POSCO Int’l gains first credit rating from S&P, Moody’s

POSCO International Corp said. South Korea on Thursday that it has received its first ever credit rating from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) and Moody’s.

The company was given a BBB+ rating by S&P and a Baa2 rating by Moody’s, both with a stable outlook, indicating strong investment status.

POSCO International highlighted that its BBB+ rating is in line with major domestic companies such as LG Energy Solution Ltd., LG Chem Ltd., and Hyundai Glovis Co., underlining its competitive position in the market.

The favorable credit ratings were attributed to POSCO International’s strong performance in steel trading and power generation, alongside its diverse portfolio across sectors including steel, energy, food, biomaterials, and propulsion motor cores.

The company also emphasized the steady growth of its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) as a key factor in the positive assessment.

This milestone marks POSCO International as the third entity within the POSCO Group, following POSCO Holdings Inc. and POSCO, to secure a global credit rating.

POSCO International intends to improve its credibility in the global market, explore various financing options – including the issuance of possible foreign bonds – and strengthen its financial stability and market competitiveness through greater collaboration with global partners.

Write to Hyun-woo Oh at ohw@hankyung.com