XPO’s rating at Moody’s held steady but outlook is now ‘positive’

Core Viewpoint - XPO's debt rating was affirmed by Moody's with an upward adjustment of its outlook to positive from stable, indicating a potential for future rating upgrades [1][2]. Group 1: Rating and Outlook - Moody's affirmed XPO's Corporate Family Rating (CFR) at Ba2 and Probability of Default rating at Ba2-PD [2]. - The positive outlook from Moody's contrasts with S&P Global's recent downgrade of XPO's debt from BB+ to BB, which maintains a stable outlook [3][4]. Group 2: Reasons for Outlook Change - Moody's positive outlook is based on expectations of a slow recovery in freight markets and operational changes implemented by XPO, which are anticipated to improve profitability and maintain credit metrics despite industry challenges [5][6]. - Moody's expects XPO's operating performance to improve by 2026, driven by cost reduction initiatives and growth from the acquisition of terminals from Yellow Corporation [6]. Group 3: Market Conditions - Moody's anticipates a slow recovery in key transport areas, including freight volumes and spot pricing, over the next year [7].