Rating Rationale
February 28, 2019 | Mumbai
ACB India Limited
Rating downgraded to 'CRISIL A-/Stable'
 
Rating Action
Rs.105 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL A-/Stable (Downgraded from 'CRISIL A/Stable')
Rs.100 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL A-/Stable (Downgraded from 'CRISIL A/Stable'; Rating Withdrawn)
Rs.95 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL A-/Stable (Downgraded from 'CRISIL A/Stable; Rating Withdrawn)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has downgraded its rating on the non-convertible debentures of ACB India Limited (ACBIL; part of the Aryan group) to 'CRISIL A-/Stable' from 'CRISIL A/Stable'.
 
CRISIL has withdrawn its rating on the non-convertible debenture of Rs 150 crore (See Annexure 'Details of Rating Withdrawn' for details) on confirmation from the debenture trustee as it is fully redeemed. Further non-convertible debenture of Rs 45 crore which was not issued has been withdrawn on company's request. The rating withdrawal in line with CRISIL's policy.
 
The downgrade reflects weakening of the group's financial risk profile. Debt to EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) ratio for fiscal 2019 is expected to remain above 4.2 times against previous expectation of 3.5 times. Interest coverage ratio is also likely to remain at about 2.2 times.
 
During fiscal 2018, delays in washery contract renewal with Andhra Pradesh and recommencement of operations of SV Power Pvt Ltd (SVPPL), reduced volume in the coal beneficiation segment, and lower availability of coal rejects for power plants significantly deteriorated Debt to EBITDA to 5.5 times against the expected 4.2-4.5 times. While first nine months ending December 31, 2018 have shown improvement in beneficiation volumes along with renewal of contract with Andhra Pradesh, the operating profit for fiscal 2019 will still remain below expected levels. SVPPL's operations are now likely to commence from March 2019.  Consequently, while debt has not increased significantly during the period, slower pace of EBITDA correction will keep Debt to EBITDA elevated and any further delays in its improvement will remain a key rating sensitivity factor. 
 
The rating continues to reflect the Aryan group's leadership position in the coal beneficiation industry, and steady operations of its coal reject-based power plants. These strengths are partially offset by average financial risk profile.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of ACBIL and its subsidiaries: Spectrum Coal and Power Ltd (SCPL), Aryan Energy Pvt Ltd (AEPL; 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+'), Aryan Clean Coal Technologies Pvt Ltd (ACCTPL), Kartikay Coal Washeries Pvt Ltd (KCWPL), and SV Power Pvt Ltd (SVPPL). CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of associate company Global Coal and Mining Pvt Ltd (GCMPL; 'CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1'), as ACBIL and its promoters hold a majority equity stake in this company. GCMPL is also in the same business (coal washing) and benefits from business synergies with ACBIL. All these companies are collectively referred to as the Aryan group.
 
CRISIL has moderately integrated (to the extent of equity contribution and cost overrun funding) the business and financial risk profiles of two of ACBIL's thermal-power project special purpose vehicles (SPVs), Maruti Clean Coal and Power Ltd (Maruti) and TRN Energy Pvt Ltd (TRN). That's because the debt contracted under these SPVs will not have any recourse to ACBIL post commissioning of the power plants. CRISIL believes ACBIL will not undertake capital expenditure in its other SPVs (Aryan MP Power Generation Pvt Ltd, Aryan Chhattisgarh Power Generation Pvt Ltd, and Spectrum Power Generation Ltd) over the medium term, because of the absence of fuel-linkage agreements and the early stage of these projects.

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:
* Leadership position in the coal beneficiation industry
The Aryan group is the market leader (estimated market share of 45%) in the coal beneficiation industry, with total installed capacity of 76.71 million tonne per annum (mtpa) across 19 locations in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Telangana. The group also has a good performance track record with sales contracts renewed regularly, supported by the strategic location of its coal washeries and large capacity. The group should sustain its market leadership position over the medium term.
 
The market leadership in the coal-beneficiation industry provides a considerable competitive advantage through economies of scale, leading to healthy operating cash flow. The coal beneficiation business contributed 70% to revenue and 65% to operating profit in fiscal 2018. Driven by the coal beneficiation business, operating income grew 16% over the six fiscals through 2015, while operating margin remained well over 35%. However, during fiscals 2016 and 2017, the margin in coal operations was affected by reduced demand from key customers due to low power demand. Sales were also affected by delay in commencement of operations at Maruti. Furthermore, constraints in coal evacuation adversely affected availability of coal for beneficiation during fiscal 2018. However, with increasing power demand and resolution of coal evacuation issues, the beneficiation volume has picked up in fiscal 2019 and should remain healthy over the medium term.
 
* Steady operations of coal reject-based power plants
The group operates 493-megawatt (MW) coal-reject-based power plants (330 MW under ACBIL, 100 MW under SCPL, and 63 MW under SVPPL). These plants enjoy steady profitability and operations as the cost of coal rejects is low compared with that of raw coal, leading to lower cost of production. Due to a fire in its turbine, SVPPL has not been operational since July 2017 and is likely to recommence operations in March 2019. The other power plants have healthy plant load factor of over 85%. In fiscal 2018, lower availability of coal rejects led to higher reliance on costly e-auction coal, adversely impacting operating margin. With renewal of Andhra Pradesh contract and improvement in beneficiation volumes, operating profitability has improved in the first nine months ending December 31, 2018 and will remain a key monitorable over the medium term. 

Weaknesses:
* Weakening financial risk profile
Sizeable debt and low EBITDA have considerably weakened the financial risk profile. Increase in investment in group entities to Rs 2479 crore as of December 31, 2018 (Rs 2135 crore in fiscal 2017), representing 80% of the networth, has precluded debt reduction. Debt has remained largely stable at Rs 3195 crore as on September 30, 2018, against Rs 3221 crore as on March 31, 2018. With commissioning and stabilisation of the Maruti and TRN plants, recommencement of operations of SVPPL, and no new projects under consideration, investment and debt are not expected to increase.  Nonetheless, debt to EBITDA ratio for fiscal 2019 is expected at around 4.2-4.4 times, lower than previous expectation of 3.3-3.5 times. In fiscal 2018, Debt to EBITDA and interest coverage deteriorated to 5.5 times and 1.9 times respectively from 4.9 times and 2.1 times respectively, in fiscal 2017. Further delay in improvement in debt protection metrics will remain a key rating sensitivity factor.
Liquidity

The Aryan group has average liquidity. Cash accruals in fiscal 2019 of around Rs 370 crore should be more than adequate to service maturing debt of around Rs 320 crore. ACBIL's bank limits of Rs 350 crore remain 72% utilised on an average through the 12 months ending December 31, 2018. Further unencumbered cash of Rs 80-100 crore supports overall liquidity. With the group's investment commitments in power projects now complete, liquidity is expected to improve over the medium term.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Aryan group's business risk profile will continue to be supported by its market leadership in the coal-beneficiation sector. Increase in coal beneficiation volume and higher profitability of reject-based power plants will improve operating margin over the medium term. The financial risk profile will remain constrained by slow improvement in EBITDA.
 
Upside scenario:
* Reduction in debt, and healthy EBITDA accretion leading to sustained improvement in debt protection metrics and liquidity
* Sustained increase in revenue and profitability, leading to higher cash accrual
 
Downside scenario:
* Delay in improvement in debt to EBITDA ratio (expected at around 3.5 times by March 31, 2020)
* Increase in investments in power projects

About the Company

The promoters of the Aryan group set up ACBIL in 1997 to cash in on growth opportunities in coal beneficiation. SCPL, AEPL, and KCWPL are in the same business, while ACCTPL manufactures washery equipment. ACBIL, its subsidiaries, and its associates have a combined coal beneficiation capacity of 76.71 mtpa.
 
The group has also ventured into power generation. ACBIL operates coal reject-based power plants of 330 MW in Chhattisgarh and a 15-MW wind farm in Sangli, Maharashtra. SCPL operates a 100-MW coal reject-based power plant at Ratija, Chhattisgarh. The acquisition of SVPPL enhanced operational coal reject-based power plant capacity to 493 MW. ACBIL has also ventured into thermal-power generation through its wholly owned subsidiary, ACB (India) Power Ltd. It has two thermal power projects. The Maruti project, with capacity of 300 MW, recommenced operations in August 2016. The TRN project has capacity of 2 x 300 MW, of which Unit 1 (300 MW) was commissioned in August 2016 and Unit 2 (300 MW) in May 2017. The promoters of the group operate several other companies, including Sindhu Trade Links Ltd, Shyam Indus Power Solutions Pvt Ltd ('CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+'), Sainik Mining and Allied Services Ltd ('CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+'), and Spectrum Power Generation Ltd ('CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3').
 
ACBIL, on a standalone basis had a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 54 crore and operating income of Rs 647 crore for the six months ended September 30, 2018, against Rs 28 crore and Rs 519 crore, respectively, in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators
Aryan Group - As on/for the period ended March 31   2018 2017
Revenue Rs crore 2202 2624
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 67 140
PAT margin % 3.0% 5.4%
Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth Times 1.10 1.09
Interest coverage Times 1.9 2.1

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of Instrument Date of Allotment Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue Size
(Rs Cr)
Rating Assigned
with Outlook
INE749H07057 Non-Convertible Debentures 28-Mar-2014 12.25 28-Mar-2019 10.0 CRISIL A-/Stable
INE749H07065 Non-Convertible Debentures 05-Jun-2014 12.25 05-Jun-2019 25.0 CRISIL A-/Stable
INE749H07073 Non-Convertible Debentures 25-Jun-2014 12.25 25-Jun-2019 10.0 CRISIL A-/Stable
INE749H07081 Non-Convertible Debentures 18-Mar-2015 11.00 18-Mar-2020 60.0 CRISIL A-/Stable
 
Annexure - Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of Instrument Date of Allotment Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue Size
(Rs Cr)
INE749H07016 Non-Convertible Debentures 31-Jul-2013 11.50 31-Jul-2018 55.0
INE749H07024 Non-Convertible Debentures 31-Oct-2013 12.25 31-Oct-2018 50.0
INE749H07032 Non-Convertible Debentures 11-Dec-2013 12.25 11-Dec-2018 10.0
INE749H07040 Non-Convertible Debentures 20-Jan-2014 12.25 20-Jan-2019 35.0
NA Non-Convertible Debentures* NA NA NA 45.0
*Not yet issued
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
  Company Name
1 Spectrum Coal and Power Ltd
2 Kartikay Coal Washeries Private Ltd
3 Aryan Clean Coal Technologies Pvt Ltd
4 Aryan Energy Pvt Ltd
5 Global Coal and Mining Pvt Ltd
6 SV Power Pvt Ltd
7 TRN Energy Pvt Ltd (moderately integrated)
8 Maruti Clean Coal and Power Ltd (moderately integrated)
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST    --    --    --    --  03-02-16  Withdrawal  CRISIL A1 
                    11-01-16  CRISIL A1   
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  105.00
28-02-19 
CRISIL A-/Stable      02-02-18  CRISIL A/Stable  29-06-17  CRISIL A+/Negative  15-09-16  CRISIL A+/Negative  CRISIL A+/Stable 
                31-05-17  CRISIL A+/Negative  03-02-16  CRISIL A+/Negative   
                    11-01-16  CRISIL A+/Negative   
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST    --    --    --  29-06-17  Withdrawal/ Withdrawal  15-09-16  CRISIL A+/Negative/ CRISIL A1  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1 
                31-05-17  CRISIL A+/Negative/ CRISIL A1  03-02-16  CRISIL A+/Negative/ CRISIL A1   
                    11-01-16  CRISIL A+/Negative/ CRISIL A1   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST    --    --    --  29-06-17  Withdrawal/ Withdrawal  15-09-16  CRISIL A+/Negative/ CRISIL A1  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1 
                31-05-17  CRISIL A+/Negative/ CRISIL A1  03-02-16  CRISIL A+/Negative/ CRISIL A1   
                    11-01-16  CRISIL A+/Negative/ CRISIL A1   
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
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
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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