Money Talk

Why letter of credit structures still work

Ideally, bonds would never fail to be remarketed and cause a draw on the letter of credit. But in the current market...

Healthcare stocks performing well

Despite being plagued by a variety of ailments in recent years, healthcare stocks are emerging as one of the stock...

Opinion: If It's Broke, Fix It

We all know healthcare wastes a lot of money. The problem of the rising cost of healthcare is blasted all over the...

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Who's up and who's down

Up
Meriter Hospital, Madison, WI
Rating: A1
Outlook: Stable
Affected debt: $110 million
Agency: Moody's Investor's Service
Remarks: Upgraded from A2 thanks to a material increase in cash flow generation in 2005, 2006 and the first half of 2007, as well as a track record of generating good operating margins.

Down
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute Inc., Tampa, FL
Rating: A-
Outlook: Stable
Affected debt: $47.9 million
Agency: Standard & Poor's
Remarks: Downgrade from A because of requirements of increased internal subsidies for Moffitt's growing research mission as well as reduced operating margins.

Up
Self Regional Healthcare, Greenwood, SC
Rating: A2
Outlook: Positive
Affected debt: $124 million
Agency: Moody's Investors Service
Remarks: Revised outlook from stable because of dominant market share of 92 percent in primary service area and an eight-year trend of increasing cash flow.

Down
Resurrection Health Care, Chicago
Rating: A-
Outlook: Stable
Affected debt: $217.9 million
Agency: Standard & Poor's
Remarks: Downgrade from A because of heightened and more persistent operating losses in recent years, though losses moderated in 2007.

-Philip Betbeze