RE:View of the Acquisition by the Bond Rating PeopleJust a few thoughts Experienced. Though i agree with you that having a "diverse" point of view on a certain investments/developments is a prudent course of action, the "professionals" you speak have aren't as "unbias" as you believe and they have their own agendas/motives when assessing companies/srocks or any other entity. Specifically those bond rating agencies like Fitch, Moodys & S&P. They ALL have their proper agenda and reasons for rating the way they do. So i personally would NOT put too much faith or weight in what THEY say.
I could name countless situations when these "agencies" gave "excellent" ratings to certain instruments/corporations/events and then those same :"entities" falied miserably not long after. A great exampe of this type of nonsense was during the GFC. There's NO better comparison, example, teacher OR LESSON than that unfortunate event which those agencies had failed so many.
Mt advice in regards to what they say, there's no harm by listening and taking in what they preach, and incorporating that with OTHER POV as well as your own assessment, to formulate an overall opinion, as long as you aware of the biases/risks each one brings. But no one should NEVER put complete faith and/or weight in THOSE folks.....EVER. That's my 2 cents on this......
GLTA