Rating Rationale
July 22, 2020 | Mumbai
Apex Frozen Foods Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.114.77 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A2+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL's has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A-/Stable/CRISIL A2+' ratings on the bank facilities of Apex Frozen Foods Limited (AFFL).
 
The ratings continue to reflect AFFL's established market position, healthy operating efficiency, strong financial risk profile and the extensive experience of its promoters. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to risks inherent in the aquaculture business and to fluctuations in foreign exchange (forex) rates.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established market position, backed by the promoters' extensive experience:
The promoters' experience of over three decades in shrimp exports and healthy relationship with suppliers and customers should continue to support the business.
 
* Healthy operating efficiency:
Advantages from integrated operations - with own hatcheries and farming, processing unit, cold storage, and logistics - should continue to support operations.
 
* Strong financial risk profile:
Financial risk profile is likely to remain healthy over the medium term. Networth was comfortable and gearing low and estimated at Rs 400 crore and 0.36 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2020. Debt protection metrics have been robust, too, with interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios of 10.00 times and 0.47 time, respectively, in fiscal 2020.
 
Weaknesses
* Susceptibility to risks inherent in the aquaculture business:
The Indian seafood industry has been witnessing significant growth in the past few years, led by increasing share of aquaculture. However, susceptibility to outbreak of diseases, adverse climatic conditions, natural calamities, and regulatory changes, which may significantly impact the credit risk profile of players such as AFFL' persists.
 
* Vulnerability to fluctuations in forex rates:
Revenue is entirely derived from exports, and since only about 20% of the forex exposure is hedged, any sharp fluctuation in forex rates may significantly impinge on realisations and profitability.
Liquidity Adequate

Cash accrual, expected at Rs 64-70 crore annually over the medium term should comfortably cover minimal term debt obligation of Rs 3-5 crore and support liquidity. Current ratio was healthy at 1.54 times on March 31, 2020. Bank lines were utilised at a high 90% on average in the 12 months through March 2020.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes AFFL will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of its promoters.

Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
* Increase in revenue by 20% and stable operating margin
* Improvement in working capital cycle

Downward Factors
* Decline in profitability or stretch in working capital cycle
* Large debt-funded capital expenditure weakens the capital structure with gearing above 0.8 time
* Increase in capital requirements weakens the financial risk profile, especially liquidity.

About the Company

AFFL, based in Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), was set up as a partnership firm in 1996, converted into a private limited company in 2012, and reconstituted as a public limited company in 2017. It processes and exports shrimps, mainly the vannamei variety. It was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India on September 04, 2017. Mr K Satyanarayana Murthy and Mr Subrahmanya Chowdary are the promoters.

Key Financial Indicators
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2019 2018
Operating income Rs crore 872.42 998.63
Reported profit after tax Rs crore 58.66 60.11
PAT margin % 6.69 7.01
Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth Times 0.30 0.28
Interest coverage Times 16.27 14.72

Status of non cooperation with previous CRA
AFFL has not cooperated with ICRA, which has classified it as issuer not cooperative through a release dated March 30, 2020. The reason provided is non-furnishing of information for monitoring the ratings.

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.Cr) Complexity levels Rating assigned with outlook
NA Export Funding NA NA NA 100 NA CRISIL A2+
NA Foreign Currency Term Loan NA NA Apr-2021 5.17 NA CRISIL A-/Stable
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 2.1 NA CRISIL A-/Stable
NA Non-Fund Based Limit NA NA NA 7.5 NA CRISIL A2+
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  107.27  CRISIL A-/Stable/ CRISIL A2+      05-07-19  CRISIL A-/Stable/ CRISIL A2+  02-02-18  CRISIL A-/Stable/ CRISIL A2+      Suspended/ Suspended 
            05-03-19  CRISIL A-/Stable/ CRISIL A2+           
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  7.50  CRISIL A2+      05-07-19  CRISIL A2+  02-02-18  CRISIL A2+    --  -- 
            05-03-19  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
Export Funding 100 CRISIL A2+ Export Funding* 30 CRISIL A2+
Foreign Currency Term Loan 5.17 CRISIL A-/Stable Foreign Currency Term Loan 5.17 CRISIL A-/Stable
Non-Fund Based Limit 7.5 CRISIL A2+ Non-Fund Based Limit@ 7.5 CRISIL A2+
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 2.1 CRISIL A-/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 2.1 CRISIL A-/Stable
      Export Funding^ 70 CRISIL A2+
Total 114.77 -- Total 114.77 --
*Interchangeable between packing credit in foreign currency, export packing credit, foreign bill discounting, and letter of credit
^Interchangeable between packing credit in foreign currency, export packing credit, foreign bill purchase, and standby working capital limit
@Includes letter of credit and standby letter of credit facilities
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 Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings

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