The 'AAA' rating on General Electric Capital Corp. (GECC) is based on the company's strong and stable earnings, which are derived from a diverse group of financial services businesses, as well as its ownership by General Electric Co. (GE). GE is also rated 'AAA', and is one of the largest companies in the world, based on stock market value. GECC is a dominant provider of credit services to small and middle-market companies, and has a substantial position as a consumer lender, especially in private-label credit cards. In addition to product and customer diversification, GECC is very geographically diverse, with substantial operations overseas. GECC operates through several business segments, each of which is a major player in its primary market. The
