Bonitetna hiša I said that the ratings of 21% of Slovenian firms were raised in 2013, compared to 16% of companies which had their ratings cut. "This piece of information give us hope that the crisis has bottomed out," it said.

The firm added that 4.8% of all Slovenian firms had the best credit rating according to Dun&Bradstreet standards in 2013. The possibility for default on payment at such companies is 3%.

Out of the companies with the best ratings in Slovenia, a total of 50 were shortlisted for the 2013 Rating of the Year awards, which Bonitetna hiša I gave out today. That was first cut to ten before three were eventually selected for the annual award.

This year's winners are measuring software maker Dewesoft from Trbovlje, magnetic materials maker Magneti Ljubljana and paper manufacturer Papirnica Vevče, also from the Slovenian capital.

The awards are given out under the patronage of chemicals company Helios, which won the award back in 2004. Helios CEO Uroš Slavinec told the ceremony in Ljubljana that the awards should be respected because "they are not bloated or politicised and are based on very specific criteria".

"In a time when business is facing hard times, this award carries even more weight," said Slavinec, who underscored the importance of the award with Helios's ability to strike a deal in 2004 by providing the award as a reference.