"But to just go in and buy a weaker company because prices are low means taking a big risk," he added.

The service said that the decision showed its determination to jettison weak companies.

That hurts the weaker companies, which won't be able to wait.

Further, in the last five years, many of the weaker companies have been winnowed out.

At the same time, recession has depressed the stock market, making it difficult for weak companies to survive on their own.

Banks are also carrying a number of weak companies, hoping that all will come right in the end.

The banks are also under pressure from lawmakers who do not want them to cut off weak, but politically influential, companies.

But analysts were critical of the deal, which they said merely united two relatively weak companies.

"Getting two basically weak companies doesn't necessarily create a stronger player."

So it's not like we have a weak company trying to buy Quantum that has to line up financing.