Rating Rationale
January 30, 2020 | Mumbai
Balkrishna Industries Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1000 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AA/Stable/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the bank facilities of Balkrishna Industries Limited (BIL).
 
Revenues grew by 15% year-on-year in fiscal 2019, backed by healthy volume growth of 6% and price realisation of 9%. However, the revenues de-grew by 14% in H1FY20 over H1FY19, mainly due to decline in volumes with challenging industry scenario in the Europe and US markets. Revenue growth is expected to pick-up over the medium term, on account of recovery in global conditions and low base effect. Operating profitability was healthy at 27.6% in fiscal 2019, despite increase in carbon black prices and crude derivatives prices and higher spends on advertising and branding. Profitability will, likely remain stable, backed by revenue growth, continuing benefits from low-cost manufacturing, and the ongoing backward integration exercise, with the carbon black project. Capital expenditure (capex) for the US plant has been deferred and capex at India plants is progressing as per schedule, with Rs. 425  crores incurred as on September-2019 and phase 1 of carbon black plant being operational.
 
The ratings continue to reflect BIL's robust financial risk profile, established market position in the off-highway tyres (OHT) segment, zero long term debt in the company and strong operating efficiency. These strengths are partially offset by vulnerability to volatility in raw material prices, to regulatory actions in importing countries, and to fluctuations in foreign exchange (forex) rates.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of BIL and its subsidiaries as all the entities are in the same business and have operational 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
*Strong operating efficiency: Manufacturing OHT is a labour-intensive process and the company benefits from presence in low-cost locations leading to strong operating efficiency. As employee cost is lower than that of most global peers, BIL's products are more competitively priced.
 
*Established market position: Market share in the international OHT segment has increased steadily over the years to 5-6% currently, backed by association with major global original equipment manufacturers, wide distribution network in 130 countries, and a varied product portfolio. The recent enhancement in capacity should help BIL leverage the benefits of low-cost manufacturing.
 
*Robust financial risk profile: Cash accrual is sufficient, capital structure strong, and debt protection metrics adequate. Healthy profitability and low interest cost will, likely, keep the metrics stable over the medium term. The company has repaid its long term debt.
 
Weaknesses
*Vulnerability to volatility in raw material prices: Prices of key raw material, natural and synthetic rubber (raw materials account for 65% of BIL's aggregate production cost), tend to be volatile as they depend on global demand, area under cultivation, and crude oil prices. Consequently, profitability is volatile too.
 
*Exposure to regulatory risks: In March 2017, the US Department of Commerce issued an order levying countervailing duty of 5.36% on BIL. Though the impact of this levy is limited, given that only around 12% of revenue comes from North America, BIL's exposure to risks related to regulatory actions by importing countries will persist.
 
*Susceptibility to fluctuations in forex rates: Around 75% of the raw material is imported. Also, the entire borrowings are in foreign currency, exposing BIL to the risk of sharp fluctuations in forex rates. However, with the bulk of revenue coming from export, the exposure to forex risk is hedged to some extent. Receivables are also covered by forward contracts.
Liquidity Strong

BIL's liquidity is strong backed by expected adequate cash accruals of Rs. Xx crores in fiscal 2020 against nil long term debt. Furthermore, the company has strong liquidity with investments in liquid funds and unencumbered cash & bank balances. As of March 31, 2019, cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs.913cr. The bank limit utilisation has been moderate at 47% for the past twelve months ending November 2019.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes BIL's revenue growth will be healthy over the medium term, and operating margin stable, supported by the diversity in product mix and geographic reach, and established presence in the OHT segment. Financial risk profile should benefit from strong cash accrual, repayment of term debt, limited capex, and modest working capital debt.

Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
*Healthy revenue growth of 20% annually, while sustaining operating margins
*Improvement in return on capital employed (RoCE), backed by healthy profitability and higher capacity utilisation
*Sustained healthy financial risk profile

Downward Factors
*Revenue de-growth, coupled with operating margin below 20%
*Weakening in financial metrics, especially liquidity, because of a large capex or acquisition.

About the Company

Based in Mumbai, BIL mainly manufactures OHTs that are used in vehicles meant for agricultural, industrial, construction, and earth-moving purposes. Achievable capacity of its plant in Waluj is 40,000 tonne per annum (tpa), and in Bhiwadi and Chopanki (both in Rajasthan) 60,000 tpa each. Capacity of 140,000 tpa added in Bhuj was commissioned in fiscal 2016. The company has a wide product profile and sells in more than 130 countries. It also has over 2,700 stock-keeping units to ensure timely order execution. In fiscal 2019, 82% of revenue came from export, with Europe and America accounting for 50% and 17%, respectively. BIL plans to set up a greenfield facility in Waluj and an additional line in its Bhuj facility. The capex is expected to be completed by March 2021. It has also undertaken a project to set up a 140,000 tpa facility for carbon black in The first phase of the carbon black facility was commissioned by the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2020.

Key Financial Indicators (Consolidated)
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs Cr. 5210 4444
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs Cr. 774 728
PAT Margin % 14.8 16.4
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.19 0.21
Interest coverage Times 122.51 96.20

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 Packing Credit NA NA NA 560.0 CRISIL A1+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 10.0 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 65.0 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee* NA NA NA 365.0 CRISIL A1+
*Includes Rs.100 crore interchangeable with packing credit
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Name of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation Rationale for consolidation
BKT Tyres Limited Full Subsidiary
BKT Europe S.R.L. Full Subsidiary
BKT USA Inc Full  Subsidiary
BKT Tires (Canada) Inc Full  Subsidiary
BKT Exim US, Inc Full  Subsidiary
Inc-BKT Tires Inc Full Step Down 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
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  635.00  CRISIL AA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+          16-10-18  CRISIL AA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  02-08-17  CRISIL AA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  CRISIL AA-/Positive/ CRISIL A1+ 
                30-07-18  CRISIL AA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  30-05-17  CRISIL AA-/Positive/ CRISIL A1+   
                    23-02-17  CRISIL AA-/Positive/ CRISIL A1+   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  365.00  CRISIL A1+          16-10-18  CRISIL A1+  02-08-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
                30-07-18  CRISIL A1+  30-05-17  CRISIL A1+   
                    23-02-17  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 10 CRISIL AA/Stable Cash Credit 10 CRISIL AA/Stable
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee* 365 CRISIL A1+ Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee* 365 CRISIL A1+
Packing Credit 560 CRISIL A1+ Packing Credit 560 CRISIL A1+
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 65 CRISIL AA/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 65 CRISIL AA/Stable
Total 1000 -- Total 1000 --
*Includes Rs.100 crore interchangeable with packing credit
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 Consolidation

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