Rating Rationale
April 25, 2018 | Mumbai
Bennett Coleman and Company Limited
Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.4600 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.500 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AAA/Stable' rating on the bank facilities and non-convertible debenture programme Bennett Coleman and Company Limited (BCCL). The ratings continue to reflect BCCL's strong market position as India's largest newspaper publishing group, comfortable operating efficiency, and robust financial risk profile. These rating strengths are partially offset by vulnerability to volatile global newsprint prices and economic cycles, sizeable exposure to subsidiaries and group companies in the gestation phase, and large investment in the brand capital business (BCB).

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has considered the standalone business and financial risk profiles of BCCL.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong market position of flagship publications: Times of India (ToI), is the market leader in English dailies, both in terms of circulation and readership, with a leading position in the northern and western parts of the country. Its circulation is comparable to the cumulative circulation of next three competitors as per circulation data by Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC); as per the ABC data of January-June 2017, ToI had a daily circulation of 27.1 lacs. BCCL's business daily, Economic Times (ET), is also the largest circulated publication in its category and features among the top five circulated English dailies in India. As per the Indian Readership Survey 2017, ToI had a total readership (last 1 month read) of 1.3 crores, making it the largest read English daily.
 
* Healthy operating efficiency: Strong market position and high advertisement revenue yields have helped maintain a healthy operating margin. Operating efficiencies have also been strong due to the established market position of BCCL's flagship publications in key advertisement revenue generating centres such as Mumbai and NCR.
 
* Robust financial risk profile: Financial risk profile is strong, marked by large networth, comfortable gearing, low debt levels, and healthy liquidity - as reflected in reported networth of around Rs 10,715 crore and low debt of Rs 207 crore, as on March 31, 2017. The financial risk profile is also supported by a high degree of financial flexibility and sizeable liquidity of over Rs 3,200 crore as on March 31, 2017.

Weakness:
* Volatility in operating margin owing to economic cycles and reliance on import of newsprint: A substantial share of operating income comes from advertisement revenue, which, in turn, has a strong linkage to economic activity and is therefore affected by economic cycles. Recessionary cycles and uncertain market conditions lead to slowdown in spending, constraining Ad revenues for newspapers. In addition to linkages with overall economic activity and corporate spending, the operating costs of the industry also depend on movements in newsprint prices. As over 75% of BCCL's newsprint requirements are imported, its operating margin is exposed to volatility in newsprint prices and in foreign exchange rates.
 
* Exposure to subsidiaries and group companies which are in gestation phase: BCCL's exposure to its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates (including equity, loans and advances) amounted to a substantial Rs 3,269 crore (~30% of networth) as on March 31, 2017. CRISIL believes that although these investments are strategically important to BCCL's business risk profile in the rapidly evolving media space, the return on them will be muted over the medium term as most of them are in the investment phase. However, with some of its larger subsidiaries turning profitable, further support from BCCL to its subsidiaries is expected to remain at current levels.
 
* Sizeable investments in BCB: The company has sizeable investments in the BCB (advertisement space is sold in exchange for equity/debt/immovable property of the BCB partner) of about Rs 4,000 crore (as on March 31, 2017), which was 38% of the total networth. This exposes BCCL to market risk as a large portion of BCB comprises investments in equity and debt of unlisted companies, and in immovable property.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes BCCL will maintain its strong market position, healthy operating efficiency, and robust financial risk profile over the medium term.
 
Downside scenario
* Weakening of financial risk profile, most likely due to larger than expected- debt funded capex, investments, acquisitions of funding support extended to group companies, or if there is a significant erosion in the investment portfolio.

About the Company

BCCL, the flagship company of the largest media conglomerate in India, the Times group, is a family-owned business, held by the Jain family. The company, incorporated in 1913, along with its group companies, has diversified into various media and entertainment businesses'print, television, radio, music, OOH advertising, and the internet. Newspaper publishing is its largest business segment. The Times group's business strengths emanate from the robust brand image of its key daily publications, The Times of India and The Economic Times in English, Navbharat Times in Hindi, , Maharashtra Times in Marathi, Vijay Karnataka in Kannada, and Ei Samay in Bengali. Also, it publishes magazines, Filmfare and Femina. The group also has presence in radio broadcasting under the brand Radio Mirchi, through its subsidiary, Entertainment Network (India) Ltd (rated 'CRISIL AA+/Stable/CRISIL A1+'), in which the promoter group holds 71.15% equity stake. Furthermore, it has a presence in television through Zoom TV (general entertainment channel), Times Now (English news channel), ET Now (business news channel), Romedy Now, Mirror Now, Movies Now, and Movies Now Plus (movie channels). The internet properties of the group are operated through a wholly owned subsidiary, Times Internet Ltd.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2017 2016
Revenue Rs. Cr. 6,125  6,324
Profit After Tax Rs. Cr. 827   1,127
PAT Margins % 13.5 17.8
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth Times 0.04   0.05
Interest coverage Times  254.9 257.5

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 Debentures^ NA NA NA 500 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Cash Credit* NA NA NA 2835 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Proposed Cash Credit Limit* NA NA NA 1765 CRISIL AAA/Stable
^Yet to be issued
*Interchangeable with bank guarantee, letter of credit, working capital loan, and buyer's 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
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  0.00
25-04-18 
CRISIL AAA/Stable      27-04-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable  22-12-16  CRISIL AAA/Stable  17-12-15  CRISIL AAA/Stable  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
                    02-01-15  CRISIL AAA/Stable   
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  4600.00  CRISIL AAA/Stable      27-04-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable  22-12-16  CRISIL AAA/Stable  17-12-15  CRISIL AAA/Stable  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
                    02-01-15  CRISIL AAA/Stable   
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* 2835 CRISIL AAA/Stable Cash Credit* 2835 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Proposed Cash Credit Limit* 1765 CRISIL AAA/Stable Proposed Cash Credit Limit* 1765 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Total 4600 -- Total 4600 --
*Interchangeable with bank guarantee, letter of credit, working capital loan, and buyer's 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
CRISILs Approach to Recognising Default
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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

Jyoti Parmar
Media Relations
CRISIL Limited
D: +91 22 3342 1835
B: +91 22 3342 3000
 jyoti.parmar@crisil.com

Sachin Gupta
Senior Director - CRISIL Ratings
CRISIL Limited
D:+91 22 3342 3023
Sachin.Gupta@crisil.com


Nitesh Jain
Director - CRISIL Ratings
CRISIL Limited
D:+91 22 3342 3329
nitesh.jain@crisil.com


Nitin Narayanan
Rating Analyst - CRISIL Ratings
CRISIL Limited
D:+91 22 3342 3889
Nitin.Narayanan@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 NOTICE

CRISIL respects your privacy. We 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 and other parts of S&P Global Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company) you may find of interest.

For further information, or to let us know your preferences with respect to receiving marketing materials, please visit https://www.crisil.com/en/home/privacy-and-cookie-notice.html. You can view the Company’s Customer Privacy at https://www.spglobal.com/corporate-privacy-policy

Last updated: April 2016


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