TORONTO (Standard&Poor's) Aug. 31, 2004--Standard&Poor's Rating Services today said it revised its outlook for Cott Corp. to positive from stable. At the same time, Standard&Poor's affirmed its 'BB' long-term corporate credit and 'B+' subordinated debt ratings on Toronto, Ont.-based Cott Corp. Total debt outstanding was about US$362 million at July 3, 2004. "The outlook revision reflects the company's improving financial profile," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Lori Harris. "Cott's operating performance and credit protection measures strengthened for the 12 months ended July 3, 2004, despite a challenging competitive environment," Ms. Harris added. The ratings on Cott reflect its below-average business profile stemming from a narrow product portfolio, customer concentration, limited manufacturing capacity, and
