"Credit rating" is an independent assessment of the creditworthiness of a company, institution, government agency, country or investment fund. It is expressed in symbols ranging from AAA (triple-A, the highest credit rating) to D. It indicates the likelihood that the debtor will meet its financial obligations.

Credit ratings are provided by independent credit rating agencies, such as Moody's and Standard & Poor's, which analyze both current creditworthiness and future credit prospects. This rating helps investors better understand the risks of an investment and make decisions based on its creditworthiness.