Takeda Downgraded by Moody's on Lofty Debt After Shire Deal

Pedestrians walk past the Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. global headquarters, center, in Tokyo.

Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg
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Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.’s credit rating was cut by Moody’s Investors Service, which cited the drugmakers’ ballooning debt level following its $62 billion acquisition of Shire Plc.

Moody’s cut Takeda’s credit rating three notches to Baa2 from A2, according to a statement Monday. That’s still investment grade, and Moody’s said the outlook is stable based on expectations that Takeda will reduce its leverage through cost synergies and growth from key products.