On May 10, 2005, Standard&Poor's Ratings Services placed its 'BBB/A-2' corporate credit ratings on Duke Energy Corp. and its subsidiaries on CreditWatch with negative implications. At the same time, Standard&Poor's placed its 'BBB+/A-2' corporate credit ratings on Cinergy Corp. and its subsidiaries on CreditWatch with negative implications. The rating action is the result of the companies' announcement that Duke Energy will acquire Cinergy by issuing 1.56 shares of Duke Energy for each share of Cinergy, valuing the equity of Cinergy at about $9 billion. The CreditWatch listing on Duke Energy reflects the following risks: After the completion of the merger, Duke Energy has indicated that it may pursue various strategic options, including the potential separation of