Our ratings on foodservice distributor US Foods Inc., including our 'B' corporate credit rating, remain on CreditWatch with positive implications, where we placed them on Dec. 9, 2013, following the announcement that it will merge with Sysco Corp. in a transaction valued at about $8.2 billion, including assumed or refinanced debt. Sysco has stated that it continues to cooperate closely with the Federal Trade Commission in its review of the proposed merger of Sysco and US Foods. Upon completion of the transaction we expect to raise our corporate credit rating on US Foods to 'A-', which is the expected corporate credit rating on Sysco. This outcome utilizes Sysco's estimated transaction financing structure and our base-case estimates for potential costs and
