PARIS (Standard&Poor's) Nov. 30, 2006--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said that it affirmed its 'BBB+' long-term corporate credit rating on U.K.-based catering services leader Compass Group PLC. The outlook is stable. "The affirmation follows the group's publication yesterday of fiscal 2006 results that are in line with expectations, and its plans to sell Selecta, its European vending business," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Melvyn Cooke. Despite Selecta accounting for nearly 9% of the group's consolidated EBIT in fiscal 2006 (ended Sept. 30, 2006), the disposal is likely to have a broadly neutral to positive impact on Compass' business profile. We expect the group to allocate a sufficient part of the proceeds from the sale of Selecta to
