Standard&Poor's Ratings Services' ratings on Minnetonka, Minn.-based Cargill Inc. and its related entities reflect our opinion that the company has a strong business risk profile and an intermediate financial risk profile. Our view of Cargill's business risk profile is supported by the firm's stable margins and significant market positions in agricultural processing, commodity merchandising, and industrial production across key regions of the globe. Our view of its financial profile reflects a highly liquid balance sheet (including significant levels of readily marketable inventories (RMI), a portion of which we use to offset short-term debt balances when calculating credit measures); less emphasis by Cargill on earnings contribution from the company's risk management and financial segment; as well as our belief
