The rating on France-based Cap Gemini S.A.--the largest European consulting and IT services provider--reflects its strong business positions worldwide, coupled with healthy profitability measures and significant financial flexibility. After the acquisition in 2000 of the consulting business of Ernst&Young, Cap Gemini became one of the top five IT and consulting providers worldwide, with about 60,000 employees and pro forma revenues of €8.5 billion that year. The combination of the company's solid positions in Europe and Ernst&Young's strong positions in the U.S. consulting market has given the group a well-balanced presence worldwide in an industry driven by increasing customer demand for global services. Cap Gemini has a broad range of expertise in IT and management consulting (about
