Rating Rationale
December 08, 2020 | Mumbai
ABM Knowledgeware Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.22.5 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB+/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A2+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL BBB+/Stable/CRISIL A2+' ratings on the bank facilities of ABM Knowledgeware Limited (ABM).
 
The ratings continue to reflect the company's established track record in the e-governance information technology (IT) services sector and healthy financial risk profile. Liquidity is also adequate, backed by high unencumbered cash and mutual fund investments, and will remain adequate, even if the company undertakes any organic or inorganic expansion. These strengths are partially offset by modest scale of operations, exposure to intense competition and large working capital requirement.
 
The lockdown and other measures taken by various central and state governments towards containment of COVID-19 are not expected to have any major impact on the business risk profile of ABM. ABM has achieved revenue of ~Rs 42 crores with operating margin of ~38% in H1FY21, as against revenues & operating margin of Rs 32 crores & ~26% respectively during H1FY20; supported by healthy order book.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the financial and business risk profiles of ABM and its subsidiaries, Instasafe Technologies Pvt Ltd (ITPL) and InstaSafe Inc (ITSI). This is because all these entities, collectively referred to as the ABM group, have common management and strong operational and financial linkages.

Please refer Annexure - List of entities consolidated, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Established track record in the e-governance IT services sector: ABM has been providing IT services to government agencies for over two decades, with special focus on e-governance. The company's established position in Maharashtra has helped it successfully implement its customised in-house software products. The annual maintenance and post-implementation contracts provide further boost to the operating margin.
 
* Healthy financial risk profile: Networth was ~Rs 165 crore as on March 31, 2020. Even though receivables have been high over the past five years, the company does not rely on external borrowings due to healthy cash accrual. ABM is expected to remain debt-free over the medium term as internal accrual will sufficiently cover the working capital requirement. Financial risk profile should remain healthy over the medium term.
 
Weaknesses:
* Modest scale amid intense competition: Despite longstanding presence in the business, revenue was modest at Rs 73 crore in fiscal 2020. Out of total orders of Rs 286 crore, around 30% will be executed over the next two years and the remaining comprise operating and maintenance contracts spread across 4-5 years; thus, despite a large order book, revenue is expected at Rs 70-80 crore over medium term. Moreover, the central government's encouragement for e-governance has resulted in renewed interest by IT players in the domestic market, leading to intense competition.
 
* Large working capital requirement: Operations are working capital intensive, as reflected in gross current assets, excluding cash, of 291 days as on March 31, 2020, driven by receivables of around 144 days and inventory, including unbilled revenue, of 104 days. Working capital requirement may continue to remain large over the medium term.
Liquidity Adequate

Bank limit remained unutilized over the 12 months through July 2020. Cash accrual is expected at Rs 15-17 crore per fiscal against nil term debt obligation over the medium term.

Current ratio was healthy at 5.93 times as on March 31, 2020. Furthermore, unencumbered cash and bank balance and liquid investments of around Rs 80 crore also underpin liquidity as on September 30, 2020. Net cash accrual and cash and equivalent will be sufficient to cover incremental working capital requirement and modest capex over the medium term.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes that ABM will continue to benefit from its established market position and healthy financial risk profile.

Rating Sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Sustained revenue growth of over 25% per fiscal, with margin of over 30%, leading to higher cash accrual along with meaningful reduction in concentration of revenues from The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)
* Improvement in the working capital cycle, with GCAs (excluding cash) improving to less than 150 days on a sustained basis
 
Downward factors
* Increase in the working capital requirement, with receivables of over 200 days, debt-funded capital expenditure or acquisition, or high dividend pay-out weakening the financial risk profile, especially liquidity
* Reduction in unencumbered liquid investments/cash balance to below Rs 30 crore
About the Company

Incorporated in 1993, ABM is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. The company provides IT services with focus on e-governance in urban administration, utility, IT-enabled citizen/consumer services, and enterprise resource planning. ABM is promoted by Mr Prakash Rane and his family members.
 
ITPL provides cloud-based security-as-a-service solutions, which obviate the need for significant investments in hardware and make security imperatives simpler for customers.
 
ITPL has a 100% subsidiary, ITSI, in Delaware, USA, especially for executing orders in the country.

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31   2020 2019
Operating income Rs crore 73.09 60.90
Reported profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 16.83 15.25
PAT margin % 23.02 25.05
Adjusted debt / adjusted networth Times 0.00 0.00
Interest coverage Times 71.3 66.89

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments and are included (where applicable) in the Annexure -- Details of Instrument in this Rating Rationale. For more details on the CRISIL complexity levels, please visit www.crisil.com/complexity-levels.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of instrument Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity
date
Issue size
(Rs crore)
Complexity level Rating assigned
with outlook
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 20 NA CRISIL A2+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 2.5 NA CRISIL BBB+/Stable
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Names of entities consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
ABM Knowledgeware Ltd Full Common management and strong operational and financial linkages
Instasafe Technologies Pvt Ltd Full Common management and strong operational and financial linkages
InstaSafe Inc Full Common management and strong operational and financial linkages
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2020 (History) 2019  2018  2017  Start of 2017
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  2.50  CRISIL BBB+/Stable      22-10-19  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  31-10-18  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  31-10-17  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  CRISIL BBB+/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  20.00  CRISIL A2+      22-10-19  CRISIL A2+  31-10-18  CRISIL A2+  31-10-17  CRISIL A2+  CRISIL A2 
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Bank Guarantee 20 CRISIL A2+ Bank Guarantee 20 CRISIL A2+
Cash Credit 2.5 CRISIL BBB+/Stable Cash Credit 2.5 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Total 22.5 -- Total 22.5 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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