August 7, 2013. The international rating agency Standard & Poor’s placed Uralkaliy's (URKA+5.39%) long-term credit rating BBB- and the national scale ruAAA rating on the Rating Watch list, and this might actually be demoted in the future, Prime reports.

The rating agency explains that the rating has to be reconsidered after Uralkaliy announced on July 30 that it would stop dealing in export sales through Belaruskaliy.

S&P experts believe that under these circumstances, the company's solvency might drop below the BBB- level, as giving up on export sales will exert some pressure on the global prices.

Now Uralkaliy's current rating reflects Satisfactory business risks profile and Average financial risks profile. However, in case the global prices drop to $300 per ton, the company's debt/EBITDA ratio might reach 2, while the rating requirement is 1.5.