The Dun & Bradstreet Rating has been recognised for many years as the leading predictive indicator for assessing business risks. These evaluations are based on the most comprehensive up-to-date information. The D&B Rating converts a lot of individual data into a clear assessment of a company’s performance.
Clear insights
The Dun & Bradstreet Rating
The D&B Rating has been seen for years as a leading, objective risk indicator that can support you in making your credit decisions. For each country, D&B examines which factors are most decisive with regard to risk assessment and company bankruptcies. The analysis method is universal, which means that each D&B Rating, although determined on a country-specific basis, makes international comparisons possible.
The predictive power of the D&B Rating
It has been shown that, twelve months before the bankruptcy decision, 75% of the bankrupt companies had a D&B ‘Risk Factor 4’. The Risk Factor warns you at an early stage about possible problems and gives you ample opportunity to adjust your terms and conditions accordingly in order to avoid losses.
How is the D&B Rating updated?
Every day, public data, including court rulings and the latest balance sheet data, together with specific D&B data, such as the unique payment experiences, are added to the D&B database. The information is entered for each individual company and subjected to a mathematical algorithm. The D&B Rating is automatically updated and reflects the most recent state of affairs at a company.
What does the D&B Rating consist of?
The D&B Rating consists of two parts, namely the ‘financial strength’ code (based on the net equity) and the ‘Risk factor’ to reflect the risk, when you enter into transactions with a company. The Risk Factor varies from 1 (minimum risk: continue the transaction) to 4 (significant risk: only do business on a secured basis).
The ‘maximum credit’ rating
On the basis of the D&B Rating, we can make a recommendation about the maximum amount of credit that can be granted for a specific company. The “Risk Factor” is the most important part of this assessment. The business activities and the size of the company are decisive, so that not only the current position of the company is reflected, but also the economic and industrial trend. The assessment of the maximum available credit is a dynamic indication, which is continuously updated.
You will find the unique D&B Rating in the D&B Business Information Reports.
D&B Rating
The ‘financial strength’ table
| Net equity | Paid-up capital | Net equity (in €) |
|---|---|---|
| 5A | 5AA | 50.000.000 and higher |
| 4A | 4AA | 25.000.000 – 49.999.999 |
| 3A | 3AA | 10.000.000 – 24.999.999 |
| 2A | 2AA | 2.000.000 – 9.999.999 |
| 1A | 1AA | 1.000.000 – 1.999.999 |
| A | AA | 500.000 – 999.999 |
| B | BB | 300.000 – 499.999 |
| C | CC | 150.000 – 299.999 |
| D | DD | 100.000 – 149.999 |
| E | EE | 50.000 – 99.999 |
| F | FF | 25.000 – 49.999 |
| G | GG | 10.000 – 24.999 |
| H | HH | 0 – 9.999 |
| Net equity | Net equity (in €) |
|---|---|
| N | Negative net equity |
| O | Net equity not determinable – figures not available |
| NB | New company – exists for less than 12 months |
| NQ | Out of business – has ceased activities |
D&B Rating
The ‘risk factor’ table
| Risk Factor | Risk level | Actions to be taken |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minimum risk | Continue the transaction; offer more flexible terms if requested |
| 2 | Low risk | Continue the transaction |
| 3 | Above-average risk | It is advisable to continue to monitor the development of the company and the payment process closely. |
| 4 | Significant risk | Ask for guarantees before granting credit |
| – | – | The information available does not make it possible to determine a risk factor. |