NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) Nov. 5, 2012--As Standard&Poor's Ratings Services previously announced, on Nov. 1, 2012, we assigned our 'A' issue-level rating to Stanley Black&Decker Inc.'s proposed senior unsecured notes due 2022. The company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including repayment of short-term indebtedness. Total reported debt outstanding at the New Britain, Conn.-based company, excluding pension obligations and operating leases, as of Sept. 30, 2012, was about $4 billion. We estimate total debt leverage, including pension and other obligations, to be about 2.4x EBITDA as of Sept. 30, 2012. The ratings on Stanley Black&Decker reflect our view of its "strong" business risk marked by good
