The affirmation of Helvetia Baloise's rating by Standard & Poor's (S&P) underscores the group's strong market position, excellent capitalisation, and robust operating performance, the insurance group said on Tuesday. Merger Benefits HighlightedAccording to S&P, the merger strengthens the group's competitive position through its increased scale, enhanced market presence, and broader geographic diversification across Europe. The rating agency also expects the synergies generated by the merger to provide additional support for the group's long-term performance and operating efficiency. Stable Outlook Backed by Strong CapitalisationS&P's stable outlook reflects its expectation that the merged group will maintain its «excellent capitalisation,» supported by a combined pro forma Swiss Solvency Test (SST) ratio of around 260 percent at the end of 2025. At the same time, the agency expects both operating earnings and the combined ratio to remain broadly in line with 2025 levels throughout the integration process.