1.   Another highly rated company, MediSense Inc., was bought out by another firm.

2.   As corporations with top credit ratings re-negotiate their debts with banks to lower their costs, so too will lower rated companies, he said.

3.   Abbott, a triple-A rated company, managed to get the same borrowing rate as the government did on comparable debt just five weeks ago.

4.   Lenders, in search of wider spreads, are taking on lower rated companies, which represent more credit risk.

5.   Lower rated companies with needs for cash continue to borrow.

6.   Plenty of other junk-rated companies -- which offer higher yield in exchange for greater investment risk -- plan to exploit the continued demand from investors.

7.   Johnson emphasizes that annuities are not federally guaranteed, so it is important to buy them from highly rated insurance companies.