Rating Rationale
May 12, 2017 | Mumbai
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.60000 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA+/Negative (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL ratings on the bank facilities of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) continue to reflect the company's leading position in the power and industrial electrical equipment markets, healthy order book, and strong financial risk profile because of robust capital structure and liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by high receivables level, exposure to intense competition, and structural issues in the power sector.
 
BHEL has an outstanding order book of Rs 98,400 crores as of December 2016. Nearly 60% of this order book is executable, which provides visibility for the next two years. Additionally, management expects one major projects aggregating 18% of order book to become executable over the next six months. However, order inflow is expected to remain challenging in the medium term due to sluggish demand.
 
For the nine month period ended December 2016, operating performance improved with revenue growth of 19% (year-on-year) and marginally positive operating profit driven by provision write-back. However, profitability is expected to remain under pressure due to overcapacity in the sector. Furthermore, though the new Central Electricity Authority (CEA) guideline released in January 2017 on indigenous manufacturing of supercritical equipment (including doing away with the Deed of Joint Undertaking in certain conditions) provides some comfort, incremental benefit is expected to be passed on due to intense competition.
 
Working capital requirement, through marginally improved from last year, continues to remain sizeable, with receivables (including deferred debt) of Rs 35,234 crore, net of provisions, as of December 2016. Despite stringent measures (such as stoppage of supplies, close monitoring of outstanding dues, and liaison with banks and financial institutions) to ensure collection of payments, traction in reducing receivables will be a key monitorable.
 
Financial risk profile is strong, backed by robust capital structure and liquidity. Financial flexibility also benefits from status as a 'Maharatna' public sector undertaking. Gearing was negligible and cash and bank balance substantial at Rs 10,200 crore as of September 2016.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has moderately integrated the business and financial risk profiles of its joint venture (JV), Raichur Power Corporation Ltd (RPCL) as the projects have been funded through debt. CRISIL has factored in BHEL's commitment to the JV in the form of equity and cost overrun, while arriving at its ratings. CRISIL has not consolidated any other subsidiary or JV. This is because BHEL enters into JVs with state governments to obtain engineering procurement construction (EPC) contract of power project on nomination basis. Management has indicated it does not extend financial support to these JVs and also has a clause for potential exit once the projects are completed.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Leading position in the power generation and electrical equipment markets: BHEL accounts for nearly 55% of the country's installed capacity in the power and industrial electrical equipment markets. It has commissioned or synchronised power plant equipment of more than 10,000 megawatt (MW) annually over the last four years (15,059 MW in fiscal 2016).

* Healthy order book: A healthy order book (Rs 98,400 crore as of December 2016) provides strong revenue visibility for the medium term. Although order inflow was weak at Rs 6,828 crore in the nine months ended December 2016, new orders are expected either from replacement demand in the power sector or from other sectors such as transportation, transmission, and rural electrification over the medium term. However, given ongoing challenges in operating environment, timely order inflow will be critical.

* Strong financial risk profile: Networth is strong, debt level low, and liquidity robust. Financial flexibility also benefits from status as a 'Maharatna' public sector undertaking. Liquidity is expected to remain sufficient to fund working capital and capital expenditure requirements over the medium term, supported by cash pile and unutilised bank limit.

Weakness
*
Business skewed towards the power sector, exposing it to structural issues: BHEL's performance remains susceptible to structural issues in the power segment, which has contributed over 75% to its revenue in the past. The risks emanate from delays in land acquisition, obtaining environmental clearances, ensuring fuel availability, and funding challenges resulting in slowdown in project execution in the past four years. Return on capital employed declined considerably, with weaker operating performance constraining profits. Though the company is focusing on diversifying revenue profile by expanding into the transportation, transmission, renewable, and defense segments, power sector is expected to remain the key revenue driver in the medium term.

* Sizeable working capital requirement: Around a fifth of outstanding receivables (Rs 35,234 crore as of December 2016) is from projects undertaken by private sector developers. However, risk of receivables write-offs is partially offset by provisions policy and supported by customer advances and payables (of nearly Rs 17,000 crores). Nevertheless, any change in receivables level and ability to reduce it over the medium term will constitute key rating sensitivity factors.

* Exposure to intense competition, leading to constrained profitability: BHEL operates in an increasingly competitive market characterized by overcapacity. Domestic Boiler Turbine Generators (BTG) capacity is over 30 giga watts (GW) per annum whereas annual demand of power generation equipment is expected at 10-12 GW per annum. Aggressive bidding is likely to keep profitability under pressure. BHEL has remained competitive due to its significant presence in the super critical technology based thermal power business.
Outlook: Negative

CRISIL believes BHEL's profitability will remain subdued and working capital sizeable over the medium term on account of challenging operating environment in the power sector.

Downgrade Scenario
* Slower-than-expected project execution and high cost, leading to losses and stretched receivables.

Upward Scenario
* Improvement in profitability backed by structural revival in the power sector, translating into faster project execution and a better working capital position.

About the Company

BHEL is an integrated power plant equipment manufacturer. The 'Maharatna' central public sector enterprise is one of the largest engineering and manufacturing companies in India. Government holds 63.06% of equity in BHEL.
 
BHEL has operations in the power and industry segments. The power group supplies power plant equipment such as turbo generators, boilers, turbines, and accessories, and offers erection services. The industry group caters to diverse sectors such as process industries, transportation, power transmission and distribution, and defense. BHEL designs, engineers, manufactures, constructs, tests, commissions, and services a wide range of products. It has 17 manufacturing units, six joint ventures, and a subsidiary; and exports to over 82 countries.
 
For fiscal 2016, loss after tax and net sales were Rs 913 crore and Rs 25,137 crore, respectively, against profit after tax (PAT) and net sales of Rs 1419 crore and Rs 29,542 crore, respectively, for the previous year. For the nine months ended December 2016, PAT was Rs 280 crore on net sales of Rs 18,261 crore, against loss after tax of Rs 1215 crore on net sales of Rs 15,356 crore for the corresponding period in the previous year.

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 Cash Credit NA NA NA 3750.00 CRISIL AA+/Negative
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 53510.00 CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed Cash Credit Limit NA NA NA 1250.00 CRISIL AA+/Negative
NA Proposed Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 1490.00 CRISIL A1+
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2017 (History) 2016  2015  2014  Start of 2014
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  5000  CRISIL AA+/Negative    No Rating Change  09-03-16  CRISIL AA+/Negative  21-09-15  CRISIL AAA/Negative    No Rating Change  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  55000  CRISIL A1+    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL A1+ 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Cash Credit 3750 CRISIL AA+/Negative Cash Credit 3750 CRISIL AA+/Negative
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 53510 CRISIL A1+ Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 53445 CRISIL A1+
Proposed Cash Credit Limit 1250 CRISIL AA+/Negative Proposed Cash Credit Limit 1250 CRISIL AA+/Negative
Proposed Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee 1490 CRISIL A1+ Proposed Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee 1555 CRISIL A1+
Total 60000 -- Total 60000 --
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 Engineering Sector
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Entities Based on Government Support
Criteria for rating Short-Term Debt (including Commercial Paper)

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