The presentation is on the credit rating and its importance ... services provided by 2 major credit rating agencies are been discussed

1. TOPIC: CREDIT RATING AGENCIES

2. TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION & IMPORTANCE TO CREDIT RATING
ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
BENEFITS OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
DISADVANTAGES OF CREDIT RATING
ROLE OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES IN THE GLOBAL SUBPRIME CRISIS OF 2008-09
A)CRISIL
INTRODUCTION TO CRISIL
PRODUCTS
SERVICES BY CRISIL
1. CREDIT QUALITY RATINGS
2. PROJECT CREDIT RATING
3. CAPITAL PROTECTION-ORIENTED FUNDS RATING
4. BANK LOAN RATINGS

3. TABLE OF CONTENT
5. BROKER QUALITY GRADINGS
CREDIT RATING PROCESS
CRISIL CREDIT RATING SCALE
B)MOODY’S
INTRODUCTION TO MOODY’S
SERVICES BY MOODYS
1. BANK DEPOSIT RATINGS
2. NATIONAL SCALE LONG-TERM RATINGS
3. NATIONAL SCALE SHORT-TERM RATINGS
4. BOND FUND RATINGS
5. EQUITY FUND ASSESSMENTS
6. MONEY MARKET FUND (MF) RATINGS
MOODY’S RATING SCALE
SEBI CREDIT RATING AGENCIES REGULATIONS,1999 (CODE OF CONDUCT)
CREDIT RATING FAQ’S

4. INTRODUCTION & IMPORTANCE TO CREDIT
RATING
 India was perhaps the first amongst developing countries to set up a credit
rating agency in 1988.
 Credit rating establish a link between risk and return. They thus provide a
yardstick against which to measure the risk inherent in any instrument.
 The risk perception of a common investor, in the absence of a credit rating
system, largely depends on his familiarity with the names of the
promoters or the collaborators.
 Thus, the need for credit rating in today’s world cannot be over-
emphasized. It is of great assistance to the investors in making investment
decisions.

5. INTRODUCTION & IMPORTANCE TO CREDIT
RATING
 Investors usually follow security ratings while making investments.
 Credit rating is a professional opinion given after studying all available
information at a particular point of time.
 A rating agency cannot be held responsible for any losses suffered by the
investor taking investment decision on the basis of its rating.
 In the long run, the credibility of rating agency has to be built.

6. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF CREDIT RATING
AGENCIES
 A Credit rating agency (CRA) is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers
of certain types of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments
themselves.
 A credit rating for an issuer takes into consideration the issuers credit
worthiness.
 The primary function of the credit rating agencies is to provide credit ratings
to the service providers of various forms of debt products and services.
 The clients of the credit rating agencies are those entities that deal in the
provision of debt products and services.
 The non-profit seeking organizations and the national governments also avail
the services of the credit rating agencies.

7. CREDIT RATING AGENCIES PERFORM THE
FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS:
1. Collecting Information: Valuable information relating to credit quality of
an issuer of a debt security is collected by the Credit Rating Agencies.
2. Supply of Information: The information about the credit quality of the
issuer is provided to the public (potential investors).
3. Providing basis for measuring risk and return: The information enables
investors to decide whether to invest in the debt security or not.
4. Facilitates corporate discipline: Investors prefer appropriate credit rating
as good credit rating enhances corporate image and visibility of the firms.

8. BENEFITS OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
 INVESTORS
1. Safeguards against bankruptcy: Credit rating done by credit rating
agency gives an idea to the investors about degree of financial strength.
2. Recognition of Risk: Credit rating provides investors with rating symbols
which carry information in easily recognizable manner for the benefit of
investors to perceive risk involved in instrument.
3. Credibility of the issuer: Since the rating agency has no business
connections with the issuer company, it can independently assess the
credibility of the issuer company.
4. Easy understandability of investment proposal: Rating symbols can be
easily understood by investor since their understanding requires no
analytical ability.

9. BENEFITS OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
5. Saving of resources: Credit rating work is done by professional experts due
to which investor generally rely upon the credit rating assigned to any
investment instrument by credit rating agencies.
6. Choice of investments: Several alternative credit rating instruments are
available at a particular point of time for making investments.
7. Benefits of rating surveillance: Investors get the benefit off credit rating
agency’s on-going surveillance of the rating and rated instruments of
different companies.

10. BENEFITS OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
 CORPORATE BORROWERS:
1. Lower cost of borrowing: It facilitates companies with good rating enter
the capital market confidently and raise funds at comparatively cheaper
rates.
2. Rating as marketing tool: It can be used as a marketing tool to create a
better image about the company.
3. Wider audience for borrowing: A company with high rated instrument
can approach the investors extensively for resource mobilization.
4. Encourages discipline among the corporate borrowers: Credit rating
agency assesses the financial strength, profitability, risk management
efficiency etc and then assign a rating.

11. BENEFITS OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
5. Benefits to brokers and financial intermediaries: Investors understand
that a high rated instrument provides a high degree of certainty.
6. Helps in foreign collaborations: Since high credit rating promotes the
image and brand name of the company.

12. DISADVANTAGES OF CREDIT RATING
1. Biased rating and misrepresentations: It is very important that credit
rating agencies function independently and are objective in their
assessment of company’s financial position and its ability to meet its
obligations on time.
2. Static study: Rating is done on the basis of present and past historical
data of the company and this is only a static study.
3. Concealment of material information: The issuer company might conceal
vital information from the investigation team of the agency.
4. No guarantee for soundness of company: Independent views should be
formed by the user public in general of the rating symbol.

13. DISADVANTAGES OF CREDIT RATING
5. Human bias: Human bias may adversely affect the credit rating.
6. Subsequent downgrading: credit rating agencies would review the grade
and downgrade the rating resulting into impairing the image of the
company.
7. Reflection of temporary adverse conditions: it might get low rating
which might adversely affect company’s interest.
8. Difference in rating of two agencies : Rating done by two different
credit rating for the same instrument of the same issuer company in many
cases can be different.

14. ROLE OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES IN THE
GLOBAL SUBPRIME CRISIS OF 2008-09
 To free up their capital in order to make fresh loans, mortgage banks
started issuing mortgage-backed securities (MBS).
 Wall Street firms then began to use these MBS as components for more
complex structured products such as collateralized debt obligations
(CDOs).
 These CDO tranches were given credit ratings by the established credit
rating agencies.
 These CDOs were then sold across the world to across-section of banks,
mutual funds, pension funds, state bodies such as municipal organizations.

15. ROLE OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES IN THE
GLOBAL SUBPRIME CRISIS OF 2008-09
 However, monetary policy had begun to tighten from 2004 when in order
to control growing inflation the Federal Reserve raised its key short term
interest rate.
 Simultaneously the boom in U.S. housing prices faded out and housing
prices started to actually fall.
 As borrowers started defaulting, first the market prices of MBS fell, and
then the values of CDOs began dropping too.
 Many mortgage lenders went bankrupt and large investment banks had to
raise emergency capital. As their capital was eroded, they cut down on
ending to maintain their capital adequacy ratio (CAR).

16. BORROWERSMORTGAGE
MORTGAGE LENDER
INVESTMENT BANK
1.Converted to complex CDO’s
2. Sold to final investors
COMMERCIAL BANKS
PENSION FUNDS
MUTUAL FUNDS
MUNICIPAL BODIES
CREDIT RATING
AGENCIES
The Process Of Sub-Prime Lending
Structured Ratings
ROLE OF CREDIT RATING AGENCIES IN THE GLOBAL SUBPRIME
CRISIS OF 2008-09

17. A) CRISIL
CRISIL (Credit Rating Information Services of India
Limited)

18. INTRODUCTION TO CRISIL
 CRISIL is a global analytical company providing ratings, research, and risk
and policy advisory services.
 It is India's leading ratings agency, It is also the foremost provider of high-
end research to the world's largest banks and leading corporations.
 Our defining trait is our ability to convert data and information into expert
judgements and forecasts across a wide range of domains.
 CRISIL's majority shareholder is Standard and Poor’s (S&P).

19. INTRODUCTION TO CRISIL
 It address a rich and globally diversified client base.
 It also work with governments and policy-makers in India and other
emerging markets in the infrastructure domain.
 It empower the customers, and the markets at large, with independent
analysis, benchmarks and tools.
 The offerings allow markets and market participants to become more
transparent and efficient.
 By helping shape public policy on infrastructure in emerging markets, it
help catalyse economic growth and development in these countries.

20. PRODUCTS
 A CRISIL rating reflects CRISIL's current opinion on the relative likelihood of
timely payment of interest and principal on the rated obligation.
• The debt obligations rated by CRISIL include:
 Non-convertible debentures/bonds/preference shares
 Commercial papers/certificates of deposits/short-term debt
 Fixed deposits
 Loans
 Structured debt
 CRISIL Ratings clientele includes accounting for 80 per cent of the equity
market capitalization, are CRISIL's clients.

21. PRODUCTS
 CRISIL ratings are based on a robust and clearly articulated analytical
framework.
 The assessment is based on the highest standards of independence and
analytical rigour.
• CRISIL rates a wide range of entities for long-term debt obligations, including:
1. Industrial companies 6. Microfinance institutions
2. insurance companies 7. Banks
3. Mutual funds 8.Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC’s)
4. State governments 9. Infrastructure Entities
5. Urban Local Bodies

22. SERVICES BY CRISIL
CREDIT QUALITY RATINGS
 CRISIL pioneered the concept of credit quality ratings for the money market and
debt funds in the domestic market.
 CRISIL's Credit Quality Ratings are an opinion on the expected default probability
of securities in the fund portfolio.
 These ratings are assigned only to funds that invest entirely or almost entirely in
debt.
 To maintain the rating at all times, the fund has to maintain a certain level of credit
quality of the portfolio.
 Long Term Ratings
 Short Term Ratings

23. PROJECT CREDIT RATING
 CRISIL's Project Credit Rating is an independent opinion on the standalone
risks of projects.
 The evaluation includes project implementation risks as well as post
commissioning risk.
 The rating is assigned on an eight-point scale ranging from CRISIL PCR 1 to
CRISIL PCR 8.
 The ratings denote the likelihood of the project being completed on time.

24. CAPITAL PROTECTION-ORIENTED FUNDS
RATING
 CRISIL assigned the country's first rating on a Capital Protection-Oriented
Fund (CPF).
 The rating on CPFs is on the structured obligation (so) scale.
 CPF ratings are monitored to analyse the probability of the following:
1. The portfolio value falling below the initially contracted principal value.
2. Investors getting their money back in full.

25. BANK LOAN RATINGS
 A bank loan rating indicates the degree of risk regarding timely payment of
the bank facility being rated.
 CRISIL commenced rating bank loans post the Reserve Bank of India's
guidelines on capital adequacy for banks, in 2007.
 The Basel II guidelines, as they are called, require banks to provide capital
on the credit exposure as per credit ratings assigned by approved external
credit assessment institutions (ECAIs), such as CRISIL.
 CRISIL rates the maximum number of companies for their bank loans in
India.
 It has, so far, assigned ratings to the bank facilities of more than 12,614
entities as on March 31, 2013.

26. BANK LOAN RATINGS
 CRISIL has rated bank facilities of all types:
 term loans,
 project loans,
 corporate loans,
 general purpose loans,
 working capital demand loans,
 cash credit facilities, and
 non-fund-based facilities,
I. such as letters of credit and
II. bank guarantees.

27. BANK LOAN RATINGS
 CRISIL bank loan ratings cover companies of all sizes with bank facilities ranging
from Rs.50 million to Rs.500 billion.
 The break-up of ratings according to size of bank facilities is given below
SALES
Less Than Rs. 100 Million
Rs. 100-250 Million
Rs. 250-500 Million
Rs. 500-2500 Million
Rs. 2500-5000Million
More Than Rs. 5,000 Million
11%
36%
21%
24%
4% 4%

28. BROKER QUALITY GRADINGS
 A CRISIL Broker Grading is an opinion on the quality of operations and
services provided by the graded stock broker.
 CRISIL uses the key parameters listed below to assess the quality of
operations of a broking firm and the services offered by it.
 Each parameter is assessed individually; these assessments are then
aggregated to arrive at the final grading.
 Quality of compliance
 Systems framework
 Management of market risk
 External interface
 Credit risk profile

29. CREDIT RATING PROCESS
ISSUER
Request for
rating
Signs rating
agreement
Provides information
And rating fees
Management
interactions with the
rating team
CRISIL
Rating team assigned.
Team collates
information,
Conducts preliminary
analysis.
Team conducts site visits
and performs analysis.

30. Analysis presented to
rating committee.
Rating assigned and
communicated to issuer.
Rating disseminated and
carried in www.crisil.com
All ratings kept under
continuous surveillance
throughout validity
Accepts the rating
or Appeal
CREDIT RATING PROCESS

31. CRISIL CREDIT RATING SCALE
 CRISIL AAA
(Highest Safety)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have the highest degree of
safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such instruments
carry lowest credit risk.
 CRISIL AA
(High Safety)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have high degree of safety
regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such instruments carry
very low credit risk.
 CRISIL A
(Adequate Safety)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have adequate degree of
safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such instruments
carry low credit risk.

32. CRISIL CREDIT RATING SCALE
 CRISIL BBB
(Moderate Safety)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have moderate degree of
safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such instruments
carry moderate credit risk.
 CRISIL BB
(Moderate Risk)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have moderate risk of
default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
 CRISIL B
(High Risk)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have high risk of default
regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.

33. CRISIL CREDIT RATING SCALE
 CRISIL C
(Very High Risk)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have very high risk of
default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
 CRISIL D
Default
Instruments with this rating are in default or are expected to be in default
soon.

34. B) MOODY’S

35. INTRODUCTION TO MOODY’S
 Moody's is an essential component of the global capital markets, providing
credit ratings, research, tools and analysis that contribute to transparent
integrated financial markets.
 Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO) is the parent company of Moody's
Investors Service.
 Moody's Analytics, which offers leading-edge software, advisory services.
 Moody’s also offer research for credit and economic analysis and financial
risk management.

36. SERVICES BY MOODY’S
BANK DEPOSIT RATINGS
 Bank Deposit Ratings are opinions of a bank’s ability to repay punctually its
foreign and/or domestic currency deposit obligations.
 In the case of long-term deposit ratings, also reflect the expected financial
loss of the default.
 Bank Deposit Ratings do not apply to deposits that are subject to a public or
private insurance scheme; rather, the ratings apply to uninsured deposits.
 Foreign currency deposit ratings are subject to Moody’s country ceilings for
foreign currency deposits.

37. NATIONAL SCALE LONG-TERM RATINGS
 Moody’s long-term National Scale Ratings (NSRs) are opinions of the
relative creditworthiness of issuers and financial obligations within a
particular country.
 NSRs are not designed to be compared among countries.
 Moody’s assigns national scale ratings in certain local capital markets.

38. NSR LONG-TERM RATING SCALE

39. Aaa.n Issuers or issues rated Aaa.n demonstrate the strongest
creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.
Aa.n Issuers or issues rated Aa.n demonstrate very strong
creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.
A.n Issuers or issues rated A.n present above-average creditworthiness
relative to other domestic issuers.
Baa.n Issuers or issues rated Baa.n represent average creditworthiness
relative to other domestic issuers.
Ba.n Issuers or issues rated Ba.n demonstrate below-average
creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.
B.n Issuers or issues rated B.n demonstrate weak creditworthiness
relative to other domestic issuers.
Caa.n Issuers or issues rated Caa.n demonstrate very weak
creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.
Ca.n Issuers or issues rated Ca.n demonstrate extremely weak
creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.
C.n Issuers or issues rated C.n demonstrate the weakest
creditworthiness relative to other domestic issuers.

40. NATIONAL SCALE SHORT-TERM RATINGS
 Moody’s short-term NSRs are opinions of the ability of issuers in a given
country, relative to other domestic issuers, to repay debt obligations that
have an original maturity not exceeding one year. Short- term NSRs in one
country should not be compared with short-term NSRs in another
country, or with Moody’s global ratings.

41. NATIONAL SCALE SHORT-TERM RATINGS
N-1
Issuers rated N-1 have the strongest ability to repay short-
term senior unsecured debt obligations relative to other
domestic issuers
N-2
Issuers rated N-2 have an above average ability to repay short-
term senior unsecured debt obligations relative to other
domestic issuers
N-3
Issuers rated N-3 have an average ability to repay short-
term senior unsecured debt obligations relative to other
domestic issuers
N-4
Issuers rated N-4 have a below average ability to repay short-
term senior unsecured debt obligations relative to other
domestic issuers

42. BOND FUND RATINGS
 Bond Fund Ratings are opinions of the credit quality of investments within
mutual funds and similar in- vestment vehicles.
 As such, these ratings primarily reflect Moody’s assessment of the
creditworthiness of the assets held by the fund.
 The ratings are intended to represent opinions on a fund’s underlying
assets.
 they specifically do not consider the historic, current, or prospective
performance of a fund with respect to appreciation, volatility of net asset
value, or yield.

43. BOND FUND RATINGS
Aaa-bf
Bond Funds rated Aaa-bf generally hold assets judged to be of the highest credit
quality
Aa-bf Bond Funds rated Aa-bf generally hold assets judged to be of high credit quality
A-bf Bond Funds rated A-bf generally hold assets considered upper-medium credit
quality
Baa-bf Bond Funds rated Baa-bf generally hold assets considered medium credit quality
Ba-bf Bond Funds rated Ba-bf generally hold assets judged to have speculative
elements
B-bf Bond Funds rated B-bf generally hold assets considered to be speculative.
Caa-bf Bond Funds rated Caa-bf generally hold assets judged to be of poor standings
Ca-bf
Bond Funds rated Ca-bf generally hold assets that are highly
speculative and that are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of
recovery of principal or interest
C-bf Bond Funds rated C-bf generally hold assets that are in default, with little
prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

44. EQUITY FUND ASSESSMENTS
 Moody’s equity fund assessments are opinions of the relative investment
quality of investment funds.
 Investment quality is judged based on the fund’s historical performance
relative to funds employing a similar investment strategy, as well as on the
quality of the fund manager.

45. EF-1
Equity funds assessed at EF-1 have the highest investment quality
relative to funds with a similar investment strategy
EF-2
Equity funds assessed at EF-2 have high investment quality relative
to
funds with a similar investment strategy
EF-3
Equity funds assessed at EF-3 have moderate investment quality
relative to funds with a similar investment strategy
EF-4
Equity funds assessed at EF-4 have low investment quality relative to
funds with a similar investment strategy
EF-5
Equity funds assessed at EF-5 have the lowest investment quality
relative to funds with a similar investment strategy

46. MONEY MARKET FUND (MF) RATINGS
 Moody’s Money Market Fund Ratings are opinions of the investment
quality of shares in mutual funds and similar investment vehicles which
principally invest in short-term fixed income obligations.
 The ratings are not intended to consider the prospective performance of a
fund with respect to appreciation, volatility of net asset value, or yield.

47. MONEY MARKET FUND (MF) RATINGS
Aaa-mf
Money market funds rated Aaa-mf have very strong ability to meet
the dual objectives of providing liquidity and preserving capital.
Aa-mf
Money market funds rated Aa-mf have strong ability to meet the dual
objectives of providing liquidity and preserving capital.
A-mf
Money market funds rated A-mf have moderate ability to meet
the dual objectives of providing liquidity and preserving capital.
Baa-mf
Money market funds rated Baa-mf have marginal ability to meet
the dual objectives of providing liquidity and preserving capital.
B-mf.
Money market funds rated B-mf are unable to meet the objective of
providing liquidity and have marginal ability.
C-mf
Money market funds rated C-mf are unable to meet either objective of
providing liquidity or preserving capital.

48. MOODY’S RATING SCALE

49. Rating Long-term ratings Short-term ratings
Aaa Rated as the highest quality and lowest credit risk.
Prime-1
Best ability to repay short-
term debt
Aa1
Rated as high quality and very low credit risk.Aa2
Aa3
A1
Rated as upper-medium grade and low credit risk.
A2 Prime-1/Prime-2
Best ability or high ability to
repay short term debt
A3
Baa1
Rated as medium grade, with some speculative
elements and moderate credit risk.
Prime-2
High ability to repay short
term debt
Baa2
Prime-2/Prime-3
High ability or acceptable
ability to repay short term
debt
Baa3
Prime-3
Acceptable ability to repay
short term debt

50. SEBI CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
REGULATIONS,1999 (CODE OF CONDUCT)
 A credit rating agency, in the conduct of its business, shall observe high
standards of integrity, dignity and fairness in the conduct of its business.
 A credit rating agency shall fulfill its obligations in a prompt, ethical and
professional manner.
 A credit rating agency shall at all times exercise due diligence, ensure
proper care and exercise independent professional judgment.
 A credit rating agency shall have a reasonable and adequate basis for
performing rating evaluations.
 A credit rating agency shall have in place a rating process that reflects
consistent and international rating standards.

51. SEBI CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
REGULATIONS,1999 (CODE OF CONDUCT)
 A credit rating agency shall not indulge in any unfair competition nor shall it wean
away the clients of any other rating agency on assurance of higher rating.
 A credit rating agency shall keep track of all important changes relating to the
client companies.
 A credit rating agency shall disclose its rating methodology to clients, users and the
public.
 A credit rating agency shall, wherever necessary, disclose to the clients, possible
sources of conflict of duties and interests, which could impair its ability to make
fair, objective and unbiased ratings.
 A credit rating agency shall not make any exaggerated statement, whether oral or
written, to the client either about its qualification or its capability to render certain
services or its achievements with regard to the services rendered to other clients.

52. SEBI CREDIT RATING AGENCIES
REGULATIONS,1999 (CODE OF CONDUCT)
 A credit rating agency shall not make any untrue statement, suppress any
material fact or make any misrepresentation in any documents.
 A credit rating agency shall ensure that the Board is promptly informed about
any action, legal proceedings etc.
 A credit rating agency shall maintain an appropriate level of knowledge and
competence and abide by the provisions of the Act, regulations and
circulars, which may be applicable and relevant to the activities carried on by
the credit rating agency.
 A credit rating agency or any of his employees shall not render, directly or
indirectly any investment advice about any security in the publicly accessible
media.
 A credit rating agency shall maintain an arm’s length relationship between its
credit rating activity and any other activity.

53. CREDIT RATING FAQ’S
1.What is a credit rating?
A credit rating represents the rating agency's opinion on the likelihood of a rated debt
obligation being repaid in full and on time. A simple alphanumeric symbol is normally used
to convey a credit rating.
2. How does a credit rating agency differ from a credit bureau?
A credit rating agency provides an opinion relating to future debt repayments by borrowers.
A credit bureau provides information on past debt repayments by borrowers.
3. Is a credit rating a recommendation to invest in a debt instrument?
A credit rating is not a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell a debt instrument. A credit
rating is one of the inputs used by investors to make an investment decision.
4. Does a credit rating assure repayment?
A credit rating is not an assurance of repayment of the rated instrument. Rather, it is an
opinion on the relative degree of risk associated with such repayment. This opinion
represents a probabilistic estimate of the likelihood of default.

54. CREDIT RATING FAQ’S
5. What is the difference between credit rating and equity research?
Credit ratings are assigned to debt instruments, while equity research relates to equity shares. A
credit rating is focused on the risk of non-payment, the primary variable in debt instruments.
Equity research is focused on growth possibilities, for that is what drives equity valuations.
6. How does a credit rating differ from an audit?
A credit rating agency relies on a variety of information sources, including published annual
reports. An audit process is designed to detect fraud or misrepresentation of information,
whereas the credit rating process is not.
7. How does a rating agency operate when issuers' disclosure levels are low?
During a credit rating exercise, issuers provide rating agencies with confidential information
and insights into business strategy that are not normally available in the public domain. As a
policy, CRISIL does not assign credit ratings without issuer interaction, except when a
previously rated instrument is outstanding or when a specific investor asks for a private
exercise. In cases where CRISIL believes that the information is inadequate to assign a
rating, it may not do so.

55. CREDIT RATING FAQ’S
Also, for rated clients, if subsequent information is not adequate, CRISIL may suspend the
rating and inform the investors.
8. Who pays for a credit rating?
Most credit rating agencies across the world use a revenue model where the issuer pays for
the credit rating. Alternative revenue models (such as the one based on investor fees) pose
numerous challenges in terms of ease and practicality of implementation that have
Yet been overcome.
9. If the issuer pays for the rating, how does a credit rating agency maintain its independence?
Although the issuer pays for the rating, the investor uses it. Like any other product or
service, the value' of the rating depends entirely on the perceptions of the investor. Investor
perceptions are based on the credibility of the past ratings assigned by each rating agency.
10. Who regulates a rating agency?
The capital market regulator regulates rating agencies in most regions. In India, the capital
markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), regulates the rating agencies
in the country.

56. CREDIT RATING FAQ’S
11.Is competition desirable in the credit rating industry?
Competition in the credit rating industry is desirable to meet the 'better service at a
cheaper price' objective on an ongoing basis. However, it is essential to guard against some
undesirable effects of competition, such as lax ratings or sub-optimal quality of research
and analysis.
12. How do investors benefit from a credit rating?
Credit ratings help investors facilitate comparative assessment of investment
options, complement the investors' own credit analysis, and allow asset monitoring.
13. What do the various credit rating symbols mean?
CRISIL uses simple alphanumeric symbols to convey credit ratings. CRISIL assigns credit
ratings to debt obligations on three basic scales: the long-term scale, the short-term scale, and
the fixed deposit scale.
14. Does the minus sign in a rating symbol have negative connotations relating to the
issuer's performance or its debt-servicing capability?
Plus and minus symbols are used to indicate finer distinctions within a rating category. The minus
symbol associated with ratings has no negative connotations whatsoever.

57. CREDIT RATING FAQ’S
15.What are Structured Obligation (so) ratings? Are they different from other credit
ratings?
Structured Obligation (so) ratings are ratings that are based on a 'credit
enhancement' mechanism and/or a structured payment mechanism. A suffix in
the form of '(so)' indicates the presence of non-credit risk in the form of risks
associated with the instrument structure.
16. What is the validity period of a credit rating?
Credit ratings are assigned either to specific instruments or to the general debt
obligations of issuers. CRISIL assigns credit ratings to debt obligations. A rating is
valid until the rated debt obligation is fully paid.
17. How are credit rating changes communicated?
Once a credit rating is assigned and published, CRISIL keeps the credit rating
under surveillance until the instrument is fully repaid. The surveillance process
may result in credit rating changes from time to time. All changes in CRISIL's credit
ratings are communicated publicly through CRISIL's website (www.crisil.com) and
media releases.

58. CREDIT RATING FAQ’S
18.Why do credit ratings change?
Credit ratings are assigned based on certain expectations and assumptions about
variables that impact the issuer's performance. However, these variables can
change, causing the rated entities' performance to deviate materially from
expectations. This is reflected in their changed credit ratings.
19. If a credit rating is downgraded, does it mean that a default is imminent?
Not necessarily. In most cases, a downgrade does not mean that a default is
anticipated. All it indicates is that the risk associated with the debt obligation is
relatively higher than what it was before the downgrade.
20. Does the size of the rated debt obligation affect its credit rating?
No. What matters is the size of the total debt in the company, and not the amount
that is sought to be rated.

59. THANKYOU