Rating Rationale
September 10, 2020 | Mumbai
Bhagwati Ferro Metal Private Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.92 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its ratings on the bank facilities of Bhagwati Ferro Metal Private Limited (BFMPL; part of Bhagwati group) at 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+'.
 
The ratings continue to reflect extensive experience of promoters in the steel industry, above-average financial risk profile and efficient working capital management. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to intense competition in the highly fragmented steel industry and susceptibility to fluctuations in input prices leading to thin operating margins.
 
The lockdown and other measures taken by various central and state governments towards containment of COVID-19 are expected to have a moderate impact on the business risk profile of the group. The group's manufacturing operations have resumed from July, 2020 albeit at lower scale. Although the group has ramped up its operations, the revenue growth in fiscal 2021 is expected to be much lower than earlier expectations, on account of sales lost in the first three months of the fiscal and subdued demand from infrastructure and real estate sector expected in H1 of fiscal 2021. However, ramp up of operations in H2 fiscal 2021, is expected to limit the extent of negative impact on the profit margins in fiscal 2021. CRISIL believes the group would continue to see a steady inflow of receivables from its customers, over the medium term.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Bhagwati Steel Cast Private Limited (BSCPL) and BFMPL. This is because these entities, together referred to as the Bhagwati group, have common promoters, are in the same line of business, and have significant operational, managerial and financial linkages.
 
Unsecured loans of Rs. 13.30 crores as on March 31, 2020, from promoters are treated as neither debt nor equity (NDNE) as they are likely to sustain in business over the medium term.

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:
* Extensive experience of the promoters in steel industry: Over three-decade-long experience of the promoters in the steel industry, and their longstanding relationships with customers and suppliers, have helped the group successfully navigate business cycles over the years. Benefits from the extensive industry experience of the promoters would continue over the medium term.

* Above-average financial risk profile: Healthy networth and low total outside liabilities to adjusted networth ratio (Rs. 102 crore and 1.1 times respectively as on March 31, 2020) along with comfortable debt protection metrics (interest coverage and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratios of 4.43 times and 0.21 times, respectively in fiscal 2020) represents above average financial risk profile.

* Efficient working capital requirements: The group's working capital operations are efficient as reflected in its gross current asset of around 62 days during fiscal 2020, because of low inventory of 22 days and debtors of 23 days. This has also lead to low cash credit bank limit utilization of 32%.

Weakness:
 * Exposure to volatility in steel prices leading to thin margins: Profitability remains susceptible to fluctuations in raw material prices. The key input materials are sponge iron and billets, prices of which have been volatile over the past few years. This is reflected in thin operating margins at 2.2% in fiscal 2020 and 2019 compared to 4.0% in fiscal 2017.

* Exposure to intense competition and cyclicality in the steel industry: The steel industry is highly fragmented because of low capital requirement, especially in the secondary/steel re-rolling business. Intense competition restricts bargaining power of individual players, who are generally price takers. Furthermore, since demand for steel is closely linked to economic activity, players are susceptible to cyclicality in the industry.
Liquidity Adequate

Adequate liquidity characterized by sufficient cushion between net cash accruals and repayment obligation. The group is expected to make cash accruals in the range of Rs 14-17 crore in fiscal 2021 and 2022 against repayment obligation of Rs 4 crore in fiscal 2021 and Rs 8 crore in fiscal 2022. The group also has access to cash credit limits of Rs. 77.50 Crore (Rs 51.50 Crore in BFMPL and Rs 26 Crore in BSCPL) which remains low utilized at an average of 32% for 12 month ended July, 2020. The group has unencumbered cash and cash equivalents of Rs 0.37 crore as on March 31, 2020. Current ratio stood at 1.60 times as on March 31, 2020. The group has debt funded capex plans of approx. Rs 55 Crore for setting up a new TMT manufacturing line in BFMPL's Sinnar unit. The same will be funded by term debt of approx. Rs 40 Crore which has already been sanctioned and disbursed and the rest will be funded through internal accruals. The new TMT bar manufacturing line is expected to be operational by January, 2021.  Group has no other debt funded capex plans over the medium term. CRISIL expects internal accruals and cash and cash equivalents to be sufficient to meet incremental working capital requirement and the group's repayment obligations.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the group will continue to benefit from its promoters extensive industry experience and healthy relationship with its customers and suppliers.

Rating Sensitivity Factor
Upward Factors
* Sustained improvement in revenues and profitability leading to cash accruals sustaining above Rs. 17 Crore
* Sustenance of financial risk profile at current levels
 
Downward Faactor
* Decline in revenues or operating profitability leading to cash accruals below Rs. 10 Crore
* Deterioration in financial risk profile on account of larger than expected debt funded capex, significant stretch in working capital cycle or delays in receiving IPS incentive or deterioration in liquidity profile.

About the Group

BSCPL, incorporated in 1984, and BFMPL, incorporated in 2003, is promoted by Mr. M K Agrawal and his son Mr. Amit Burakia. The group primarily manufactures mild-steel billets and thermo-mechanically-treated (TMT) bars. BSCPL has its manufacturing unit in Sinnar, Nashik and BFMPL has a billet unit in Sinnar, Nashik and a TMT bar unit in Silvassa. Group is setting up new TMT bar manufacturing line in BFMPL's Sinnar unit and has also decided to sell its Silvassa unit in fiscal 2021.

Key Financial Indicators (Consolidated)
Particulars Unit 2020* 2019
Operating Income Crore 883 1072
PAT Crore 5 5
PAT Margins % 0.6 0.5
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth Times 0.66 0.56
Interest coverage Times 4.43 3.41
*Provisional

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments and are included (where applicable) in the Annexure -- Details of Instrument in this Rating Rationale. For more details on the CRISIL complexity levels, please visit www.crisil.com/complexity-levels.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
 ISIN Name of instrument Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity date Issue size
(Rs.Cr)
Complexity Levels Rating assigned
with outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 60.00 NA CRISIL BBB/Stable
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 24.00 NA CRISIL A3+
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 8.00 NA CRISIL A3+
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent Rationale for Consolidation
Bhagwati Ferro Metal Private Limited Full Common promoters and same line of business
Bhagwati Steel Cast Private Limited Full Common promoters and same line of business
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  60.00  CRISIL BBB/Stable      18-09-19  CRISIL BBB/Stable  31-07-18  CRISIL BBB/Stable  10-04-17  CRISIL BBB/Stable  CRISIL BBB/Negative 
            31-07-19  CRISIL BBB/Stable           
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  32.00  CRISIL A3+      18-09-19  CRISIL A3+  31-07-18  CRISIL A3+  10-04-17  CRISIL A3+  CRISIL A3+ 
            31-07-19  CRISIL A3+           
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
Bank Guarantee 8 CRISIL A3+ Bank Guarantee 8 CRISIL A3+
Cash Credit 60 CRISIL BBB/Stable Cash Credit 60 CRISIL BBB/Stable
Letter of Credit 24 CRISIL A3+ Letter of Credit 24 CRISIL A3+
-- 0 -- Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility .05 WithdrawnRa
Total 92 -- Total 92.05 --
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 Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
Criteria for rating entities belonging to homogenous groups
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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