Independent credit rating agencies review a company's financials and assess its creditworthiness: the level of risk attached to its borrowing. Then they publish their findings as a guide to both existing and potential lenders and investors.
Ahold's solicited credit ratings are published by Moody's Investor Services ("Moody's") and Standard & Poor's Rating Services. ("S&P").
Moody's
| Outlook | Stable |
| Issuer Rating | Baa3 |
| Senior Unsecured Debt | Baa3 |
Standard & Poor's
| Outlook | Stable |
| LT Foreign Issuer Credit | BBB- |
| LT Local Issuer Credit | BBB- |
| Senior Unsecured Debt | BB+ |
| ST Foreign Issuer Credit | A-3 |
| ST Local Issuer Credit | A-3 |
| Preferred stock | BB- |
Our strategy and progress to date have positively impacted the ratings assigned to Ahold by Moody's and S&P. Achieving Investment Grade ratings has been an important part of our overall management strategy as they serve to lower our cost of funds and to facilitiate our access to a variety of lenders and markets.