A.M. BEST
A.M. Best: translation
One of the established ratings agencies recognized by the SEC. A.M. Best has traditionally focused exclusively on providing a letter rating for insurance carriers. It has recently branched out into rating financial securities such as bonds. The company basically measures one's ability to fulfill its debt obligations. Ratings range from A++ (superior) to S (suspended).
Alfred M. Best founded the company named after him in 1899. The company moved from New York to New Jersey in 1965 and is currently headquartered in Oldwick. A.M. Best is a privately-owned enterprise and publishes several ratings periodicals using data reported to the NAIC.