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Cooper University Health Care now has the highest credit rating in its 138-year history.

S&P Global Ratings raised Cooper’s issuer credit rating from “A” to “A+” June 17. The financial services company cited Cooper’s sustained trend of operating margins with exceptional cash flow and low debt profile supported by an experienced management team with a steadily improving market share.

In a press release, Cooper Board of Trustees Chairman George Norcross III said this upgrade is a testament to the thousands of Cooper team members who are dedicated to the mission and communities it serves.

“It is also another third-party validation that we continue to successfully execute on our business strategies,” said Norcross.

Key things to know:

• Outlook is stable
• S&P cited Cooper’s focus on sustaining financial performance through cost containment, revenue enhancement, accountability and group purchasing programs. It also highlighted Cooper’s prioritization on expanding its market position in the competitive South Jersey area through strategic partnerships, targeted physician recruitment and building out the organization’s ambulatory footprint
• S&P says the stable outlook reflects its view that operating performance will sustain at a level reflective of the higher rating
• Follows previous upgrades from S&P in the last two years as well as an A+ credit rating from Fitch Ratings

“This is a great validation of how our extraordinary team remains focused on advanced patient care, prudent growth, and our mission to serve, to heal, and to educate that helped us transform Cooper into an elite, nationally recognized academic health system with patients from all 50 states and more than 35 countries,” said Cooper co-CEO Kevin O’Dowd.

This upgrade also comes as Cooper embarks on a massive $3 billion transformation of its Camden campus.

Cooper co-CEO Dr. Anthony Mazzarelli said, “We thank our dedicated team for focusing on becoming an extraordinary academic health system and managing our finances to help us provide advanced care to patients and meet growing demand for our tertiary services, which allowed us to achieve this strong credit rating.”