Rating Rationale
January 30, 2020 | Mumbai
Balmukund Sponge and Iron Private Limited
'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+' assigned to bank debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.111.95 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB/Stable (Assigned)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3+ (Assigned)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has assigned its 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+' rating to the bank facilities of Balmukund Sponge and Iron Private Limited (BSIPL, part of Balmukund group).

The rating reflects the extensive industry experience of the promoters, healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility of the operating margin to volatility in raw material prices, vulnerability to cyclicality in the infrastructure and real estate sectors, and working capital-intensive operations.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of BSIPL and Balajee Mini Steels and Rerolling Pvt Ltd (BMRPL). This is because these entities, collectively referred to as the Balmukund group, are managed by the same promoters.

Please refer Annexure - Details of Consolidation, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Established market position in the secondary steel industry: Benefits from the decade-long experience of the group's promoters and integrated operations ' from sponge iron manufacturing to production of billets and rolled products - should support business. The group's brand has a strong recall in the thermo mechanically-treated (TMT) bars industry in Bihar and Jharkhand.
 
* Healthy financial risk profile: The capital structure has been healthy due to limited reliance on external funds. The total outside liabilities to tangible networth (TOLTNW) ratio was at around 1.63 times in the fiscal ended March 31, 2019. Debt protection metrics were also comfortable despite leverage, due to healthy profitability. The interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios were 1.94 times and 0.14 time, respectively, for fiscal 2019, and are expected to improve over medium term.
  
Weaknesses:
* Susceptibility of the operating margin to volatility in raw material prices, and vulnerability to cyclicality in the infrastructure and real estate sectors: Cost of production and operating profit margin are heavily dependent on raw material prices (sponge iron and mild steel scrap). On account of variation in these prices, the margin has also been volatile. Furthermore, profitability is linked to the fortunes of the inherently cyclical steel industry, which has strong correlation with overall growth in the gross domestic product. Operating performance will remain susceptible to volatility in raw material prices, and offtake by key user sectors.
 
* Working capital-intensive operations: Gross current assets (GCAs) were high at 132 days as on March 31, 2019 (173 days as on March 31, 2018), driven by large inventory of 67 days. Operations are likely to remain working capital intensive over the medium term due to high raw material inventory maintained for smooth functioning of production and finished good inventory maintained to meet demand from institutional players.
Liquidity Adequate

Bank limit utilisation was high at around 86% during the 12 months through November 2019. Cash accrual is expected at around Rs 14.50 crore, against term debt obligation of Rs 3.48 crore, per fiscal over the medium term. The balance will act as a cushion to liquidity. The current ratio was moderate at 1.51 times on March 31, 2019. The promoters are likely to extend support in the form of equity and unsecured loans to meet working capital requirement and repayment obligation as per the requirement.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believe group will continue to benefit from the extensive industry experience of its promoters, and established relationship with clients

Rating Sensitivity factors
Upward Factors:
* Sustained increase in revenue by 10% per fiscal and maintenance of the operating margin, leading to higher cash accrual
* Improvement in the working capital cycle, with gross current assets reducing to 100 days

Downward Factors:
* Decline in profitability or a stretch in the working capital cycle
* Decline in net cash accrual to below Rs 8 crore per fiscal on account of lower revenue or operating profits.
About the Group

BSIL was incorporated in 1999 and promoted by Mr Nawal Kumar Kanodia. It manufactures Billets (capacity: 75,000 TPA), sponge iron (capacity: 63,000 TPA), pig iron (capacity: 37,000 TPA), and TMT bars (capacity: 50,000 TPA). The manufacturing plant is located at Giridh (Jharkhand). The company also trades in steel products.

BMRPL was incorporated in 1987 and promoted by Mr Nawal Kumar Kanodia. It manufacturers   Billets (capacity: 60,000 TPA) and TMT bars (capacity: 60,000 TPA). The manufacturing plant is located at Patna (Bihar). The company also trades in steel products

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 661.46 546.97
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 4.88 2.53
PAT Margins % 0.7 0.5
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.85 0.92
Interest coverage Times 1.94 1.67
 

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 Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 16 CRISIL A3+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 48 CRISIL BBB/Stable
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 36.74 CRISIL A3+
NA Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits NA NA NA 6 CRISIL BBB/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA Mar-21 2.21 CRISIL BBB/Stable
NA Standby Line of Credit NA NA NA 3 CRISIL BBB/Stable
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation Rationale for Consolidation
Balmukund Sponge and Iron Private Limited 100% Under a common management, operate in the same business, and have financial and operational linkages
Balajee Mini Steels and Rerolling Pvt Ltd 100% Under a common management, operate in the same business, and have financial and operational linkages
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  59.21  CRISIL BBB/Stable      19-11-19  Withdrawn (Issuer Not Cooperating)*      06-12-17  CRISIL BBB/Stable  Suspended 
            28-03-19  CRISIL BB+/Stable (Issuer Not Cooperating)*      30-11-17  CRISIL BBB/Stable   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  52.74  CRISIL A3+      19-11-19  Withdrawn (Issuer Not Cooperating)*      06-12-17  CRISIL A3+  Suspended 
            28-03-19  CRISIL A4+ (Issuer Not Cooperating)*           
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
*Issuer did not cooperate; based on best-available information
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Bank Guarantee 16 CRISIL A3+ Cash Credit 48 Withdrawn
Cash Credit 48 CRISIL BBB/Stable Letter of Credit 37.7 Withdrawn
Letter of Credit 36.74 CRISIL A3+ Long Term Loan 3.3 Withdrawn
Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 6 CRISIL BBB/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility .5 Withdrawn
Standby Line of Credit 3 CRISIL BBB/Stable Standby Line of Credit 3 Withdrawn
Term Loan 2.21 CRISIL BBB/Stable -- 0 --
Total 111.95 -- Total 92.5 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Framework for Assessing Information Adequacy Risk
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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