Credit Rating Scale

Credit Ratings - Long Term Scale


Rating

Description

 

CRISIL AAA
Securities with this rating are considered to have the highest degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such securities carry lowest credit risk.

 

CRISIL AA
Securities with this rating are considered to have high degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such securities carry very low credit risk.

 

CRISIL A
Securities with this rating are considered to have adequate degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such securities carry low credit risk.

 

CRISIL BBB       
Securities with this rating are considered to have moderate degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such securities carry moderate credit risk.

 

CRISIL BB
Securities with this rating are considered to have moderate risk of default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
CRISIL B Securities with this rating are considered to have high risk of default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
CRISIL C Securities with this rating are considered to have very high risk of default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
CRISIL D Securities with this rating are in default or are expected to be in default soon.

 

 

Note

 

  • The above rating scale also applies to ratings on bank loans and other instruments.
  • CRISIL Ratings may apply modifiers {“+” (plus) / "-" (minus)} with the rating symbols for the categories 'CRISIL AA' to 'CRISIL C'. The modifiers reflect the comparative standing within the category.
  • CRISIL Ratings may assign rating outlooks for ratings from 'CRISIL AAA' to 'CRISIL B'. Ratings on Rating Watch will not carry outlooks. A rating outlook indicates the direction in which a rating may move over a medium-term horizon of one to two years. A rating outlook can be 'Positive', 'Stable', or 'Negative'. A 'Positive' or 'Negative' rating outlook is not necessarily a precursor of a rating change. CRISIL Ratings may place an outstanding rating on Rating Watch if the issuer announces a merger or acquisition, or de-merger of some business that may impact the credit profile of the rated debt instrument. Ratings may also be placed on watch if the issuer’s credit profile is impacted on account of an action by regulators, or when the impact of specific events on the credit profile cannot be accurately assessed at the point when they occur, and additional information may be necessary for CRISIL Ratings to fully ascertain the creditworthiness of the rated instrument. CRISIL Ratings may place a rating on watch, with positive, negative or developing implications. A listing under rating watch does not imply that a rating will necessarily change, nor is it a prerequisite for rating change.
  • A prefix of 'PP-MLD' indicates that the instrument is a principal-protected market-linked debenture. The terms of such instruments indicate that while the issuer promises to pay back the face value/principal of the instrument, the coupon rates of these instruments will not be fixed, and could be linked to one or more external variables such as commodity prices, equity share prices, indices, or foreign exchange rates
  • A prefix of 'Provisional' indicates that the rating centrally factors in the completion of certain critical steps/documentation by the issuer for the instrument, without these the rating would either have been different or not assigned ab initio.
  • From June 2022, fixed deposit (FD) programmes are rated on the 20-point long-term rating scale. Prior to that, CRISIL Ratings assigned ratings to the FD programmes on a 14-point scale. Please follow this link to refer to previously used 14-point FD rating scale.

Credit Ratings - Short Term Scale

Rating Scale

Rating

Description
CRISIL A1 Securities with this rating are considered to have very strong degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligations. Such securities carry lowest credit risk.
CRISIL A2 Securities with this rating are considered to have strong degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligations. Such securities carry low credit risk.
CRISIL A3 Securities with this rating are considered to have moderate degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligations. Such securities carry higher credit risk as compared to instruments rated in the two higher categories.
CRISIL A4 Securities with this rating are considered to have minimal degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligations. Such securities carry very high credit risk and are susceptible to default.
CRISIL D Securities with this rating are in default or expected to be in default on maturity.

 

 

Note

 

  • The above rating scale also applies to ratings on bank loans and other instruments.
  • CRISIL Ratings may apply modifier {"+" (plus)} with the rating symbols for the categories 'CRISIL A1' to 'CRISIL A4'. The modifier reflects the comparative standing within the category.
  • A prefix of 'PP-MLD' indicates that the instrument is a principal-protected market-linked debenture. The terms of such instruments indicate that while the issuer promises to pay back the face value/principal of the instrument, the coupon rates of these instruments will not be fixed, and could be linked to one or more external variables such as commodity prices, equity share prices, indices, or foreign exchange rates.
  • A prefix of 'Provisional' indicates that the rating centrally factors in the completion of certain critical steps/documentation by the issuer for the instrument, without these the rating would either have been different or not assigned ab initio.

Credit Ratings - Long Term Structured Finance Scale


Rating

Description
CRISIL AAA (SO)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have the highest degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such instruments carry lowest credit risk.
CRISIL AA (SO) Instruments with this rating are considered to have high degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such instruments carry very low credit risk.
CRISIL A (SO) Instruments with this rating are considered to have adequate degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such instruments carry low credit risk.
CRISIL BBB (SO)  Instruments with this rating are considered to have moderate degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such instruments carry moderate credit risk.
CRISIL BB (SO)

Instruments with this rating are considered to have moderate risk of default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
CRISIL B (SO)

Instruments with this rating are considered to have high risk of default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
CRISIL C (SO)

Instruments with this rating are considered to have very high likelihood of default regarding timely payment of financial obligations.
CRISIL D (SO)

Instruments with this rating are in default or are expected to be in default soon.

 

 

Note

 

  • CRISIL Ratings may apply modifiers {"+" (plus) / "-" (minus)} with the rating symbols for the categories 'CRISIL AA (SO)' to 'CRISIL C (SO)'. The modifiers reflect the comparative standing within the category.
  • CRISIL Ratings may assign rating outlooks for ratings from 'CRISIL AAA' to 'CRISIL B'. Ratings on Rating Watch will not carry outlooks. A rating outlook indicates the direction in which a rating may move over a medium-term horizon of one to two years. A rating outlook can be 'Positive', 'Stable', or 'Negative'. A 'Positive' or 'Negative' rating outlook is not necessarily a precursor of a rating change. CRISIL Ratings may place an outstanding rating on Rating Watch if the issuer announces a merger or acquisition, or de-merger of some business that may impact the credit profile of the rated debt instrument. Ratings may also be placed on watch if the issuer's credit profile is impacted on account of an action by regulators, or when the impact of specific events on the credit profile cannot be accurately assessed at the point when they occur, and additional information may be necessary for CRISIL Ratings to fully ascertain the creditworthiness of the rated instrument. CRISIL Ratings may place a rating on watch, with positive, negative or developing implications. A listing under rating watch does not imply that a rating will necessarily change, nor is it a prerequisite for rating change.
  • A prefix of 'PP-MLD' indicates that the instrument is a principal-protected market-linked debenture. The terms of such instruments indicate that while the issuer promises to pay back the face value/principal of the instrument, the coupon rates of these instruments will not be fixed, and could be linked to one or more external variables such as commodity prices, equity share prices, indices, or foreign exchange rates.
  • A prefix of 'Provisional' indicates that the rating centrally factors in the completion of certain critical steps/documentation by the issuer for the instrument, without these the rating would either have been different or not assigned ab initio.

Credit Ratings - Short Term Structured Finance Scale


Rating

Description

 

CRISIL A1(SO)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have very strong degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligation. Such instruments carry lowest credit risk.

 

CRISIL A2(SO)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have strong degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligation. Such instruments carry low credit risk.

 

CRISIL A3(SO)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have moderate degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligation. Such instruments carry higher credit risk as compared to instruments rated in the two higher categories.

 

CRISIL A4(SO)
Instruments with this rating are considered to have minimal degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligation. Such instruments carry very high credit risk and are susceptible to default.

CRISIL D(SO)

Instruments with this rating are in default or expected to be in default on maturity.

 

 

Note

 

  • CRISIL Ratings may apply modifier {"+" (plus)} with the rating symbols for the categories 'CRISIL A1(SO)' to 'CRISIL A4(SO)'. The modifier reflects the comparative standing within the category.
  • A prefix of 'PP-MLD' indicates that the instrument is a principal-protected market-linked debenture. The terms of such instruments indicate that while the issuer promises to pay back the face value/principal of the instrument, the coupon rates of these instruments will not be fixed, and could be linked to one or more external variables such as commodity prices, equity share prices, indices, or foreign exchange rates.
  • A prefix of 'Provisional' indicates that the rating centrally factors in the completion of certain critical steps/documentation by the issuer for the instrument, without these the rating would either have been different or not assigned ab initio.

Credit Ratings - Long Term Credit Enhancement (CE)


Rating

Description

CRISIL AAA(CE)

Securities with this rating are considered to have the highest degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such securities carry lowest credit risk.

CRISIL

AA(CE)
Securities with this rating are considered to have high degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such securities carry very low credit risk.

CRISIL A(CE)

Securities with this rating are considered to have adequate degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such securities carry low credit risk.

CRISIL BBB(CE)

Securities with this rating are considered to have moderate degree of safety regarding timely servicing of financial obligations. Such securities carry moderate credit risk.

CRISIL

BB(CE)
Securities with this rating are considered to have moderate risk of default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
CRISIL B(CE)
Securities with this rating are considered to have high risk of default regarding timely servicing of financial obligations.
CRISIL C(CE)
Securities with this rating are considered to have very high likelihood of default regarding timely payment of financial obligations.
CRISIL D(CE)
Securities with this rating are in default or are expected to be in default soon.

 

 

Note

 

  • The above rating scale also applies to ratings on bank loans and other instruments.
  • Modifiers {"+" (plus) or "-" (minus)} will be used with the rating symbols for the categories 'CRISIL AA (CE)' to 'CRISIL C (CE)'. The modifiers reflect the comparative standing within the category.

Credit Ratings - Short Term Credit Enhancement (CE)


Rating

Description

CRISIL A1(CE)

Securities with this rating are considered to have very strong degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligation. Such securities carry lowest credit risk.

CRISIL A2(CE)

Securities with this rating are considered to have strong degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligation. Such securities carry low credit risk.

CRISIL A3(CE)

Securities with this rating are considered to have moderate degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligation. Such securities carry higher credit risk as compared to instruments rated in the two higher categories.

CRISIL A4(CE)

Securities with this rating are considered to have minimal degree of safety regarding timely payment of financial obligation. Such securities carry very high credit risk and are susceptible to default.

CRISIL D(CE)

Securities with this rating are in default or expected to be in default on maturity.

 

 

Note

 

  • The above rating scale also applies to ratings on bank loans and other instruments.
  • Modifier {“+” (plus)} will be used with the rating symbols for the categories 'CRISIL A1 (CE)' to 'CRISIL A4 (CE)'. The modifier reflects the comparative standing within the category.

Credit Ratings - Corporate Credit Rating Scale


Rating

Description
CRISIL AAA
Issuers with this rating are considered to have the highest degree of safety regarding timely servicing of debt obligations. Debt exposures to such issuers carry lowest credit risk.
CRISIL AA
Issuers with this rating are considered to have high degree of safety regarding timely servicing of debt obligations. Debt exposures to such issuers carry very low credit risk.
CRISIL A Issuers with this rating are considered to have adequate degree of safety regarding timely servicing of debt obligations. Debt exposures to such issuers carry low credit risk.
CRISIL BBB
Issuers with this rating are considered to have moderate degree of safety regarding timely servicing of debt obligations. Debt exposures to such issuers carry moderate credit risk.
CRISIL BB
Issuers with this rating are considered to have moderate risk of default regarding timely servicing of debt obligations.
CRISIL B Issuers with this rating are considered to have high risk of default regarding timely servicing of debt obligations.
CRISIL C
Issuers with this rating are considered to have very high risk of default regarding timely servicing of debt obligations
CRISIL D
Issuers with this rating are in default or are expected to be in default soon.

 

 

Note

 

  • Modifiers {"+" (plus) / "-"(minus)} can be used with the rating symbols for the categories 'CRISIL AA' to 'CRISIL C'. The modifiers reflect the comparative standing within the category.
  • From December 2022, Corporate Credit Rating are rated on the 20-point long-term rating scale. Prior to that, CRISIL Ratings assigned ratings to the Corporate Credit Rating on a 21-point scale. Please follow this link (Box 3: CRISIL Ratings' rating scales) to refer to previously used 21-point CCR rating scale.

Questions?

  • To get a copy of rating reports, please email us at:
    crisilratingdesk@crisil.com

  • For analytical queries, please email us at:
    ratingsinvestordesk@crisil.com

  • For any other information,  please call or email us at:
    +1800 267 1301
    crisilratingdesk@crisil.com