What is Standard & Poor's (S&P Global)?

What is Standard & Poor’s? Standard & Poor’s, also known as S&P Global, is an American company that dates back to the mid-1800s. The company began by producing a series of railroad guides for investors written by a man named Henry Varnum Poor.

Is Standard & Poor's a credit rating agency?

By 1976 the Securities and Exchange Commission recognized Standard and Poor’s as a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO). In the 1980s, Standard and Poor’s developed offices in London and Tokyo and became a global company. Today, S&P is one of the Big Three credit rating agencies.

When did Standard & Poor's become a market leader?

In 2012, Standard & Poor’s merged its index operations with those of Dow Jones Indexes and thus created an absolute market leader in the industry. The S&P 500 index – the first stock market index to be published daily – was launched in 1957.

Does Standard & Poor's pay a fee?

Standard & Poor's is paid fees for its rating services by issuers of securities and debt obligations. In addition, companies and individuals often pay for its more detailed market intelligence and analysis reports, and subscribe to other research services. What Companies Are in the S&P 500?