Fortescue Metals Group is bolstering its balance sheet and wooing investors by refinancing $US2.5 billion ($A3.2 billion) of debt.
But the iron ore miner's move has prompted ratings agency Standard and Poor's to indicate the company's secured and unsecured debt issue ratings could be downgraded.
Fortescue will launch a senior secured debt issue that will push back the date at which its large debt pile matures.
It also plans to extend the maturity on an existing $US4.9 billion senior secured credit facility to ensure the majority of its debt matures after 2021.
Chief executive Nev Power said the move would complement the company's recent work to reduce costs and improve efficiency and productivity across its operations.
"The refinancing will extend Fortescue's debt maturity profile while maintaining flexibility and minimising interest cost," Mr Power said.
The US capital debt refinancing is subject to satisfactory pricing and terms and is likely to be finalised within weeks.
Shares in the pure play iron ore miner were up as much as 2.4 per cent on Thursday, and closed steady at $2.29, while other miners were lower.
Fortescue's moves come as the iron ore price continues to sink towards a fresh five-and-a-half-year low.
Lower prices recently forced Fortescue to slash its dividend after the company suffered an 81 per cent fall in half year profit.
Still, Fortescue says a weaker Australian dollar has helped reduce costs and allowed the company to repay its $US9.1 billion debt quicker.
CMC Markets analyst Michael McCarthy said investors welcomed Fortescue's refinancing news, but it wasn't "company-changing".
"A lot of the pressure on Fortescue's share price over the last couple of years has revolved around the idea that they might find themselves in a difficult situation because of the high levels of debt," he said.
"So, extending the maturity and rolling out expiring facilities is a positive for the company."
It appeared lower iron ore prices had put pressure on the company's credit profile, he said.
Standard and Poor's said if the debt refinancing proceeded as planned, the company expects to lower the secured debt rating by two notches to BB+ in line with the corporate credit rating.
"In this scenario, we would also expect to lower our unsecured debt rating by one notch to BB- ," Standard & Poor's credit analyst May Zhong said.
She said if the proposed refinancing does not proceed, the issue ratings will likely be removed from CreditWatch and affirmed.
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