Standard&Poor's Rating Services' ratings on Sarasota, Fla.-based Roper Industries Inc., a diversified manufacturer of industrial products, reflect our view of the company's business risk profile as satisfactory. This profile is characterized by Roper's leading positions in profitable niche markets and its broad product, end-market, and geographic diversity. However, the company is acquisitive, which exposes it to credit risk. Roper has annual sales of more than $2 billion and provides engineered products and solutions for a diverse array of global niche markets. The company's reporting segments reflect this diversity and include industrial technology, radio frequency (RF) technology, scientific and industrial imaging, and energy systems and controls. The company has been expanding into various technology and software-based platforms that accentuate
