Stand-alone rating (SACR)

A stand-alone credit rating (SACR) measures creditworthiness without accounting for all external factors.

This differentiates it from the all-in credit rating (AICR), which accounts for external factors and is often used by rating agencies.

When the term “stand-alone rating” is used in reference to banks, it normally refers to the rating which would result in the absence of external financial assistance (from other banks, companies or government institutions).

All-in credit ratings, on the other hand, account for probable external financial assistance from other parties. Government hand-outs to banks in particular have drastically gained in importance since the last financial crisis.

In rating jargon, the difference between the stand-alone credit rating (SACR) and the all-in credit rating (AICR) is known as the “uplift”. It indicates the external assistance available to a bank.

More on this topic:
Rating agencies compared
Ratings of Swiss banks