Average Corporate Credit Rating Hits 15-year Low

March 25, 2016
By Steve Blumenthal

“Corporate sector metrics have been disappointing of late… Companies are scaling back expenditures of all kinds (capital expenditures, hiring, and inventory-builds, for example), as their top-line revenues and earnings decelerate.  Though first-quarter numbers may come in better than beaten-down forecasts, firms are finding that top line revenues are still hard to grow significantly.”  Rick Rieder, Head of Global Fixed Income, BlackRock

As you see in the next chart, increased corporate debt loads place profits at risk.

It’s profits we need to worry about especially when valuations are high.  This is a headwind to further market upside.

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