HECHINGER <HECHA> BONDS UPGRADED BY S/P
Standard and Poor's Corp said it
raised to A-minus from BBB-plus Hechinger Co's 19.9 mln dlrs of
industrial revenue bonds.
    Yesterday, S and P upgraded to BBB-plus from BBB the
company's 86 mln dlrs of convertible subordinated debentures of
2009 and assigned a BBB-plus rating to Hechinger's planned 100
mln dlr issue of convertible debt due 2012.
    In its release yesterday, S and P cited what it termed an
outstanding record of sales and earnings growth by Hechinger.
 Reuter
