Moody's Ratings has downgraded Nissan's (OTCPK:NSANY) credit rating to junk, citing the Japanese automaker's weak profitability, cash flow challenges and worsening outlook. The rating agency pointed to the risks associated with Nissan's (OTCPK:NSANY) restructuring plan,

Moody’s said the rating action reflects the Japanese automaker’s weak profitability driven by slowing demand for its aging model portfolio.

The bad news train does not stop at carmaker Nissan (NSANY). The merger with Honda (HMC) fell through, it started throwing out employees, and now, Moody’s is taking aim at the company’s bond rating. But some good news has emerged, and investors are clinging to the hope of rescue as shares surged over 5.5% in Friday afternoon’s trading.

Moody's Ratings said on Friday it has downgraded its rating of Nissan Motor's credit by one notch to junk status, citing a weak and worsening outlook for the Japanese automaker's credit profile.

Nissan Motor Co.’s credit rating was cut to speculative grade by Moody’s Ratings on Friday, the latest blow to the troubled Japanese carmarker that recently abandoned talks on a tie-up with Honda Motor Co.

Moody's Ratings said it has downgraded its rating of Nissan Motor's credit to Junk status, on the back of a weak and worsening outlook for the company's credit profile. It slashed Nissan's senior unsecured rating to Ba1 from Baa3 and retained its negative outlook, Reuters noted.

Ratings has announced a downgrade of the senior unsecured rating for Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (TYO:7201) (Nissan (OTC:NSANY)) to Ba1 from Baa3. Concurrently, Moody's assigned Nissan a Ba1 corporate family rating (CFR) and retracted the company's Baa3 issuer rating.