Rating Rationale
October 16, 2018 | 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).

CRISIL believes that the financial risk profile of BIL is not expected to be adversely affected by the company's large capital expenditure (capex) plan of around Rs 2000 crore over the next 2-3 fiscals. The company had announced a capex of over Rs 1700 crore following its Board Meeting on September 01, 2018. This is in addition to the expanded carbon black project, towards which an additional Rs 275 crore was announced previously.

Revenue grew 34% year-over-year in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, driven by volume growth of 23%. Revenue had increased 17% year-on-year in fiscal 2018 with healthy volume growth of 16%. Revenue growth should exceed 11% over the medium term, backed by steady demand from end-user segments. Operating profitability was healthy at around 30% in fiscal 2018, despite increase in carbon black prices, which account for 15-20% of raw material by value. Profitability will, likely remain stable, backed by robust revenue growth, continuing benefits from low-cost manufacturing, and the ongoing backward integration exercise, with the carbon black Project. The financial risk profile should remain comfortable, supported by healthy capital structure, adequate debt protection metrics, strong liquidity, and the absence of new capital expenditure (capex). Liquid reserves of Rs 965 crore undergird liquidity as on March 31, 2018. 

The ratings continue to reflect BIL's robust financial risk profile, established market position in the off-highway tyres (OHT) segment, and strong operating efficiency. These strengths are partially offset by vulnerability to fluctuations in raw material prices, to regulatory actions in importing countries, and to volatility 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. This is because all the entities, collectively referred to as BIL, are in the same business and have operational synergies.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Strong operating efficiency: Manufacturing OHT is a labour-intensive process and the company benefits from its presence in low-cost locations and hence, strong operating efficiency. As employee cost is lower than those 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, on the back of 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 better 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.

Weaknesses:
* Vulnerability to fluctuations in raw material prices: Prices of key raw material, natural and synthetic rubber (raw materials account for 75% of BIL's aggregate production costs), and, therefore, profitability, tend to be volatile as they depend on global demand, area under cultivation, and crude oil prices.

* 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 10% of revenue comes from North America, BIL's exposure to risks related to regulatory actions by importing countries will persist.

* Volatility in forex rates: Around 70% 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 in from exports, the exposure to forex risk is hedged to some extent. Receivables are also covered by forward contracts.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes BIL's revenue growth will remain 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.

Upside scenario
* Significant and sustained increase in revenue
* Improvement in return on capital employed (RoCE), backed by healthy profitability and higher capacity utilisation
* Sustained robust financial risk profile because of strong capital structure

Downside scenario
* Sharp fall, if any, in operating margin due to increase in rubber prices
* 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, Maharashtra, 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 plant was commissioned in fiscal 2016. The company has a wide product profile and sells in more than 130 countries. It also has over 2400 stock-keeping units to ensure timely order execution. In fiscal 2018, 84% of revenue was derived from export, with Europe and America accounting for 54% and 15%, respectively. BIL plans to set up a greenfield tyre plant in USA through its wholly-owned subsidiary. It also plans to set up a greenfield facility in Waluj and an additional line in its Bhuj facility. The capex in both USA and India 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 Bhuj. The first phase of the carbon black facility is expected to be commissioned by the end of fiscal 2019. 

Key Financial Indicators (Consolidated)
Particulars Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs.Cr 4444 3726
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs.Cr 728 716
PAT Margin % 16.4 19.2
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.21 0.39
Interest coverage Times 96.20 56.84

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 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 - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
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+  30-07-18  CRISIL AA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  02-08-17  CRISIL AA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  26-08-16  CRISIL AA-/Positive/ CRISIL A1+  29-05-15  CRISIL AA-/Positive/ CRISIL A1+  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+  30-07-18  CRISIL A1+  02-08-17  CRISIL A1+  26-08-16  CRISIL A1+  29-05-15  CRISIL A1+  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

For further information contact:
Media Relations
Analytical Contacts
Customer Service Helpdesk
Saman Khan
Media Relations
CRISIL Limited
D: +91 22 3342 3895
B: +91 22 3342 3000
saman.khan@crisil.com

Naireen Ahmed
Media Relations
CRISIL Limited
D: +91 22 3342 1818
B: +91 22 3342 3000
naireen.ahmed@crisil.com

Anuj Sethi
Senior Director - CRISIL Ratings
CRISIL Limited
B:+91 44 6656 3100
anuj.sethi@crisil.com


Sameer Charania
Director - CRISIL Ratings
CRISIL Limited
D:+91 22 4097 8025
sameer.charania@crisil.com


Harish Ramaswamy
Rating Analyst - CRISIL Ratings
CRISIL Limited
D:+91 22 3342 3977
Harish.Ramaswamy@crisil.com
Timings: 10.00 am to 7.00 pm
Toll free Number:1800 267 1301

For a copy of Rationales / Rating Reports:
CRISILratingdesk@crisil.com
 
For Analytical queries:
ratingsinvestordesk@crisil.com


 

Note for Media:
This rating rationale is transmitted to you for the sole purpose of dissemination through your newspaper / magazine / agency. The rating rationale may be used by you in full or in part without changing the meaning or context thereof but with due credit to CRISIL. However, CRISIL alone has the sole right of distribution (whether directly or indirectly) of its rationales for consideration or otherwise through any media including websites, portals etc.


About CRISIL Limited

CRISIL is a leading agile and innovative, global analytics company driven by its mission of making markets function better. We are India’s foremost provider of ratings, data, research, analytics and solutions. A strong track record of growth, culture of innovation and global footprint sets us apart. We have delivered independent opinions, actionable insights, and efficient solutions to over 1,00,000 customers.
 
We are majority owned by S&P Global Inc., a leading provider of transparent and independent ratings, benchmarks, analytics and data to the capital and commodity markets worldwide.
 
For more information, visit www.crisil.com 


Connect with us: TWITTER | LINKEDIN | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK

About CRISIL Ratings
CRISIL Ratings is part of CRISIL Limited (“CRISIL”). We pioneered the concept of credit rating in India in 1987. CRISIL is registered in India as a credit rating agency with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”). With a tradition of independence, analytical rigour and innovation, CRISIL sets the standards in the credit rating business. We rate the entire range of debt instruments, such as, bank loans, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, non-convertible / convertible / partially convertible bonds and debentures, perpetual bonds, bank hybrid capital instruments, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, partial guarantees and other structured debt instruments. We have rated over 24,500 large and mid-scale corporates and financial institutions. CRISIL has also instituted several innovations in India in the rating business, including rating municipal bonds, partially guaranteed instruments and microfinance institutions. We also pioneered a globally unique rating service for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and significantly extended the accessibility to rating services to a wider market. Over 1,10,000 MSMEs have been rated by us.


CRISIL PRIVACY
 
CRISIL respects your privacy. We may use your contact information, such as your name, address, and email id to fulfil your request and service your account and to provide you with additional information from CRISIL.For further information on CRISIL’s privacy policy please visit www.crisil.com.


DISCLAIMER

This disclaimer forms part of and applies to each credit rating report and/or credit rating rationale that we provide (each a “Report”). For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Report” includes the information, ratings and other content forming part of the Report. The Report is intended for the jurisdiction of India only. This Report does not constitute an offer of services. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, nothing in the Report is to be construed as CRISIL providing or intending to provide any services in jurisdictions where CRISIL does not have the necessary licenses and/or registration to carry out its business activities referred to above. Access or use of this Report does not create a client relationship between CRISIL and the user.

We are not aware that any user intends to rely on the Report or of the manner in which a user intends to use the Report. In preparing our Report we have not taken into consideration the objectives or particular needs of any particular user. It is made abundantly clear that the Report is not intended to and does not constitute an investment advice. The Report is not an offer to sell or an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment in any securities, instruments, facilities or solicitation of any kind or otherwise enter into any deal or transaction with the entity to which the Report pertains. The Report should not be the sole or primary basis for any investment decision within the meaning of any law or regulation (including the laws and regulations applicable in the US).

Ratings from CRISIL Rating are statements of opinion as of the date they are expressed and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, hold, or sell any securities / instruments or to make any investment decisions. Any opinions expressed here are in good faith, are subject to change without notice, and are only current as of the stated date of their issue. CRISIL assumes no obligation to update its opinions following publication in any form or format although CRISIL may disseminate its opinions and analysis. CRISIL rating contained in the Report is not a substitute for the skill, judgment and experience of the user, its management, employees, advisors and/or clients when making investment or other business decisions. The recipients of the Report should rely on their own judgment and take their own professional advice before acting on the Report in any way.

Neither CRISIL nor its affiliates, third party providers, as well as their directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents (collectively, “CRISIL Parties”) guarantee the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the Report, and no CRISIL Party shall have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein, regardless of the cause, or for the results obtained from the use of any part of the Report. EACH CRISIL PARTY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, SUITABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE. In no event shall any CRISIL Party be liable to any party for any direct, indirect, incidental, exemplary, compensatory, punitive, special or consequential damages, costs, expenses, legal fees, or losses (including, without limitation, lost income or lost profits and opportunity costs) in connection with any use of any part of the Report even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

CRISIL Ratings may receive compensation for its ratings and certain credit-related analyses, normally from issuers or underwriters of the instruments, facilities, securities or from obligors. CRISIL’s public ratings and analysis as are required to be disclosed under the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (and other applicable regulations, if any) are made available on its web sites, www.crisil.com (free of charge). Reports with more detail and additional information may be available for subscription at a fee – more details about CRISIL ratings are available here: www.crisilratings.com.

CRISIL and its affiliates do not act as a fiduciary. While CRISIL has obtained information from sources it believes to be reliable, CRISIL does not perform an audit and undertakes no duty of due diligence or independent verification of any information it receives and / or relies in its Reports. CRISIL keeps certain activities of its business units separate from each other in order to preserve the independence and objectivity of the respective activity. As a result, certain business units of CRISIL may have information that is not available to other CRISIL business units. CRISIL has established policies and procedures to maintain the confidentiality of certain non-public information received in connection with each analytical process. CRISIL has in place a ratings code of conduct and policies for analytical firewalls and for managing conflict of interest. For details please refer to: https://www.crisil.com/en/home/our-businesses/ratings/regulatory-disclosures/highlighted-policies.html

CRISIL’s rating criteria are generally available without charge to the public on the CRISIL public web site, www.crisil.com. For latest rating information on any instrument of any company rated by CRISIL you may contact CRISIL RATING DESK at CRISILratingdesk@crisil.com, or at (0091) 1800 267 1301.

This Report should not be reproduced or redistributed to any other person or in any form without a prior written consent of CRISIL.

All rights reserved @ CRISIL