Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s has boosted Pepper’s overall ranking in recognition of the company’s strong performance in the sub-prime residential mortgage space.

The move was largely based on the strength of Pepper’s business model and its in-house infrastructure, which gives it access to loan origination, servicing and management.

The boost from S&P gives Pepper momentum going into 2012, following its 2011 acquisition of GE Capital’s $5bn loan book. According to chief executive Patrick Tuttle, Pepper’s move into prime lending makes the lender a “one-stop shop” but does not mean it’s directly competing against the majors.

Pepper is looking to continue its growth trajectory and recently launched Pepper Commercial – a facilitator of debt and equity finance solutions for commercial real estate.