NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) Nov. 17, 2003--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that E.I. DuPont de Nemours&Co.'s (AA-/Negative/A-1+) announcement that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell Invista, formerly DuPont Textiles&Interiors, to Koch Industries Inc. does not affect its ratings or outlook on the company. The sales price is $4.4 billion (within expectations) and the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2004. The sale of Invista represents the latest step in DuPont's multiyear transformation of its business portfolio, highlighted by the divestiture of DuPont Pharmaceuticals, the split-off of Conoco Inc., and acquisitions in the agricultural sector and key chemical areas. Although the company's profile will be impacted somewhat by
