NY -- Standard & Poor's CreditWire 12/22/97 -- Standard & Poor's today assigned its single-'A'-plus rating to Allstate Corp.'s (AIC) $250 million 100-year senior quarterly interest bonds (QUIBs). This issue represents a take down from the company's universal shelf registration. In November 1997, Standard & Poor's upgraded AIC's debt ratings based on improved and strong fixed charge coverages, and an expectation that leverage would remain below 20%. Additionally, significant cash flow available to the parent was expected to continue owing to solid profitability at its subsidiaries. With this issuance, financial leverage and fixed charge coverage are expected to be only modestly affected with pro forma leverage rising to 9.7% from 8.4% at the end of the third quarter of 1997
