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Economy and Finance

Economy and Finance

What is a Credit Rating Agency (CRA)?

03 Jul 2023 Zinkpot 149
  1. A credit rating agency is a company that rates the debtors on the basis of their ability to pay back their interests and loan amount on time, and the probability of them defaulting.
  2. It assesses the creditworthiness of a borrower in general terms, or with respect to particular debt or financial obligation.
  3. These agencies mainly focus on measuring the credit ratings of organisations and companies. They specifically report whether or not a company has an ideal credit score to apply for loans and credit cards.
  4. CRAs analyse an organisation, individual, entity and assign ratings to it. These agencies have the authority to rate companies, state governments, non-profit organisations, countries, securities, local government bodies and special purpose entities.
  5. Many factors are considered while settling with a rating such as financial statements, type of debt, lending and borrowing history, repayment capability, past credit repayment behaviour and more.
  6. Credit rating scales used by various rating agencies in India are an essential tool for assessing the creditworthiness of the entities. They use alphabetical symbols (AAA, AA, A, B, etc.) to assess.
  7. Higher ranking suggests the lower risk of default with AAA being highly favourable, indicating strong financial capability. Ratings below BB are considered indicative of poor creditworthiness.
  8. Top credit rating agencies operating in India:
  • CRISIL: Credit Rating Information Services of India Ltd is one of the oldest rating agencies set up in 1987. It has been operational in countries such as USA, UK, Poland, Hong Kong, China and Argentina, in addition to India. The rating generated by this agency ranges from AAA to D.
  • India Ratings and Research Pvt Ltd: It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fitch Group. It covers corporate issuers, financial institutions, managed funds, urban local bodies, project finance companies and structured finance companies.
  • ICRA Limited: The Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency, a joint venture of Moody’s and Indian Financial and Banking Service Organisation, was established in 1991. It is known for assigning corporate governance rating, performance rating, mutual funds rankings and more.
  • CARE: Credit Analysis and Research Limited is an agency that is operational since April 1993. It covers various market sectors, including infrastructure, manufacturing and financial sector, including banks and non-financial services.
  • Brickwork Ratings India Pvt Ltd: It is a SEBI registered and RBI accredited rating agency that offers rating services on bank loans, fixed deposits, non convertible debentures, etc. It offers ratings for banks, financial institutions, large corporate customers and state and local governments.
     

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