Credit Rating
Assessment of a borrower's ability to repay debt.
Definition
Credit ratings are opinions issued by rating agencies (S&P, Moody's, Fitch) on the creditworthiness of a borrower or specific debt instrument. For banks, both the entity rating and individual debt ratings matter. Investment grade ratings (BBB-/Baa3 or above) significantly reduce borrowing costs.
Why It Matters
A bank's credit rating directly affects its cost of wholesale funding and its ability to attract institutional deposits. Rating downgrades can trigger collateral posting requirements and customer attrition.