Fitch Ratings affirmed Ventas Inc.'s issuer default rating at BBB+.

The outlook is stable.

Fitch said Ventas' diverse healthcare property portfolio, access to multiple capital sources, sufficient liquidity and deep management team supported the BBB+ rating and outlook, noting, however, that these strengths are balanced by the company's leverage that remains closer to 6x than 5x, but has risen to the high end of the range appropriate for the rating.

The rating agency also attributes the affirmation and stable outlook to its assumption that Ventas, should it choose to, can maintain leverage below the 6x level.