Standard & Poor's
/ˌstændəd ən ˈpɔːz/, /ˌstændəd ən ˈpʊəz/
/ˌstændərd ən ˈpʊrz/, /ˌstændərd ən ˈpɔːrz/
- an international company started in its present form in 1941 but with a history going back to 1860. It is based in New York with offices in many other countries. It publishes information about companies and gives them credit ratings (= a judgement about whether they are able to pay back money that they borrow, and how safe it is to lend money to them).