LONDON (Standard&Poor's) Sept. 8, 2006--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that it affirmed its 'A' long- and 'A-1' short-term counterparty credit ratings on Netherlands-based F. van Lanschot Bankiers N.V. (Van Lanschot). The outlook is stable. This rating action follows yesterday's announcement by Van Lanschot of an agreed bid to acquire Kempen&Co., a Dutch merchant bank specializing in asset management, brokerage, and corporate finance. The consideration is €300 million--€120 million in cash and the balance in shares. "The affirmation of the ratings reflects our view that the acquisition is strategically a good fit with Van Lanschot's current business focus, particularly in terms of asset management," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Lidia Zazzera. The stable outlook
