What is a D credit rating?
A credit rating given to a prospective borrower that's not of investment grade and implies the highest degree of risk, since the company in question has already defaulted on its debts.
Key takeaways
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A D rating from Standard & Poor's and Fitch is the lowest credit rating possible, equivalent to Moody's C rating.
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D ratings indicate highest risk as the company has already defaulted on debts or is virtually certain to default shortly.
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Bonds issued by D-rated companies are called junk bonds due to their extreme risk and lack of investor appeal.
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D ratings significantly impact borrowing ability and are unappealing compared to investment-grade ratings of BBB- or above.
For credit agencies Standard & Poor's and Fitch, it's the lowest credit rating that can be handed to a company. It's equivalent to the C rating provided by Moody's.
Where have you heard about D credit ratings?
Propping up the rest of the credit ratings table, bonds issued by companies with a D rating are known as junk bonds, due to their extreme risk and lack of popularity among investors.
What you need to know about D credit ratings.
The credit rating given to a company or government can impact on its ability to borrow money. Extremely high-risk ratings like D don't generally appeal to investors, especially when compared with investment-grade ones (BBB- or above).
D ratings are given to entities which are no longer able to fulfil all their debt commitments on time. A D rating may also be handed to a company if it's virtually certain that it will shortly default on its financial obligations.
Find out more about D credit ratings.
Bonds are rated from AAA all the way down to D. For more on how this works, see credit rating agency.
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