WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Fitch Ratings said Tuesday that it has upgraded Smithfield Foods, Inc.'s (SFD) long-term Issuer Default Rating to 'BB-'from 'B+'. The Rating Outlook is Stable. This rating action follows the revision of Smithfield's Rating Outlook to Positive from Stable on June 16, 2011. Fitch said the upgrade is due to considerable debt reduction concurrent with consistently better than expected operating performance and credit statistics. Smithfield has paid off about $1 billion of debt since the fiscal year ended May 2, 2010, the rating agency noted.
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