Rating Rationale
July 09, 2018 | Mumbai
Aarti Industries Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1362 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.100 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AA-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Rs.100 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AA-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Rs.100 Crore Long-Term Borrowing Programme CRISIL AA-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Rs.400 Crore Commercial Paper CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its ratings on the debt instruments and bank facilities of Aarti Industries Limited (Aarti) at 'CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+'. The ratings continue to reflect the Aarti group's established market position, diversified revenue profile, and sound operating efficiency, supported by a high level of integration. These strengths are partially offset by large working capital requirement and average debt protection metrics. 
 
On a consolidated basis, revenue grew 20% year on year in the fiscal 2018 owing to volume growth of 7% in specialty chemicals segment and higher revenue contribution from pass through of raw material prices. Operating margin moderated to 18.4% in fiscal 2018 from 20.7% in fiscal 2018 due to higher expenses following the commissioning of new projects in fiscal 2018 and mark to market impact of forex hedging. Aarti's operating performance is expected to remain strong, over medium term supported by improving share of high-margin value-added products. In fiscal 2018, the company entered into two long term contract manufacturing agreements with global multinational companies, which will result in assured business of Rs 14000 crore over the contract period with healthy operating margin from fiscal 2021.
 
Further CRISIL also takes into account recent announcement on 28 June 2018 by the company to demerge its Home & Personal Care division into new entity 'Arti Surfactants Limited'? and list this entity separately. The division contributed 7% to revenue for fiscal 2018. The outgoing business is small in scale and profit and will not have material impact on the credit profile of Aarti. CRISIL expects financial profile of Aarti to remain comfortable with expected annual cash accruals of over Rs. 400 crore and capex plan of around Rs 1300 crore over fiscal 2019 and 2020. The debt of outgoing division may not have similar credit profile as that of Aarti post completion of the transaction.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Aarti and its subsidiaries, Aarti Corporate Services Ltd, Alchemie Europe Ltd, Innovative Envirocare Jhagadia Ltd, Aarti USA Inc, Shanti Intermediaries Pvt Ltd (subsidiary of Aarti Corporate Services Ltd), Nascent Chemical Industries Ltd (subsidiary of Aarti Corporate Services Ltd), Ganesh Polychem Ltd and Aarti Polychem Pvt Ltd. This is because all the companies, collectively referred to as the Aarti group, have significant managerial, operational, and financial linkages.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established market position with diversified revenue, higher revenue visibility and healthy profitability
The Aarti group has maintained its dominant market position in the nitro-chloro-benzene (NCB)-based specialty chemicals segment. The group has NCB capacity of 75,000 tonne per annum. Aarti is the largest producer of benzene derivatives in India, and a major player among global manufacturers, with a 25-40% global market share across various products. No single customer or product contributes more than 8% to revenue. It supplies to diverse end-user industries such as polymer additives, pigments, dyes, paints, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, fertilisers, and fast-moving consumer goods, and is insulated from downturn in any particular industry. Also, half its net revenue is from exports, providing geographical diversity.

The group maintained a strong revenue growth rate (CAGR of 15% in the past five fiscals). The long term contract manufacturing agreements entered with two global multinational companies will result into assured business and thereby higher revenue visibility over next 10 years. With large capex for improving processes to increase efficiency and greater focus on higher-margin products, the operating margin increased from 15.3% in fiscal 2014 to 18.4% in fiscal 2018 despite volatility in raw material prices. CRISIL believes Aarti will maintain its strong operating performance with healthy growth and profitability over the medium term.
 
* Sound operating efficiency because of continuous investment in process improvement initiatives and high level of integration
The Aarti group has high economies of scale as it is one of the largest producers of NCB in the domestic market and has built up large and flexible manufacturing capacity. Operating efficiency is also supported by strong research and development (R&D) capability. Integrated operations to manufacture higher order derivatives of Benzene, ability to change the product mix according to the demand-supply scenario, and continuous process improvement for maximising the share of value-added benzene derivatives enable Aarti to sustain strong operating efficiency. In addition, the company has increased its captive power generation, which will help improve operating efficiency as well as save on power cost.
 
Weakness
* Large capacity expansion leading to significant increase in working capital requirement 
Revenue growth over the past few fiscals due to continuous capacity addition and volatility in crude-linked raw material prices has increased the group's working capital requirement. This has led to higher dependence on bank borrowings. Also, as the raw materials are predominantly crude derivatives, the company's working capital cycle is susceptible to volatility in crude prices. Its gross current asset days were at 155 days as on March 31, 2018.
   
* Debt funded capex in the past two fiscals have led to moderation of the debt protection metrics
Aarti has already undertaken debt funded capex of about Rs.1100 crore in the past 2 fiscals. Also the higher working capital requirements due to capacity expansion and rise in crude-linked raw material prices accompanied by temporary delay in receipt of GST refunds for exports have led to higher gearing levels of 1.26 times for fiscal 2018. The company will continue to invest in capacity addition, and hence, its gearing is likely to remain at around 1.2 times over medium term. Hence, although operating profitability is robust, debt protection measures will be modest. Interest coverage was 5.4 times during fiscal 2018.
 
CRISIL believes successful completion of capex, including the new contract manufacturing projects, will help in gradual improvement in the company's debt protection measures over the medium term. Any major time or cost overrun or more-than-expected delay in ramp-up of operations after capacity expansion will remain key rating sensitivity factors.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Aarti group will maintain its strong business risk profile over the medium term, backed by revenue diversity and good growth prospects for its high-margin products. This will help in gradual improvement in utilisation of newly added capacity and in maintaining operation margin.
Upside scenario
* Significant and sustained improvement in operating performance
* Substantial reduction in debt, resulting in improvement in debt protection metrics such that the debt to earnings before interest, depreciation, tax, and amortisation (EBIDTA) is maintained below 2 times on a sustainable basis
 
Downside scenario
* Weakening of operating performance leading to lower-than-expected cash accrual
* Deterioration in debt protection metrics because of substantial working capital requirement or higher-than-expected debt-funded capex or acquisition, leading to a debt/EBIDTA ratio of higher than 3.2 times.

About the Group

Aarti, the flagship company of the Aarti group, manufactures organic and inorganic chemicals at its facilities in Vapi, Sarigam, Jhagadia, Dahej and Kutch, in Gujarat. It also manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients at its units in Tarapur and Dombivali in Maharashtra, and at Vapi. Its home and personal care division manufactures surfactants at its units in Silvassa and Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh. The company announced demerger of its home & personal care division into separate entity in June 2018. The group has a strong market position in the nitro-chloro-benzene-based specialty chemicals segment. The company also commissioned greenfield Nitro Toluene facility in Jhagadia, Gujarat in fiscal 2018. In fiscal 2017, it commenced calcium chloride and polydiacetylene (PDA) facilities in Jhagadia, Gujarat and a multipurpose ethylation unit at Dahej, Gujarat. The company also has three full-fledged R&D centres, recognised by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India.

The other major group companies are mostly into trading of chemicals or are marketing arms of Aarti's products. In June 2018, the company also announced demerger of manufacturing operations of its subsidiary Nascent Chemical Industries Ltd with itself to consolidate the manufacturing operations of the group under one company.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs. Cr. 3,806  3,164 
Profit After Tax Rs. Cr. 346 328 
PAT Margins % 9.1 10.4
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth Times 1.26 1.10 
Interest coverage Times  5.37  5.59

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
NA Commercial paper NA NA 7-365 days 400 CRISIL A1+
INE769A07035 & INE769A07043 Non-convertible debentures* 31 July 2014 11.75% Mar-2022 100 CRISIL AA-/Stable
INE769A07050 & INE769A07068 Non-convertible debentures* 31 July 2014 11.75% Mar-2022 100 CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Long-term borrowing programme NA NA Mar-2022 100 CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Cash credit NA NA NA 790 CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Letter of credit & bank guarantee NA NA NA 240 CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed cash credit limit NA NA NA 67 CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Proposed term loan NA NA NA 100 CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Term loan 14 Nov 2013 9.5% Mar-2019 65 CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Term loan 12 Feb 2014 11% Mar-2021 100 CRISIL AA-/Stable
*Total NCDs of Rs.200 crore was issued as five separate issuances (with unique ISIN nos.). One of the issuances have been repaid, hence the current outstanding is Rs 160 crore.
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST  400.00  CRISIL A1+  05-01-18  CRISIL A1+  25-09-17  CRISIL A1+    --    --  -- 
Long-Term Borrowing Programme  LT  100.00
09-07-18 
CRISIL AA-/Stable  05-01-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  25-09-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  29-09-16  CRISIL AA-/Stable  29-09-15  CRISIL A+/Positive  CRISIL A+/Stable 
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  160.00
09-07-18 
CRISIL AA-/Stable  05-01-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  25-09-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  29-09-16  CRISIL AA-/Stable  29-09-15  CRISIL A+/Positive  CRISIL A+/Stable 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  1122.00  CRISIL AA-/Stable  05-01-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  25-09-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  29-09-16  CRISIL AA-/Stable  29-09-15  CRISIL A+/Positive  CRISIL A+/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  240.00  CRISIL A1+  05-01-18  CRISIL A1+  25-09-17  CRISIL A1+  29-09-16  CRISIL A1+  29-09-15  CRISIL A1  CRISIL A1 
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
Cash Credit 790 CRISIL AA-/Stable Cash Credit 790 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 240 CRISIL A1+ Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 240 CRISIL A1+
Proposed Cash Credit Limit 67 CRISIL AA-/Stable Proposed Cash Credit Limit 67 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Proposed Term Loan 100 CRISIL AA-/Stable Proposed Term Loan 100 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Term Loan 165 CRISIL AA-/Stable Term Loan 165 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Total 1362 -- Total 1362 --
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
Rating Criteria for Chemical Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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