Rating Rationale
March 05, 2020 | Mumbai
Astra Microwave Products Limited
Rated amount enhanced
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.664.51 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.459.26 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL A/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1 (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.20 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 'CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1' ratings on the bank facilities and commercial paper programme of Astra Microwave Products Limited (AMPL; part of the AMPL group).
 
The ratings continue to reflect AMPL's established market position, strong customer relationship, healthy order pipeline, and a comfortable financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by large working capital requirement and exposure to inherent risks in a tender-based business.
 
Revenue and operating margin were Rs 289 crore and 23.5%, respectively, in the nine months through December 2019 vis-a-vis Rs 173 crore and 5.7%, respectively, in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. The operating margin was healthy on account of execution of higher domestic orders than exports; however, it is expected to be corrected over near to medium term primarily led by export order execution, which usually carries a low margin. As on January 2020, cash and cash equivalents were about Rs 79 crore.
 
Further, CRISIL has noted that the promoters have stepped down from the board and their shareholding has come down to below 10% as of December 31, 2019. Any material change in business and financial policies will be a key rating sensitivity factor.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of AMPL and Bhavyabhanu Electronics Pvt Ltd (BEPL). That's because the two companies, together referred to as the AMPL group, are under a common ownership and management, and have strong business synergies.

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 market position, supported by strong in-house capability in the microwave radio-frequency (RF) applications domain and robust customer relationship: The group derives its core business strength from the in-house capability to provide customised microwave RF solutions. It has four state-of-the-art facilities in and around Hyderabad, with research and development (R&D) capabilities for microwave RF applications, test equipment, and environment chambers for space applications. It has set up an R&D facility at Bengaluru, to manufacture radars. Over the years, the group has diversified its business portfolio by providing microwave applications in the space and civil telecommunication segments.
 
The group has a longstanding relationship with customers, and is recognised as a qualified vendor by defence research establishments. It is also acknowledged by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for its space applications testing laboratories.
 
* Healthy order pipeline providing sound revenue visibility: As of January 2020, the group had orders worth Rs 1,286 crore, to be executed over the next 18-24 months. Orders are skewed more towards exports (around 58% of total orders), and lumpiness in order inflow, primarily from space and defence public sector entities, also leads to volatility in sales. Pace of order inflow will, therefore, be a key monitorable. Further, technological joint ventures with firms based in Israel could provide potential upside to revenue in the long term. However, flow of orders and development of required technology are key monitorables.
 
* Comfortable financial risk profile: The capital structure and debt protection metrics are healthy. The gearing and total outside liabilities to tangible networth (TOL/TNW) ratio are estimated at below 0.10 time and 0.30 time, respectively, over the medium term led by minimal long-term debt. Net cash accrual to total debt and interest coverage ratios were 156% and 4.22 times, respectively, for fiscal 2019, vis-a-vis 82% and 8 times, respectively, in fiscal 2018.
 
Weaknesses
* Large working capital requirement: Gross current assets (GCAs) are expected to remain high, at 350-400 days, on account of stretched receivables and sizeable inventory. The group primarily caters to domestic defence research and space establishments that usually have a long production cycle with large working capital requirement, compared with overseas orders. Though realisation of revenue from exports is expected to be faster, this would be set off by slower realisation of revenue from domestic orders due to the inherent nature of business. Further, the group has to maintain sizeable inventory to cater to all segments, as products are customised, and thus, vary across segments.
 
* Susceptibility to risks inherent in a tender-based business, and long gestation period for projects: The business depends on success in bidding for tenders invited by defence public sector undertakings and research establishments. Defence research establishments, such as Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), invite tenders from qualified vendors for their R&D requirement, and commence bulk production on successful completion of product development. Long-term revenue visibility is primarily driven by the success of R&D projects at DRDO and the subsequent mass production of products.
Liquidity Adequate

Liquidity remains adequate, driven by expected cash accrual at over Rs 50 crore per fiscal in fiscals 2021 and 2022, against minimal long-term debt repayments and no significant capex plans. As on January 2020, cash and cash equivalents were around Rs 79 crore. The fund-based limit of Rs 95 crore was utilised at an average of just 8% during the 12 months ended December 31, 2019. Sustenance of liquidity remains a key monitorable.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the AMPL group will continue to benefit from an established market position and healthy order book.
 
Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factor
*Significant increase in cash accrual, driven by sustained revenue growth of over 20% per fiscal
*Improvement in the working capital cycle with GCAs days sustains below 250 days
 
Downward Factor
*Cash accrual lower than Rs 40 crore per fiscal driven by lower revenue or lower-than-expected operating margin
*Elongation of working capital cycle with GCA days sustain more than 400 days.

About the Group

AMPL was incorporated as a private limited company in 1991, and was reconstituted as a public limited company in 1993. It is promoted by Mr P A Chitrakar, Ms C Pramelamma, and Mr B Malla Reddy. The company designs, develops, and manufactures customised sub-systems and components for microwave communication systems used in the defence, space, and telecommunication sectors.
 
In fiscal 2014, AMPL floated the 100% owned BEPL, as a captive supplier of raw material for overseas orders. In fiscal 2019, AMPL set up a joint venture, Astra Rafael Comsys Pvt Ltd, with Rafael Advanced Defence Systems for production of communication systems and sub-systems for defence.
 
For the nine months through December 2019, profit after tax (PAT) was Rs 36 crore on operating income of Rs 289 crore, as against Rs 5 crore and Rs 173 crore, respectively, in the corresponding  period of the previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 306 363
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 10 61
PAT Margin % 3.2 16.8
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.03 0.19
Interest coverage Times 4.22 8.03

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 20.00 CRISIL A1
NA Term Loan NA NA Sept-2020 7.13 CRISIL A/Stable
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 95.0 CRISIL A/Stable
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 560.0 CRISIL A1
NA Proposed Long-Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 2.38 CRISIL A/Stable
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation Rationale for Consolidation
Bhavyabhanu Electronics Pvt Ltd Full Subsidiary
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
Commercial Paper  ST  20.00  CRISIL A1      26-04-19  CRISIL A1  24-04-18  CRISIL A1  25-04-17  CRISIL A1  CRISIL A1 
Non Convertible Debentures  LT    --    --  26-04-19  Withdrawal  24-04-18  CRISIL A+/Stable  25-04-17  CRISIL A+/Stable  CRISIL A+/Stable 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  104.51  CRISIL A/Stable      26-04-19  CRISIL A/Stable  24-04-18  CRISIL A+/Stable  25-04-17  CRISIL A+/Stable  CRISIL A+/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  560.00  CRISIL A1      26-04-19  CRISIL A1  24-04-18  CRISIL A1  25-04-17  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
Bank Guarantee 560 CRISIL A1 Bank Guarantee 350 CRISIL A1
Cash Credit 95 CRISIL A/Stable Cash Credit 95 CRISIL A/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 2.38 CRISIL A/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 120.35 Withdrawn
Term Loan 7.13 CRISIL A/Stable Term Loan 14.26 CRISIL A/Stable
-- 0 -- Term Loan 8.1 Withdrawn
Total 664.51 -- Total 587.71 --
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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