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Fitch Ratings is a leading global rating agency committed to providing the world's credit markets with independent, timely and prospective credit opinions. Built on a foundation of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, Fitch Ratings has grown rapidly during the past decade gaining market presence throughout the world and across all fixed income markets.
Fitch Ratings is dual-headquartered in New York and London, operating offices and joint ventures in more than 49 locations and covering entities in more than 90 countries, including insurer financial strength ratings on over 2,000 insurance companies. Fitch Ratings is a majority-owned subsidiary of Fimalac, S.A., an international business support services group headquartered in Paris, France.
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Fitch Ratings was founded as the Fitch Publishing Company on December 24, 1913 by John Knowles Fitch. Originally located at 138 Pearl Street, just north of Hanover Square in the heart of the Financial District in New York City, the Fitch Publishing Company began as a publisher of financial statistics whose consumers included the New York Stock Exchange. Soon Fitch became the recognized leader in providing critical financial statistics to the investment community through such publications as the "Fitch Bond Book" and the "Fitch Stock and Bond Manual".
In 1924, Fitch introduced the now familiar "AAA" to "D" ratings scale to meet the growing demand for independent analysis of financial securities. The Fitch ratings scale, coupled with in-depth analysis by a staff of investment experts, quickly became recognized as the benchmark by which the financial community based fixed-income investment decisions.
Fitch was one of the three rating agencies first recognized as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) by the Securities and Exchanges Commission in 1975.
Since 1989, when Fitch was recapitalized by a new management team, Fitch has experienced dramatic growth. Throughout the 1990s, Fitch especially grew in the new area of structured finance, by providing investors original research, clear explanations of complex credits, and more rigorous surveillance than the other rating agencies.
In 1997, Fitch merged with IBCA Limited, headquartered in London, significantly increasing Fitch's worldwide presence and coverage in banking, financial institutions and sovereigns. Through the merger with IBCA, Fitch became owned by Fimalac S.A., a holding company which acquired IBCA in 1992. The merger represented the first step in Fitch's plan to meet investors' need for an alternative global, full service rating agency.
The next step in building Fitch into a global competitor was the acquisition of Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co., headquartered in Chicago, in April, 2000 followed by the acquisition later that year of the rating business of Thomson BankWatch. These acquisitions strengthened Fitch's coverage in the corporate, financial institution, insurance and structured finance sectors, as well as adding a significant number of international offices and affiliates.
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As part of Fitch Ratings’ continuous effort to be the best in the business, we have established a Learning and Development program for the purpose of enhancing our staff’s professional development. Learning and the application of what is learned is critical to the overall success of our business. Our goal is to deliver relevant and practical training which will allow all Fitch employees to develop within themselves while driving our business forward.
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Fitch Ratings prides itself for its diversity, broad perspective and forward- thinking approach. As a world leading credit ratings authority, we invite you to consider a career with us. Innovation and leadership are just two reasons why Fitch Ratings is a different kind of ratings agency.
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