S&P lowers outlook on Lucent

Standard and Poor’s Rating Services has revised its credit rating outlook on Lucent Technologies from stable to negative.

An outlook assesses the potential direction of a credit rating over the intermediate to long term and is based on changes in the economy or in a company’s fundamental business condition. Though a negative outlook means a rating may be lowered, it does not guarantee a rating change.

Lucent’s credit rating remains unchanged at ‘B+,’ the fourth-highest junk rating.

Despite the lowered outlook, Lucent’s stock was up more than 3% to $1.60 in late morning trading.

--Toby Weber, Staff Writer