...NEW YORK (Standard & Poor's) April 14, 2004--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today raised its ratings on Internet retailer Amazon.com and removed them from CreditWatch, where they were placed with positive implications on Feb. 10, 2004. The corporate credit rating was raised to 'B+' from 'B'. The outlook is positive. "The upgrade reflects the significant progress that Amazon has made in improving operating results and credit-protection measures, and the expectation that this trend will continue," explained Standard & Poor's credit analyst Diane Shand. "The ratings reflect the risks of rapid growth, weak levels of profitability, and high leverage. These risks are tempered by the company's solid market position in online retailing and its increasing operating efficiency." Seattle, Wash.-based Amazon.com is an online seller of millions of new and used items in categories such as sporting goods, apparel and accessories, books, music, DVDs, electronics, office goods, kids and baby products,...
