Blackstone Projects Anthropic’s Post‑IPO Credit Rating to Fall into Junk Status

1. 05:52
   TechCrunch · AI

   Anthropic Anticipated to Receive Double‑B “Junk” Credit Rating After IPO

   Blackstone, Anthropic’s anchor investor in a $63 billion chip‑financing deal, now predicts the AI lab will be assigned a double‑B rating— the highest tier of speculative “junk” status—following its initial public offering. This contrasts with Blackstone’s earlier claim that Anthropic would secure an investment‑grade rating before 2027. A junk rating would raise borrowing costs and complicate future capital raises, potentially impacting Anthropic’s heavy compute‑spending strategy. The forecast comes as Anthropic has filed to go public, sparking speculation about the IPO’s effect on the wider AI sector.

2. 03:34
   BeInCryptoSelected

   Blackstone Lowers Expectations for Anthropic’s Credit Rating to Junk Status

   Blackstone, the $9 billion investor in Anthropic, has reversed its earlier forecast that the AI firm would secure an investment‑grade rating by year‑end. The change follows a June BB+ rating from Kroll Bond Rating Agency, just below the BBB‑pass mark. Anthropic’s planned $800 billion compute expansion relies on borrowing costs tied to its credit rating; a junk rating would raise interest rates and limit lenders, especially pension funds and insurers that face junk‑debt caps. The company holds over $112 billion in cash and expects to raise roughly $100 billion more in its upcoming IPO, but the credit outlook remains uncertain until the final agency decisions post‑debut. Reason: The downgrade signals higher borrowing costs for a major AI player, affecting the broader AI funding landscape and the cost of capital for tech firms seeking large-scale investments.

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