Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A1" rating on Memphis, Tenn.-based Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.
The affirmation is a result of several factors, including Methodist's healthy market position, moderate debt burden, solid operating margins and reputation as a primary teaching hospital for Memphis-based University of Tennessee. Moody's also acknowledged Methodist's competitive market and unfavorable payer mix.
The outlook is stable, reflecting Methodist's forecasted operating performance in 2018, which Moody's expects will be softer relative to prior years, but will still equate to a profit.