Standard&Poor's Rating Services' ratings on U.S. Bancorp (USB) reflect the continuing generation of well-above-average profitability among its peer group of large regional and large complex banks, even though it has maintained a relatively low-risk business mix and growth strategy. USB's results are significantly less volatile than those of many of its competitors, and profitability measures have remained strong, despite the current challenging interest rate environment. USB, with $228 billion of assets at Sept. 30, 2007, is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the sixth-largest U.S. commercial bank. USB benefits from a sizable and low-cost core deposit funding base that supports a cost of funds that remains among the lowest of its peers. This has enabled the generation of