CHICAGO (Standard&Poor's) April 14, 2008--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today it raised its ratings on Norwalk, Conn.-based Priceline.com Inc., including the corporate credit rating to 'BB-' from 'B+'. At the same time, we removed the ratings from CreditWatch with positive implications, where they were placed on Dec. 17, 2007. The outlook is stable. "The upgrade is based on continuing good operating performance from a strong competitive position in Europe," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Andy Liu, "coupled with significant improvement in the credit metrics." While economic uncertainty in the U.S. and Europe could dampen overall industry growth somewhat, Standard&Poor's expects Priceline.com will continue to gain market share and post good operating results.
