On Dec. 3, 2008, Standard&Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'A' rating to Caterpillar Inc.'s (A/Stable/A-1) $1.5 billion issuance of 5-, 10- and 30-year notes. We do not expect the company's credit measures to deteriorate meaningfully as a result of the note sale. The rating on Caterpillar reflects the company's strong competitive business position in the cyclical global construction equipment market, its solid cash flow protection, and our expectation that the company will generate acceptable earnings measures, even at the bottom of an economic cycle. Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar is the world's largest producer of construction equipment and a leading diesel engine manufacturer. Caterpillar's business profile benefits from very good geographic diversity and reasonable end-market diversity. The company continues to
