SBL Health Nets Upgrade

Standard & Poor’s upgraded the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center to A-plus due to its strong balance sheet.

“The rating action reflects a strong balance sheet and consistently good operations, which has improved in the 2009 fiscal year and has been maintained through the first nine months of 2010,” analyst Antionette Maxwell wrote.

SBL Health foresees sizable capital plans during the next two years, which includes a debt issuance of approximately $35 million next February. Analysts said the hospital has the ability to add debt at its current rating level.

The 128 staffed-bed acute-care general hospital is located in the east-central Illinois community of Mattoon.

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Healthcare industry
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