Moody’s downgrades A&P’s outlook

Montvale, N.J. Moody’s Investors Service lowered The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. rating from a “stable” rating to “negative” on Friday, due to concerns about negative sales trends.

The investor company said negative same-store sales could impact A&P’s already-thin margins. Further drops could hurt the chain’s weak credit and cash flow generation, according to a company statement.