Rating Rationale
March 24, 2017 | Mumbai
Aquapharm Chemicals Private Limited
Long-term rating upgraded to 'CRISIL A/Stable'; short-term rating reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.232 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A/Stable (Upgraded from 'CRISIL A-/Positive')
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1 (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has upgraded its rating on the long-term bank facilities of Aquapharm Chemicals Private Limited (ACPL) to 'CRISIL A/Stable' from 'CRISIL A-/Positive'; the rating on the short-term bank facility has been reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A1'.
 
The upgrade reflects CRISIL's belief that ACPL's business risk profile; particularly market position will remain robust supported by the established presence in organophosponates segment and healthy association with reputed clientele which will continue to support its topline and profitability. Its top five clients include likes of Procter & Gamble, Henkel Global Supply Chain BV, Ecolab Inc., Buckman Laboratories International Inc. and Unilever. These accounts for about 45% of its revenues and long standing relationship with these marque clients drive its robust market position. This will continue drive growth in revenue and profitability albeit at a modest pace. Moreover, its working capital requirements, through continue to remain moderately large, are efficiently managed through suppliers' credit and, internal accruals, leading to moderate reliance on bank lines.
 
The ratings reflect its robust financial risk profile because of healthy capital structure, adequate debt protection metrics, and ample liquidity in form of large liquid investments (bank balance/ mutual funds). The ratings also factor in its healthy business risk profile due to an established market position in the organophosphonates segment, diversified product basket and reputed clientele. These rating strengths are partially offset by large, though controlled, working capital requirement, and susceptibility to volatility in forex rates, to economic downturns and intense competition from global players.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined business and financial risk profiles of ACPL and its wholly owned subsidiaries Aquapharm Chemicals (Hongkong) Ltd (ACHL) and Aquapharm Europe BV (AEBV), as these are into similar line of business and have common management. All the entities are collectively referred to as ACPL.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Healthy business risk profile due to an established market position in the organophosphonates segment, diversified product basket and reputed clientele: ACPL continues to maintain established market position in organophosponates segment, while diversifying its product profile in dispersants and biocides. Further the company has healthy relations with global as well as domestic markets such as Procter & Gamble, Henkel AG & Company KGaA, Ecolab Inc., Buckman Laboratories International Inc. and Unilever. This will help the company to maintain its revenues at over Rs.430 Crore in fiscal 2017, despite marginal decline from previous fiscal on account of lower realization emanating from depreciating Euro. Further its profitability will be maintained around 15% over the medium term, supported by contracts with majority of its customers and controlled overheads. Business risk profile will continue to remain healthy over the medium term.
 
* Robust financial risk profile and ample liquidity: Financial risk profile continues to remain robust marked by healthy capital structure and robust debt protection metrics. Its capital structure will remain healthy marked by expected gearing of less than 1 time and total outstanding liabilities to tangible networth ratio close to 1 time as on March 31, 2017 supported by strong networth and controlled working capital debt. This along with moderate profitability has led to robust debt protection metrics marked by interest coverage ratio of 7.5 times for fiscal 2016. Financial risk profile and liquidity will continue to remain robust over the medium term because of healthy accruals, controlled working capital debt and modest debt-funded capex plan over the medium term. Further its liquidity remains ample marked by large liquid investments (bank balance/ mutual funds) of about Rs 147 crore as on March 31, 2016. With no immediate major capital expenditure (capex) plans, notwithstanding any moderate acquisition, the management is committed to maintain a large liquid surplus over the medium term.

Weakness
* Susceptibility to volatility in forex rates, to economic downturns and intense competition from global players: ACPL's operation remains susceptible to volatile forex rates as over 80% of its revenues are derived from exports to Europe, North America and other countries. Further almost 80% of its procurement is also met through imports. Although the company hedges forex risks partly through forward contracts, it continues to remain susceptible to sharp changes in forex rates. Also ACPL's operation remains susceptible to any economic downturn impacting demand from its customers. Moreover it faces significant competition from global players in specialty water treatment chemicals industry, particularly from China, thus restricting its bargaining power.
 
* Large, though controlled, working capital requirement: ACPL has large working capital requirements marked by gross current assets of 172 days as on March 31, 2016. These requirements are driven by substantial credit of 75-90 days offered to its customers, and moderate inventory of 60-75 days maintained.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes that ACPL will maintain its credit risk profile on the back of robust financial risk profile and ample liquidity. It will also continue to benefit from established market position in chelating chemicals segment and relationship with reputed clientele. The outlook may be revised to 'Positive' in case of business risk further witnesses an improvement marked by significant and sustained improvement in revenues and profitability. Conversely, the outlook may be revised to 'Negative' in case of significantly low cash accruals, or elongation of working capital cycle, or larger-than-expected debt-funded capex or acquisition, impacting the overall financial risk profile.

About the Company

Incorporated in 1974, ACPL, promoted by Mr. V K Mangwani, manufactures speciality water treatment chemicals like phosphonates, polymers, biocides, and pharmaceutical intermediaries. These chemicals find applications in wide range of industries like detergent, paper and pulp, textile, leather and pharmaceutical. It has two manufacturing facilities, one each at Pirangut and Mahad (Maharashtra).
 
ACPL has also setup two wholly owned subsidiaries ACHL based in Hongkong, and AEBV based in Netherlands, for trading of chemicals. AEBV has commenced operation in fiscal 2016, while ACHL remains non-operational till date.
 
For fiscal 2016, profit after tax (PAT) was Rs 40.12 crore on operating income of Rs 455.8 crore, against a PAT of Rs 43.56 crore on operating income of Rs 434.2 crore for the previous fiscal.

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 (Rs Cr) Rating outstanding with Outlook
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 130 CRISIL A1
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 100 CRISIL A/Stable
NA Proposed Long
Term Bank Loan Facility
NA NA NA 2 CRISIL A/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2017 (History) 2016  2015  2014  Start of 2014
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  102  CRISIL A/Stable    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  31-12-15  CRISIL A-/Positive  15-09-14  CRISIL A-/Stable  CRISIL BBB+/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  130  CRISIL A1    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  31-12-15  CRISIL A1  15-09-14  CRISIL A2+  CRISIL A2 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Cash Credit 100 CRISIL A/Stable Cash Credit 100 CRISIL A-/Positive
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 130 CRISIL A1 Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 130 CRISIL A1
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 2 CRISIL A/Stable Term Loan 2 CRISIL A-/Positive
Total 232 -- Total 232 --
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
Criteria for rating Short-Term Debt (including Commercial Paper)

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