Rating Rationale
January 03, 2020 | Mumbai
Automotive Stampings and Assemblies Limited
Ratings downgraded to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.83 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB-/Stable (Downgraded from 'CRISIL BBB/Negative')
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3 (Downgraded from 'CRISIL A3+')
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has downgraded its ratings on the bank facilities of Automotive Stampings and Assemblies Limited (ASAL) to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3' from 'CRISIL BBB/Negative/CRISIL A3+'.
 
The downgrade reflects ASAL's operating performance during the first six months of fiscal 2020, resulting in operating losses and a 14% year-on-year decline in revenue. Lower offtake from key customers - Tata Motors Ltd (TML; rated 'CRISIL AA-/Negative/CRISIL A1+'), Fiat India Automobiles Pvt Ltd (Fiat; rated 'CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+') - and weak automobile demand may further lead to about 20% drop in revenue in fiscal 2020 along with continued weak profitability. The downside impact on profitability and cash losses was arrested due to cost reduction initiatives and profit derived from sale of non-core assets. Further, the losses are likely to be compensated through release from working capital due to lower revenue, incremental support from the parent, Tata Autocomp Systems Ltd (TACO; rated 'CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+', and cash inflows from sale of assets.
 
New orders may lead to better revenue flow from fiscal 2021 onwards, and thereby improve scale and absorption of fixed costs. Further, stabilisation of new programmes and steady growth in revenue should increase the operating margin over the medium term. Capital expenditure for the new orders to be executed during fiscal 2021 will be funded through debt and cash accrual. Lower-than-expected ramp up in scale and profitability may further increase debt levels and hence will be closely monitored.
 
The ratings reflect strong business and financial support ASAL receives from TML and TACO. During the first six months of fiscal 2020, TACO extended unsecured loans of about Rs 16 crore (outstanding as on Oct 2019. These strengths are partially offset by ASAL's weak financial risk profile, concentration in terms of product portfolio, geographical reach, and clientele, and limited value addition in end-products.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL has applied its parent notch-up framework factoring in strong operational, financial, and managerial support ASAL receives from TACO, which holds 75% in the entity and has shown a track-record of support. Support has been through unsecured loans, inter corporate deposits of Rs 68.5 crore (as on October 31, 2019). Adequate need-based support is expected to continue.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong business and financial support from TML and TACO
ASAL is a key supplier of sheet-metal stampings, welded assemblies, and modules for the passenger car segment of TML. Additional business from TML and Fiat is expected to improve operating performance gradually over the medium term. TACO had earlier extended support via unsecured loans (Rs 68.5 crore as on October 31, 2019) and inter-corporate deposits to ensure timely debt servicing and meet other funding requirement. ASAL is likely to continue receiving timely, need-based funds from TACO.
 
Weaknesses
* Limited albeit improving product, geographical, and customer diversity, and low value-added operations:
ASAL continues to be highly dependent on TML (which accounted for about 64% of revenue in the first six months of fiscal 2020), and is thus, resulting in high client concentration risk. ASAL's revenue degrew by 14% in the first half of fiscal 2020, due to drop in offtake by TML and ramp up of new programmes. With new orders expected over the medium term, ASAL should diversify its customer profile and, thereby, reduce its low-margin business.
 
Profitability is also constrained by the limited product range, and high fixed cost intensity. For instance, the company reported thin profit in fiscals 2017, operating losses in fiscal 2018 due to sub optimal capacity utilisation, and operating profit in fiscal 2019. Low value addition in products such as sheet metal stampings, welded assemblies, and modules, limits pricing power.
 
However, ASAL is focused on reducing cost of fixed and variable expenses through various savings programmes. Profitability may improve over the medium term, with various initiatives taken to expand high-margin business footprint, improve operating efficiency, and implementing low-cost automations.
 
* Weak financial risk profile
Financial risk profile has been average, driven by cash losses of Rs 11 crore during the first half of fiscal 2020 that was caused by lower-than-expected schedule. Networth was a negative Rs 42 crore as on March 31, 2019. The company had transferred leasehold rights in land at Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, which supported liquidity in fiscal 2020. ASAL has moderate external debt repayment during fiscal 2021 that may be met through cash accrual, adequate undrawn limit, and continued support from TACO. Credit metrics and capital structure should remain restricted over the medium term, however, gradual recovery is expected from fiscal 2021 with expected improvements in operating performance.
Liquidity Adequate

Liquidity is expected to be adequate backed by the timely, need-based funds extended by the parent.  The company had 82% average utilisation for the six months through October 2019 and also has access to Rs 45 crore limit from Tata Capital. Better cash accrual in fiscal 2021 and, adequate unutilised bank lines may be sufficient to meet the incremental working capital requirements. Funding support from TACO is also likely to continue.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes ASAL will continue to benefit from regular funding support from TACO, though the business risk profile will remain constrained by low profitability, and dependence on TML.
 
Rating sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Improvement in credit risk profile of parent TACO by 1 notch
* Recovery in operating margin by 1-2% over the medium term on a sustained basis
* Improvement in financial profile, backed by positive net cash accrual
 
Downward factors
* Further decline in operating margin (negative 3% to negative 6%) due to lower efficiency and muted revenue growth
* Decline in CRISIL's ratings on TACO as well as its policy toward extending financial support to ASAL

About the Company

ASAL was promoted as JBM Tools Ltd (JBM) by SK Arya and Associates (SKAA) in March 1990, and got its current name in August 2003. ASAL mainly manufactures sheet-metal stampings, welded assemblies, and modules for passenger cars and commercial vehicles (largely for TML); these products account for more than 95% of the total revenue. It has four manufacturing facilities: two in Pune, one each in Halol (Gujarat) and Pantnagar (Uttarakhand).
 
ASAL went public in March 1994, and TACO, a Tata group company, became a joint venture (JV) partner in 1997. In April 2002, SKAA exited the JV and transferred its entire holding in JBM to TACO and Tata Industries Ltd ('CRISIL A1+').
 
In February 2007, TACO entered into an agreement with Gestamp Servicios S L (Gestamp) under which both the companies were to hold equal equity stakes in ASAL. Consequently, Gestamp acquired 0.01% stake through an open offer and TACO transferred 37.49% of its stake in ASAL to Gestamp. In February 2007, TACO reduced its stake to 37.50% (same as Gestamp's), while the remaining shares were owned by the public and others. With the purchase of Gestamp's stake in December 2010, TACO now has 75% equity stake in ASAL.
 
ASAL reported revenue of Rs 206 crore and operating margin of a negative 2.4% in the first half of fiscal 2020 against Rs 239 crore of revenue and operating margin of 4% during the first half of fiscal 2019.

Key Financial Indicators
As on /for the period ending Mar 31 Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 482 331
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore -12 -47
PAT margin % -2.5 -14.1
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 6.6 3.55
Interest coverage Times 0.89 -2.18
 

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. crore)
Rating assigned
with Outlook
NA Cash Credit# NA NA NA 24 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Working Capital
Demand Loan
NA NA NA 37.9 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Letter of credit &
Bank Guarantee
NA NA NA 2.13 CRISIL A3
NA Long Term Loan NA NA Dec-19 11.57 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Proposed Long Term
Bank Loan Facility
NA NA NA 7.4 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
#Interchangeable with bank guarantee and letter of credit up to Rs 5 crore; and with working capital demand loan, short-term loan, letter of credit, bank guarantee, and export credit up to Rs 9 crore
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  80.87  CRISIL BBB-/Stable      30-05-19  CRISIL BBB/Negative  23-03-18  CRISIL BBB/Negative  08-08-17  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  CRISIL A-/Watch Developing 
                07-02-18  CRISIL BBB+/Watch Developing  23-03-17  CRISIL A-/Negative   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  2.13  CRISIL A3      30-05-19  CRISIL A3+  23-03-18  CRISIL A3+  08-08-17  CRISIL A2  CRISIL A2+/Watch Developing 
                07-02-18  CRISIL A2/Watch Developing  23-03-17  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
Cash Credit# 24 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Cash Credit# 24 CRISIL BBB/Negative
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 2.13 CRISIL A3 Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 2.13 CRISIL A3+
Long Term Loan 11.57 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Long Term Loan 11.57 CRISIL BBB/Negative
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 7.4 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 7.4 CRISIL BBB/Negative
Working Capital Demand Loan 37.9 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Working Capital Demand Loan 37.9 CRISIL BBB/Negative
Total 83 -- Total 83 --
#Interchangeable with bank guarantee and letter of credit up to Rs 5 crore; and with working capital demand loan, short-term loan, letter of credit, bank guarantee, and export credit up to Rs 9 crore
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 Auto Component Suppliers
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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