Higher education bonds

Moody's Investors Service has raised its outlook to stable from negative on the University of Arizona as it prepares a $228 million debt issue at the end of the month.

Texas Tech University System earned an upgrade from Moody's Investors Service and prospects for another from Standard & Poor's based on its growing financial resources, strong brand recognition and enrollment increases across its four campuses.

Sweet Briar College in Virginia, which announced that it will close this year, said it will pay its bond and debt obligations after Standard & Poor's lowered its bond ratings to B-minus from BBB.

Standard & Poor's has revised its outlook to positive on University of Central Missouri's A rating.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Republican legislative leaders have reached agreement on a $9.1 billion budget that cuts higher education spending by 14% and delays plans to build a private prison.

Standard & Poor's lowered its ratings on Sweet Briar College's bonds to B-minus from BBB due to a recent decision to close the central Virginia woman's college.

The University of California Regents are pricing $2.8 billion of combined new money and refunding bonds where municipal bond market observers predict ready demand.

Standard & Poor's lowered its ratings on the general revenue bonds of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to A-plus from AA-minus because of increased borrowing.

The Texas State University System combined new money and refunding in a $314.8 million issue that drew attractive yields for the issuer.

The House on Tuesday passed a bill that expands 529 college savings plans.

Moody's Investors Service has warned that Louisiana's growing budget problems will pressure finances at the state's public universities.

The Board of Trustees for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system takes competitive bids Wednesday on $78 million of new money and refunding bonds.

A strong investment portfolio means that the Texas Permanent University Fund will continue to grow even after oil prices lost half their value in 2014, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it affirmed its BB long-term rating and underlying rating on the University of Puerto Rico's existing university system revenue bonds, some of which were issued by the Puerto Rico Industrial, Tourist, Educational, Medical, & Environmental Control Facilities Financing Authority, and removed the ratings from CreditWatch with negative implications.

Arizona State University will begin a major remodeling of its 56-year-old Sun Devil Stadium this spring, financed in part by a $356 million bond deal coming to market Feb. 24.

Alabama State University's long-term ratings were dropped far into junk territory, to B from BBB-plus, by Standard & Poor's Jan. 30 due to the “significant” erosion of reserves.

Standard & Poor's has revised its outlook on Columbia College Chicago's underlying BBB-plus rating to negative from stable over its operational struggles and management turnover.

Standard & Poor's lowered the outlook on Arizona State University's AA rating based on prospects for increased debt issuance over the next two years, the agency said.

Fitch Ratings views favorably two recent developments in San Francisco Community College District's accreditation battle, according to a report released Friday.

Standard & Poor's maintains a negative outlook on the nonprofit higher education sector in 2015.