BNTGF Brenntag SE (PK)

   DOW JONES NEWSWIRES 
 

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said the tally of both rising stars and fallen angels have outpaced the number of companies swinging to and from an investment-level grade last year.

The ratings agency said it upgraded three issuers to investment grade from speculative grade since May 13, bringing the total number of rising stars this year to 19, nearly double the amount for the same period in 2010. The three new rising stars are Brenntag AG (BNTGF, BNR.XE), Macy's Inc. (M) and Wilmington Trust Corp.

S&P downgraded three companies to speculative grade from investment grade, raising the number of global fallen angels to 21, one more than the total for all of 2010. The three new fallen angels are R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. (RRD), ACOM Co. (8572.TO) and Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501.TO).

-By Melodie Warner, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2283; melodie.warner@dowjones.com