present situation of foreign exchange management’ attached in the ‘credit
investigation information’, audit report, and business report are requested and
used as the basic source for rating.
- Input the necessary information by referring to the rating standards and point
distribution table with the obtained information.
- Quantitative risk factors are produced automatically with the inputted data,
whereas non-quantitative risk factors are chosen at the discretion of the
analysts.
- A total of 100 points are allotted to foreign exchange risk assessment and
there are six grades from A to F
Credit Rating Methodology37
Rating method for each subcategory
Category Risk Factors Rating Method
establishment and administration of international loan regulations
A, C, or E is given depending on whether there are regulations for foreign
exchange risk and how they are administered.
division of organization
and duties
A, C, or E is given depending on whether foreign exchange service, foreign exchange trade limit & rating service, and foreign exchange settlement service are separated and independently operated.
level of computerization process A, C, or E is given depending on the level of system designed for identifying exposure to risk and supporting decision making.
specialization of employees
in charge
A, C, or E is given depending on the number of years the employees in charge has been working, whether the employees have any foreign exchange risk management-related license or certificates, and whether they have completed courses(advanced) offered by relevant institutions.1. Related license or certificates : CFA, CPA, FRM, and foreign exchange control officer2. Related courses : corporate foreign exchange risk courses offered by the Korea Banking Institute※ Grade A can still be given even though the company has contracted the foreign exchange risk management work to some other company. However, the company being assessed must be at least able to identify exposure to risk daily. Receiving a one-time consulting service is not accepted.
foreign exchange risk limit
setting
A, C, or E is given depending on whether the foreign exchange risk limit is set up and being properly managed.※ foreign exchange risk limit : total(daily) loss limit, VaR limit, Stop-Loss limit
open position limit setting A, C, or E is given depending on whether the position limit is set up and being properly managed.
limit setting for derivatives transacted
A, C, or E is given depending on whether the transaction is prohibited and transaction limit is set up
Ratio of total open
position A through E is given depending on the ratio level of total open position
ratio of profit and loss occurred due to exchange rate
A through E is given depending on the ratio of profit and loss due to
exchange rate.
possession ratio of derivatives transacted
A through E is given depending on the possession ratio of derivatives
transacted
How to fill out the quantitative risk factors
Total Open position Ratio
* The nominators are absolute value and the lowest score is given to the
company encroached on its capital
The basic date for filling out the factors is based on the settling day and
the exchange rate of KRW is based on the daily trading rate of each
currency.
Refer to the notes in the audit reports to check the balance and trade
status such as foreign currency liabilities and selling and buying of
Credit Rating Methodology38
derivatives. In the case of listed and registered companies, refer to the
important management-related contracts in the business report.
Derivatives such as foreign currency futures, options, and swaps fall under
this category.
Buying of foreign exchange call options/selling of foreign exchange put
options are treated as buying foreign exchange. On the contrary, selling of
foreign exchange call option/buying of foreign exchange put options are
treated as selling of foreign exchange.
Derivatives related to currencies are classified according to the currency of
each country and include them in the position.
When trading derivatives if they are non-monetary, the position is
computed based on foreign currency whereas monetary(bonds, stocks, and
deposits) products are excluded from computing the position.
<Examples of derivatives included when computing the total open position>
Category Currency
Interest rates when using
foreign currency and stocks
Other products
exposed to foreign
exchange risk
Futures/
Forwards
Amount in
Korean
Currency
O X X
Amount in
Foreign
Currency
O X O
Options
Amount in
Korean
Currency
O X X
Amount in
Foreign
Currency
O X O
Swaps
Amount in
Korean
Currency
O X X
Amount in
Foreign
Currency
O X X
Credit Rating Methodology39
Ratio of profit and loss occurred due to exchange rate
* The nominators are absolute values and the lowest score is given to the
company operating at a loss.
Refer to the income statement and exclude the profit and loss from
foreign exchange translation and the profit and loss from assessment of
derivatives
Only include the profit and loss from currency-related derivatives
* Possession ratio of derivatives traded
* The lowest score is given to the company encroached on its capital.
Refer to the publicized business report for the listed and registered companies.
Credit Rating Methodology40
2.5. Normal and Stress Projections
1) Normal Projection
Normal projection is a way of forecasting the financial elements of a company such as
revenue, profitability, growth, and funds situation. It is also a way of filling out the
forecasted financial statements. The main purpose of the forecasted financial
statements is to evaluate a company's ability to repay it's liabilities by transforming
the predicted business showings into coefficients based on the ratio of operating and
financial activities. When the projection takes place, proper explanation of projection
method and its procedures is required in order to give confidence to the readers.
Normal Projection is divided into simplified and comprehensive projections. In the
simplified projection, it is assumed that a company's growth rate stays constant and
therefore the average growth rate of the past three years are taken into
consideration. On the other hand, when the situation allows for more precise analysis,
values such as sales, cost of the goods sold, average interest on loans, depreciation
ratio, and operating capital ratio are selected and evaluated for the forecast. The
analyst can choose either simplified or comprehensive projection, and once the
projection type is determined, the analyst can acquire the most suitable results by
going through various simulation exercises.
2) Stress Projection The stress projection is used to safely maintain the final rating grade of a company by
reflecting its ability to repay liabilities under stagnant economic situation. The stress
projection assumes the situation under stress and forecasts how the company is
influenced by the situation.
The macroeconomic situation under stress reflects the expert judgment and opinions of
the credit analysts. When the experienced analyst inputs the newly predicted values
(under stress) of the already assumed values into the system, it produces the final
stress score and the PD. The comprehensive projection process is designed to fully
reflect the analyst's independent opinion on the change in macroeconomic
circumstances.
3) The Reflection of Normal and Stress Projection
The person in charge of the credit rating carries out both projections and checks the
possibility of change in the rating. Then whether it is necessary to override the grade
is reviewed and the result is reflected on the overriding process.
Credit Rating Methodology41
2.6. Financial Institution Model
1) Rated Institutions For the convenience of the working personnel and to maintain consistency of the
terminologies being used, the definition of a financial institution is as follows.
Those subject to Financial Supervisory Service(FSS)'s audit according to the [Act on
Establishment of Financial Supervisory Body]. Financial Institutions are divided into
seven different categories based on the classification rules of the Korea Listed
CCC+ 31.16 35.80 CCC 27.13 31.16 CCC- 23.47 27.13 CC 18.95 23.47 C 0.00 18.95 D - -
- Multiply the points alloted to each Risk Factor with the weight allocated to each
section.
- Sum up the scores of each Risk Factor (score from 0 to 100)
Financial Score
- Different score range is given to each business category in order to reflect
different risk level.
- Divide the Business Category Score by the value which belongs to the score
range allotted to the applicable Industry Category Score
Financial Score = (maximum value of each business category-minimum value of
each business category) × Business Category Score/100 + minimum value of each
business category
Financial Scores and their Ratings
- Ratings are given according to the score range set in the table below.
Credit Rating Methodology44
3) Financial Ratios of the Financial Institution Model - BIS Capital Ratio
BIS capital over risk-weighted assets
Higher value indicates the capital is sufficient enough to cover risks.
- Simple Capital Ratio
Equity capital over total assets
The representative financial ratio that shows the percentage of equity capital
accounted for of total assets. Higher ratio means more stability since it reduces
the amount of financial expense occurs.
- Solvency Margin Ratio
(assets-liabilities+internally reserved assets) over policy reserves
It is a ratio that shows the ability to pay insurance money. It is quite
similar to the BIS standards of banks. The higher the better.
- Operating Net Capital Ratio
Operating net capital over amount at risk
It shows how securities companies will cover the amount at risk with capital.
The higher the better.
- Substandard Loan Ratio
Loan performing on substandard level (classified as substandard according to
asset quality)
It is a measure of checking the quality of assets. Lower ratio means higher
quality of assets.
- Weighted Insolvent Asset Ratio
The sum of 20% of asset classified as substandard, 50% of asset classified as
doubtful, and 100% of asset classfied as estimated loss
- Overdue Loan Ratio
Ratio of delayed (at least one month) loan
- ROA
Net profit over total assetsIt indicates how efficiently a financial institution has managed its total assets.In other words, it shows how much profit the financial institution has made through securities and loans.
- Ratio of Death Claim to Risk Premium
Death claim over risk premium
- Ratio of Actual Expense to Expected Expense
Actual expense over expected expense
Credit Rating Methodology45
- Accrued Loss Ratio
Total Claims over accrued premiums
- Ratio of Incomings to Outgoings from Operating Activities
(Operating expense over operating revenue) × 100
- Net Expense Ratio
Net expense over total premiums received
- Net Interest Margin
(Interest income-interest expense)/asset accumulated from interest income
- Net Current Assets Ratio
Net current asset/total assets
- Liquidity Ratio (Insurance Business)
Net current asset / average amount of claims paid to insured
- Liquidity Ratio (Non-bank depository institution)
Current assets over current (matures within three months) liabilities × 100
- Liquidity Ration in KRW
(Current assets maturing within three months/current liabilities maturing within
three months)×100
- Return on Operating Revenue
Net profit over operating revenue
It measures how well the company is doing in making profits.
- Profit per Employee
Net profit over total number of employees
Credit Rating Methodology46
4) Qualitative Risk Factors of Financial Institutions
Category RiskFactors Rating Method
Grade
A B C D E F
IndustryRisk
Industry Risk
barriers to entry/competition status, stability of supply & demand/business prospects, industrial fluctuations, and etc.
excellent aboveavg avg below
avgunsatisfa
ctory fail
ManagementRisk
Shareholders&
ManagementStructure
decision-making process & shareholder status, will of large shareholders, whether the institution supports affiliates and subsidiaries, replacement of top management, whether there are any disputes over the right of management, and etc.
excellent aboveavg avg below
avgunsatisfa
ctory fail
ManagingAbility
managing strategy, leadership, marketing ability, contribution to revenue, and etc excellent above
avg avg belowavg
unsatisfactory fail
OperatingRisk
OperatingRisk
market position/competitiveness, operating efficiency, ability to generate revenue, volatility of revenue, and etc.
excellent aboveavg avg below
avgunsatisfa
ctory fail
RiskManagement
RiskManagement
whether the institution can correspond to risk with adequate system, whether it can strategically respond to BASEL II related matters, risk-managing ability, internal control, and etc
excellent aboveavg avg below
avgunsatisfa
ctory fail
Stress Analysis
Stress Analysis
measures the ability to perform under stress by analyzing the adequacy of capital and the possibility of change in profit due to unexpected economic downturn, fluctuating interest rates, increasing overdue accounts
excellent aboveavg avg below
avgunsatisfa
ctory fail
Credit Rating Methodology47
2.7. Public Institution Model
1) Rated Institutions Institutions that are being directly or indirectly invested by central or local
governments. The central and local governments must possess ownership in part or in
whole and exercise some control over them. The following institutions are considered
as public institutions.
- Public corporations established by special Acts, whose deficit is not recovered by
the government.
- Institutions established by the Local Autonomous Government Act including
directly-managed corporations, local corporations, and local complexes.
- Government (including local autonomous governments) invested or re-invested
institutions.
- Other institutions classified as public institution at FSS's director's own discretion.
Classification of public institutions is as follows.
- Government invested institutions listed on the [Public Institution's Management
Information Disclosing System] : Institutions where the government holds the
majority of stocks.
- Government contributed institutions listed on the [Public Institution's Management
Information Disclosing System] : Institutions with legal ground to receive
government's contributions.
- Institutions related to government subsidy or consignment which are listed on the
[Public Institution's Management Information Disclosing System] : Institutions
where more than 50% of the total revenue comes from the government.
- Subsidiaries listed on the [Public Institution's Management Information Disclosing
System] : Institutions whose major shareholder is a government invested or
contributed institution or institutions related to government subsidy and/or
consignment.
- Government re-invested institution listed on the [Public Institution's Management
Information Disclosing System] : Affiliated institutions of government invested
institutions which receive contributions from the government.
- Other institutions decided as public institution by the steering committee of
government agencies (those subject to management innovation) listed on the
[Public Institution's Management Information Disclosing System].
Credit Rating Methodology48
- Institutions established by the Local Autonomous Government Act including
directly-managed corporations, local corporations, and local complexes.
※ Among the public institutions listed on the [Public Institution's Management
Information Disclosing System], exclude Korea Technology Guarantee Fund, Korea
Credit Guarantee Fund, Korea Export Insurance Corporation, Industrial Bank of
Korea, Korea Development Bank, Export-Import Bank of Korea, Korea Housing
Finance Corporation, and Bank of Korea which are all classified as government
exposures by the BASEL II standards.
※ Among the public institutions listed on the [Public Institution's Management
Information Disclosing System], apply financial institution models to those that
are classified as banks according to the BASEL II standards.
2) Rating Standards for Public Institutions
Public institutions have quite different characteristics compared to ordinary
corporations. The central and local governments are the primary source of making
revenue. Large amount of fixed capital is needed to carry out their business due to
the kind of work (public related and oriented) they are doing although the profit they
are earning is relatively low. Therefore, in order to properly rate the public
institutions, not only their repayment ability but also the possibility of government
(central or local) support (either direct or indirect) must be analyzed.
- Repayment Ability : It measures the risk as a business entity. The same rules and
logics applied to ordinary corporations when rating them are applied again in the
same manner. It determines the public institution's credit risk as an individual
entity by analyzing the business circumstances, competition strategies, financial
foundation, and financial flexibility.
- Possibility of Government Support : It analyzes the possibility of government
support by reviewing whether the government (central or local) made any
guarantees, how clearly the means of support is stated in the establishment
report, supporting cases in the past, the political importance of the works carried
out, and possibility of being privatized.
Public Institution Rating Framework
The same process utilized when rating general corporations is applied to public
institutions in order to analyze its repayment ability. Since public institutions are
different from other corporations, we reflect the qualitative rating result on the
Credit Rating Methodology49
possibility of government support on the final rating.
- Evaluation on repayment ability
- Evaluation on the possibility of government support
[ Rating Procedure ]
Public Institution Risk Factors
The risk factors which could not be measured using quantitative models are evaluated
utilizing the qualitative models, including the possibility of government support.
There are five major risk factors. Management Risk, Financial Risk, and Repayment
Ability under Stress are the three factors used to evaluate the repayment ability of
the public institutions. Possibility of Government Support and Industry Risk are the
two factors to evaluate the possibility of government (central or local) support.
Management Risk
- Managing ability
Rate the institution's repayment ability and stability based on the evaluation on
the top management's overall ability to properly respond to various risks
occurring due to rapidly changing circumstances.
- Management status and shareholders
Judge whether the institution is structured to maintain and increase current
market position, competence, and business competitiveness.
Financial Risk
- Financial Flexibility
Evaluate the institution's ability to enhance cash flow and debt repayment by
effectively responding to adverse changes in business circumstances.
Credit Rating Methodology50
- Financial Stability
Evaluate the qualitative results which could not be acquired when using the
quantitative modes by analyzing whether the company has excessive debt
including concentrated maturities, proportion of short-term debt and off-balance
debt and ratio of total borrowings and bonds payable to total assets. In addition,
evaluate the estimated financial stability such as rise in borrowings in the future.
- Cash Flow Adequacy
Evaluate from the qualitative perspective whether the institution's cash flow is
sufficient enough to pay back the loan principal and interest and provide funds
needed for operation.
Repayment Ability under Stress
- The institution's will and capability to carry out contracted work during bad
economic period (inflation, rising interest rates, rapid decrease in demand, rapid
cost increase, and etc.), unexpected events, and reduced support from the
government due to change in governmental policies.
Possibility of Government Support
- Basis for legal/institutional support
Adequacy of cash flow : Using qualitative perspective, determine whether the
cash flow of the institution is sufficient enough to cover the funds needed for
operation and the amount needed to repay any loans.
- Relationship with the government
Analyze the possibility of government support by evaluating the level of
government control and the relationship status with the government
Business Risk
- Priority of government policies
Evaluate the political importance of the business undertaken by the institution
and rank their chances of getting support in order.
- Privatization Risk
Evaluate the risk associated with privatization if an institution is considered as
being subject to privatization.
- Business stability and competitiveness
Evaluate the stability of business structure and competitiveness.
Credit Rating Methodology51
Weight Distribution for Each Risk Factor
Risk FactorPossibility ofGovernment
Support
BusinessRisk
ManagementRisk
FinancialRisk
Stress Analysis
Weight 35 26 11 17 11
Credit Rating Methodology52
CategorySub-
CategoryRated Contents
Grade
A B C D E F
Possibility
of
Government
Support
Basis for
legal/
institutional
support
Evaluate whether the central or local government has made any direct guarantees on loans and the possibility of legal/institutional support such as explicit means of support stated when the institution was established as well as support cases in the past.
- basis for institutional support based on law and its explicitness - concreteness of the standards on financial support and the
actual contents of the support specified- prospects of its continuity in the future and political stance on
debt- financial power of the local autonomous government
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Relationship
with the
government
Evaluate the possibility of government support by considering the level of government control and its relationship with the government.
- level of government intervention when appointing top management
- level of government control on business management and budgeting
- level of government control through internal affairs department, the level of financial regulatory, and whether the institution is subject to governmental audit
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Business
Risk
Priority
among
government
policies
Evaluate the political importance of the business undertaken by the institution and rank their chances of getting support in order.
- whether the business falls into the basic industry (energy, water, road, and etc.) that has the highest priority among governmental policies.
- importance of establishment purpose and scope and level of being public
- social, economic, and political repercussion caused when the institution goes out of business
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Risk
of
privatization
Evaluate the risk associated with privatization if an institution is considered as being subject to privatization.
- intensity and sustainability of the government support in the case of privatization
- Directions of industry policy, regulatory policy, and competition policy which would greatly affect its business after privatization takes place
- whether the privatization is pursued in the direction of promoting "competitive structure under the market economy principles"
- whether the privatization is taking place due to external pressure (diplomatic/trade pressures by international organization and/or countries)
- whether the privatization is taking place because of the emergence of new business or substitutes
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Stability
and
competitiveness
of
Business
Evaluate the stability of structure and competitiveness of business run by the institution.
- level of clarity of the business stated when the institution was established and the level business fulfillment.
- ground and details of policy regulations and supports such as entry barrier, competition inducement, price control, and etc.
- possibility of changes in the business status caused by change in governmental (central or local) policies
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Management
Risk
Managing
ability
Management capacity is a qualitative element of the rated company to expand or reduce risks caused by changes in external
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
3) Risk Factors of Public Institution's Qualitative Model
The explanation of the risk factors of each major category is as follows.
Credit Rating Methodology53
environments. Based on the level of the institution's management capacity, evaluate its repayment ability and stability.
- management strategy, leadership, marketing ability, and revenue contribution
- industry experience and expertise of the management- management's ability and reputation on developing and
maintaining company tasks- level of management participation in business and devotion to
the company.- ability to manage crisis : past experience on overcoming crisis
Business
status
and
shareholders
Evaluate whether the institution has the ownership structure that is capable of maintaining and expanding its internal competitiveness, current market positions, and business competitiveness by analyzing the business status of the institution.
- Whether the institution manages its organizations and employees effectively to enhance productivity
- Whether it is establishing foundation for independent management by improving the business balance or seeking voluntary business innovation
- Difference in the level of support according to the ownership structure of the company
- Rights and responsibilities of shareholders, board of directors structure, internal/external audit system, management supervision by stakeholders, disclosure policy, and etc. In addition, whether these are functioning properly is also evaluated
- major shareholder's commitment to steady financial and business support
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Financial
Risk
Financial
flexibility
Ability to enhance the cash flow and debt repayment by effectively responding to adverse changes in circumstances.
- whether the company is making up expenses needed for operation and financing by making appropriate amount of profits and maintains sufficient cash flow to meet debt repayment to certain level.
- whether the company is able to meet expected demand in capital through internally generated funds
- whether there is any restrictions on the company's size or means of stock issuance stated on the articles of incorporation or contracts when they are used for raising external funds
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Financial
stability
Evaluate the qualitative results which could not be obtained when using the quantitative models by analyzing whether the company has excessive debt including concentrated maturities, proportion of short-term debt and off-balance debt and ratio of total borrowings and bonds payable to total assets.Also evaluate the estimated financial stability, such as rise in borrowings in the future.
- loan structure- excessive borrowing and debt (including off-balance debt), total
borrowings and bonds payable to total assets
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Cash flow
adequacy
Evaluate from the qualitative perspective whether the institution's cash flow is sufficient enough to cover the funds needed for operation and the amount needed to repay any loans.
- operating cash flow, cash-on-hand- self-financing ratio on new investment- sustainability of (NCF >Financial expenditure+required working
CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) : Funds used by a company to maintain or upgrade facilities and efficiencyFinancial expenditure : current portion of long term-debts+interest expense+20% of short-term borrowings
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Credit Rating Methodology54
Stress
Analysis
Stress
Analysis
Evaluate the institution's will and capability to carry out contracted work under bad economic situation (inflation, rising interest rates, rapid decrease in demand, rapid cost increase, and etc.), unexpected events, and reduced support from the government due to change in governmental policies.
excell
ent
above
avgavg
below
avg
unsatis
factoryfail
Credit Rating Methodology55
3. Model Combination and Producing the Final Rating
3.1. Model Combination
Credit ratings are produced after applying financial, quantitative non-financial, and CEO
models to companies classified based on industry type and company size. Once the scores
are produced, refer to the weights indicated in the below table and combine the scores by
using the linear-combination method to produce the final rating.
Models can be combined differently depending on the size of the companies after
considering the availability and reliability of the information and business sense. The final
weights for combining the models are determined after reviewing the above considerations
and the results of the simulation(which enhance the performance of the models) conducted
during the model-building stage.
Model Combination and System Ratings Determination
System ratings are produced by combining one sub-model from each(financial,
quantitative non-financial, and CEO) model depending on the asset size and
industry type.
Credit Rating Methodology56
Model Total Assets Industry Type Applicable Sub-model
Financial
Audit
Light Industry (1)
Heavy Industry (2)
Construction (3)
Wholesale/Retail & Service (4)
Unaudit
Light Industry (5)
Heavy Industry (6)
Construction (7)
Wholesale/Retail (8)
Service (9)
Small Corporation
Manufacturing (10)
Construction (11)
Wholesale/Retail (12)
Service (13)
QuantitativeNon-financial
Audit (14)
Unaudit (15)
Small Corporation (16)
SOHO (17)
CEOSOHO
Small-scaleManufacturing
(18)
Heavy Equipment &Construction (19)
Wholesale(20)
Retail(21)
Service(22)
Unaudit (23)
Small Corporation (24)
Credit Rating Methodology57
Combing Method by Company Size
Company Size Models Combined
Audit Financial + Quantitative Non-Financial
Unaudit Financial + Quantitative Non-Financial + CEO
Small Enterprise Financial + Quantitative Non-Financial + CEO
SOHO Quantitative Non-Financial + CEO
Financial Institution Financial
Weight for Model Combination
Sub-model
ClassificationAudit Unaudit
Small
CorporationSOHO
Financial
Institution
Financial 0.60 0.45 0.40 0.00 1.00
Quantitative
Non-Financial0.40 0.15 0.10 0.30 0.00
CEO 0.00 0.40 0.50 0.70 0.00
3.2. Producing the Final Rating
Once the score is generated from combining the models, the filtering process takes place.
Then, the qualitative evaluation, normal and stress projection results, and expert judgment
of the credit analysts, factors that are not reflected on the rating process, are taken into
consideration by the members of the Rating Committee who are in charge of the
overriding process. Finally the Rating Committee either approves or overrides a rating. The
approved or overridden rating is the final rating given to an issuer.
Matters related to the final rating determination including the overriding process, strictly
follow the rules and logics defined in the [Corporate Credit Rating Standards].
3.3. KED Ratings
There are 10 different credit ranges from AAA to D depending on the credit of the rated
company. + and - modifiers are given to ratings within a range from AA to CCC in order
to indicate their relative standings within each category.
The definition of each rating is explained in document publicized separately.