S&P: Oneok ratings unaffected by settlement

Standard & Poor's said Thursday that Oneok Inc.'s (A-/stable/A-2) settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission does not materially affect the rating on the company.

S&P said the settlement is related to the CFTC's finding of inaccurate reporting of certain natural gas trading information by employees of the company's gas trading subsidiary, Oneok Marketing and Trading LP, during 2001 and 2002. Neither Oneok nor Oneok Marketing and Trading benefited from the traders' conduct.

Under the terms of the agreement, Oneok Trading and Marketing agreed to pay a civil monetary penalty in the amount of $3 million without admitting or denying the findings in the CFTC's order.

S&P: Danaher ratings unaffected by guidance

Danaher Corp. (A+/stable/--) announced Thursday that net earnings before unusual items for the fourth quarter of 2003 and for the full year were about $155 million and $522 million, an increase of 25% and 22%, respectively, from the year-earlier period.

In addition, Danaher raised its 2004 earnings guidance to $3.85 to $4 per share in part because of stronger-than-expected demand across its product portfolio in the first quarter of 2004.

Standard & Poor's said these announcements have no immediate impact on its ratings or outlook on the company.

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