Standard & Poor's Begins Services for 5 Brokerage Firms Under Global Research Settlement

Standard & Poor's Begins Services for 5 Brokerage Firms Under
Global Research Settlement 


NEW YORK, July 27  /PRNewswire/ -- Broadening the audience for its equity
research, Standard & Poor's today began delivery of stock research and
recommendations to five brokerage firms who, under the terms of the Global
Research Settlement, will use the investment research leader as a core provider
of independent equity research.  Standard & Poor's Equity Research was selected
by independent consultants representing Citigroup Smith Barney, Credit Suisse
First Boston, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Piper Jaffray under the terms
of the Global Research Settlement involving major investment banks and federal
and state regulatory agencies.  In addition to direct engagements with these
banks, which encompass more than 11 million customer accounts, Standard &
Poor's equity research will also be available to other banks in the settlement
through BNY Jaywalk, a research aggregation platform hosted by the Bank of New
York.

"Standard & Poor's is delighted to serve these new customers and looks forward
to providing them and their investor clients with the kind of independent and
high-quality equity research that we have been delivering to more than 1,000
institutions and their clients for decades," says Hendrik Kranenburg, executive
vice president, Standard & Poor's.  "We recognize that the independent
consultants had to choose among a field of many different kinds of research
providers.  Selecting S&P is a recognition of our performance track record, our
consistent methodologies, and our long experience serving investors directly."

"Standard & Poor's Equity Research stands apart for three reasons: the depth
and breadth of our coverage, the experience of our global team of 90 equity
analysts, and our excellent track record of performance, said Sandy Bragg,
Executive Managing Director, Standard & Poor's.  "We also have a history of
offering new analytical insights, such as S&P Core Earnings analysis.  We're
committed to helping these firms deliver on the letter and the spirit of the
settlement by providing their clients with investment research that helps them
achieve their financial goals."

Standard & Poor's also introduced today a new version of Stock Reports, its
flagship equity research offering for retail investors and investment advisors,
on the U.S. stocks covered by its equity research analysts.  The new Stock
Reports include 12-month target prices that accompany the STARS "buy-sell-hold"
recommendation, and earnings-per-share estimates based on S&P Core Earnings
methodology.  The reports also feature a redesigned presentation of the data
and research in the reports, and include suggestions based on market research
that S&P conducted with investment advisors and investors over the past year.

Through the terms of the agreements with the investment banks, investors will
have access to research from Standard & Poor's team of 90 highly qualified
U.S., European and Asian equity analysts, who use a fundamental, bottom-up
approach to cover a global universe of 1,750 equities across more than 120
industries.  Its U.S. equity analysts cover 1,500 stocks with "buy-sell-hold
recommendations" and issue approximately 10,500 research notes on those
companies per year.  Standard & Poor's will provide each investment bank with
buy-hold-sell recommendations on stocks covered by each bank's own equity
analysts, as well as data feeds designed to help power the banks' investor Web
sites, client statements, and trade confirmations.

About Standard & Poor's

Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP), is the
foremost provider of independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation,
investment research, data and valuations.  With 5,000 employees located in 20
countries, Standard & Poor's is an essential part of the world's financial
infrastructure and has played a leading role for more than 140 years in
providing investors with the independent benchmarks they need to feel more
confident about their investment and financial decisions.  For more
information, visit http://www.standardandpoors.com/ .

The equity research reports and recommendations provided by Standard & Poor's
Equity Research Services are prepared separately from any other analytic
activity of Standard & Poor's.  In this regard, Standard & Poor's Equity
Research Services has no access to non-public information received by other
units of Standard & Poor's.  Standard & Poor's does not trade for its own
account. 

DATASOURCE: Standard & Poor's



CONTACT:  John J. Piecuch

Communications Manager

Standard & Poor's

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