PARIS (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) Feb. 26, 2001--Standard&Poor's today assigned its 'A-2' short-term corporate credit rating to Netherlands-based Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Philips). At the same time, Standard&Poor's assigned its 'A-2' short-term rating to the company's upcoming $2.5 billion global commercial paper program. The company's single-'A'-minus long-term corporate credit and senior unsecured debt ratings were affirmed. The outlook remains stable. The ratings continue to reflect Philips' rapidly improving operating performance, strong positions in several core business segments, and conservative capitalization measures. These factors offset the group's modest profitability in consumer electronics, as well as its exposure to the cyclical and capital intensive semiconductor industry. With sales of €37.9 billion in 2000, Philips has a diversified portfolio
