A.M. Best affirms Northwestern Mutual's high ratings - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

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A.M. Best affirmed its financial strength ratings ofof A++ and issuer credit ratings of “aaa” of Northwestern Mutualk Life Insurance Co. and its subsidiaru The outlook for both ratings is the Oldwick, N.J., ratings organization said Thursday. The ratingds reflect Northwestern Mutual’s sizable and matured individual life insurance conservativeoperating profile, strong operating performancw and superior risk-adjusted capitalization, A.M. Best said. Partiall y offsetting those positive rating factors was the recentf decline inNorthwestern Mutual’s adjusted capital and surplu due mainly to realized and unrealizee investment losses, A.M. Best said. A.M.
Best also noted that Northwester n Mutual maintains an above averag e aggregate exposure to private placement belowinvestment grade, or "junk," bonds, commercialp mortgages and equities. Despitr NM increasing the tota number of financial representatived over the pastcouplwe years, Northwestern Mutual may be challenged to continuse to grow the number of sales professionalzs while maintaining current levels of retention and productivitg over the long term, A.M. Best said.