We examine the readability, length, numerical content, uncertainty, and uniqueness of Moody’s rating reports. We analyze which factors affect the content of ratings in the cross-section and how regulatory events influence these measures over time. Rating content depends on analyst fixed...

Do credit ratings help enforce market discipline on banks? Analyzing a uniquely comprehensive dataset consisting of 1,081 rating change announcements for 154 international financial institutions between January 2004 and December 2015, we find that rating downgrades for internal reasons, such as...

This paper analyzes the informational content of 3,365 Moody's credit rating reports, such as rating changes, watchlist announcements, and outlooks, and their impact on financial markets. We test whether the tone or the length of credit rating report have an immediate impact on the equity or...