PARIS (Standard&Poor's) Dec. 3, 2002--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that the ratings and outlook on France-based Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. (Saint-Gobain; A/Negative/A-1) remain unchanged following a recent review with management of the group's exposure to asbestos liabilities. Saint-Gobain holds European or worldwide leadership positions in industries such as glass, industrial ceramics, plastics and abrasives, insulation and fiber reinforcements, building materials, and building-materials distribution. "Standard&Poor's continues to view Saint-Gobain's exposure to asbestos liabilities as manageable, and, based on current litigation trends, believes that such liabilities generate relatively modest cash-outflow risks--although there remains uncertainty as to the risk of future increases in the number of new claims and average payouts," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst
