The Fitch Ratings Financial Institutions Group has actively built the agency into a global leader in bank, insurance and securities company credit rating coverage. Our experienced analysts provide comprehensive, timely and transparent coverage of most major institutions around the world, as well as unparalleled coverage of smaller companies. Our analysts offer a diversity of talent and backgrounds, with experience in regulatory oversight, investment banking, buy-side investing, accounting and more.
The Bank Group's rating process utilizes a set of rating scales that are unique to Fitch Ratings. The Individual rating, which expresses Fitch Ratings' view of a bank's stand-alone financial profile, is combined with the Support rating to arrive at the more traditionally recognized rating from the AAA scale that is assigned to the issuer and its debt issues. Fitch Ratings' Support rating provides important insight relative to the likelihood and nature of external support should the financial institution experience financial difficulties. Fitch's Bank Group is responsible not only for the analysis of banks but also securities companies, investment banks, non-bank financial companies, leasing companies and all other non-insurance financial companies.Quantitative aspects of a financial institution's strengths and weaknesses are reviewed, such as balance sheet integrity, profitability, and risk management. The analysts also evaluate qualitative factors of the institution, such as strategy and quality of management, the environment in which it operates, and the most likely future development of its business. Final rating determinations are made by committees comprised of lead analysts and seasoned independent committee members, including Fitch Ratings senior management.
The Fitch Ratings Insurance Group provides ratings and research on insurance and insurance-related companies worldwide. Because of the increasing globalization of insurance markets, the group coordinates all research and analysis through a global organizational structure, whose goal is to achieve consistency of rating methodology across countries. At the same time, Fitch Ratings strives to ensure that its insurance ratings fully incorporate the unique aspects of local markets by assigning regional management and lead analysts with local market knowledge and presence. The Insurance group balances local expertise with global oversight to distinguish their ratings in the marketplace. The group also offers comprehensive research on industry issues and trends.
