Menu Products Sign In search Credit Ratings 101 Credit ratings are an important part of understanding credit risk. But many individuals might be confused about what these ratings are - and how to use them. DBRS Morningstar created this Credit Ratings 101 page to help you answer some of the most commonly asked questions. Credit ratings are quite simply an analytical opinion on a company, entity, or government’s capacity to satisfy its financial obligations. DBRS Morningstar’s credit ratings communicate our opinion of that to global capital markets. DBRS Morningstar uses a letter grade system for its credit ratings. DBRS Morningstar issues credit ratings from AAA (a rating indicates low credit risk) to a C (a rating that indicates increased credit risk). Within these rating symbols, we can further show levels of credit risk by using delineations such as (high) and (low) within each category except at the top-of-the-chart AAA level. So, a credit rating might be AA (low) or BBB (high). Credit ratings are comparable across asset classes. For example, a AA credit rating on sovereign government debt and a AA-rated structured finance transaction backed by a pool of U.S. auto loans both indicate a comparable forward-looking opinion when these credit ratings are issued by the same credit rating agency. This allows people to better compare what would otherwise seem like two different types of debt. Contact UsCareers Regulatory AffairsCode of ConductPrevious MCR Credit RatingsDisclaimerTerms and ConditionsPrivacy PolicyProprietary Rights The DBRS Morningstar group of companies consists of DBRS, Inc. (Delaware, U.S.)(NRSRO, DRO affiliate); DBRS Limited (Ontario, Canada)(DRO, NRSRO affiliate); DBRS Ratings GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany)(EU CRA, NRSRO affiliate, DRO affiliate); and DBRS Ratings Limited (England and Wales)(UK CRA, NRSRO affiliate, DRO affiliate). For more information on regulatory registrations, recognitions and approvals of the DBRS Morningstar group of companies, please see: http://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/highlights.pdf. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The DBRS Morningstar group of companies are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Morningstar, Inc. © 2021 DBRS Morningstar. All Rights Reserved dbrsmorningstar.com Privacy Statement By accessing this website you agree to be bound by the DBRS Terms and Conditions and also the Privacy Policy. These are subject to change. Any changes will be incorporated into the Terms and Conditions or Privacy Policy posted to this website from time to time. Privacy (GDPR) Notice DBRS Morningstar reminds all users to consult the Privacy Policy in order to inquire on up to date information laws and new applicable regulations, including EU Directive 2016/679 on the General Data Protection Regulation. In the event you proceed to the website, you agree and consent to access the website, including providing your IP address and the terms and conditions on the usage of this website. OK