Why is moody still in business

Acquisition of a Regulatory DataCorp , a leading provider of anti-money laundering and know-your-customer data and due diligence services. Majority stake acquired in Vigeo Eiris , a global leader in Environmental, Social and Governance research, data and assessments. Majority stake acquired in Four Twenty Seven, Inc. RiskFirst , a FinTech company providing risk analytic solutions for the asset management and pension fund communities acquired.

Launch of Moody's Local , a domestic ratings platform focused on serving the needs of local capital markets. Acquisition of Reis, Inc. Investment in QuantCube Technology , an innovative provider of real-time, AI-based predictive analytics. Acquisition of Bureau van Dijk , a global provider of business intelligence and company information. Investment in SecurityScorecard , a leading provider of cybersecurity ratings. Investment in CompStak , a platform for crowdsourced commercial real estate data.

We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy. Compare Accounts. The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation.

This compensation may impact how and where listings appear. Investopedia does not include all offers available in the marketplace. A rating is an assessment tool assigned by an analyst or rating agency to a stock or bond indicating its potential for opportunity or safety. Credit Rating Definition A credit rating is an assessment of the creditworthiness of a borrower—in general terms or with respect to a particular debt or financial obligation.

Corporate Credit Rating A corporate credit rating is an opinion of an independent agency regarding the likelihood that a corporation will fully meet its financial obligations. Downgrade Definition A downgrade occurs when an analyst's estimates for a stock's outlook turns more negative. Partner Links. Related Articles. Investopedia is part of the Dotdash publishing family. Your Privacy Rights.

To change or withdraw your consent choices for Investopedia. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. Moody's expanded its rating services in the s and began charging fees to the companies it covered. The time-consuming, meticulously researched reports done by Moody's proved invaluable to both investors and the covered companies; companies soon realized that a good rating from Moody's was like money in the bank.

For many corporate clients, Moody's ratings increased investor confidence and in turn helped add stability to the marketplace. The last decade of the century was a roller coaster ride for Moody's. In the company failed to make a profit and in and there were rumors of a corporate overhaul. In the midst of the DOJ probe, Moody's reorganized its domestic operations and stepped up plans for international expansion. In Moody's bought a 10 percent stake in Korea Investors Service later increased to more than 50 percent and began investing in Argentina the following year.

In the DOJ investigation into Moody's alleged antitrust violations was closed, and no charges were filed. This provided a bit of irony; since Moody's could now be rated by others according to its performance. Because of its value to investors, Moody's became a powerful entity unto itself. This power, however, was like a double-edged sword. The agencies cannot just be observers but active participants in the course of events. If the rating agencies act too rashly, they could be accused of causing a bankruptcy.

Latest Trade. Today's Range. Key Developments. Key Metrics. All Listings. Moody's Corporation Moody's is a risk assessment firm.

The MIS segment publishes credit ratings and provides assessment services on a range of debt obligations, programs and facilities, and the entities that issue such obligations in markets worldwide, including various corporate, financial institution and governmental obligations.

The MIS segment consists of five lines of business, which includes corporate finance group; structured finance group; financial institutions group; public, project and infrastructure finance, and MIS Other.

The MA segment provides data and analytic solutions. It develops a range of products and services that support financial analysis and risk management activities of institutional participants in global financial markets.