OREANDA-NEWS. Discover rated fourth among 100 major global banks and was the only U.S.-based bank to receive four out of five stars as part of the quarterly Lafferty Bank Quality Ratings (LBQR). The new service from Lafferty Group evaluates quality and excellence in banking globally.

“Receiving a top rating for quality is gratifying to us given the emphasis that we place on it at Discover,” said David Nelms, CEO of Discover. “We are focused on being a leading direct bank and payments partner and believe that if we serve our customers well, then our shareholders will benefit too.”

Lafferty Group considers LBQR innovative and unique because it uses the banks’ annual reports to assess both quantitative and qualitative criteria in areas such as strategy, culture, customer care, brand promise and financial performance, to arrive at a quality rating of one to five stars. The majority of major UK, U.S., German, French, Spanish, Swiss, Australian, Chinese, Japanese, and Canadian banks received 3-star or 2-star Lafferty quality ratings.

“The LBQR uses the annual report because of its unique status. It is the primary vehicle used by bank management to communicate and account to shareholders and other stakeholders,” said Michael Lafferty, founder and chairman of Lafferty Group.

Lafferty Group is a major provider of knowledge services to the banking industry worldwide, from benchmarking research and Councils to professional education. It rated 100 financial institutions in 28 countries for these initial results and expects to rate at least 400 banks in LBQR’s first year. The ratings are published in the Lafferty Bank Quality Ratings Journal and will be updated as banks publish new annual reports.

About Discover

Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover card, America’s cash rewards pioneer, and offers private student loans, personal loans, home loans, checking and savings accounts, and certificates of deposit through its direct banking business. It operates the Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation’s leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories.