Rating Rationale
December 04, 2020 | Mumbai
Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.240 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A+/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 A+/Stable/CRISIL A1' ratings on the bank facilities of Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited (BSVL; part of the BSV group).
 
The ratings continue to reflect BSV group's established market position in bio-pharmaceutical industry backed by strong technical knowhow, a niche product portfolio, integrated operations, and established supply linkages. The ratings also factor in a robust financial risk profile marked by strong networth, healthy capital structure and sound debt protection metrics. These rating strengths are partially offset by working capital-intensive operations, vulnerability of profitability to changes in government regulations, and moderate concentration in the product portfolio.
 
The ratings also take cognizance of impact on the group's operations of nation-wide lockdown to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, the group's revenue of around Rs. 400 crore, recorded in H1 of fiscal 2021 (Apr-Sept 2020), were slightly moderated compared to the corresponding period in the previous fiscal. Nevertheless, recovery is expected in H2 with reopening of specialty clinics and IVF centres.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of BSVL and its four wholly owned subsidiaries, which are strategically important to, and have a significant degree of operational integration with BSVL. These companies are BSV Biosciences Inc, USA (BSVBI), BSV Biosciences Gmbh, Germany (BSVBG), BSV Biosciences Philippines Inc (BSVBPI), and Kasiak Research Private Limited (KRPL). CRISIL considers these entities as being strategic to the parent in view of their strong integration with BSVL's operations. All these companies are together referred to herein as the BSV group.

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 bio-pharmaceutical industry:
The group has strong market position in the bio-pharmaceutical industry is driven by a long track record and healthy market share in many products. This is backed by strong technical knowhow and a niche product portfolio. The group has also continuously invested in research and development resulting in development of over 30 products in therapeutic segments; it also holds eight patents in India, the US, and Europe. Increasing market penetration and better utilisation of enhanced capacities have led to an increase in revenue to Rs. 898.6 crore in fiscal 2020 from Rs 667.9 crore in fiscal 2017.
 
* Established supply linkages and healthy return on capital employed: 
The group manufactures around half of antibodies/active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) required for various vaccines and serums at its facilities in Germany and India, resulting in cost advantage over other players. Further, better utilisation of installed capacities has resulted in healthy return on capital employed of over 20% in the past four fiscals through 2020. Operating profitability was strong in the range of 19-22% till fiscal 2019; however, moderated to 14.6% in fiscal 2020 mainly on account of one-time expenses incurred towards change in management.

* Robust financial risk profile: 
The networth was strong at Rs 493 crore as on March 31, 2020.  Increasing networth, repayment of term debt, and controlled external borrowing resulted in a comfortable capital structure, with the total outside liabilities to adjusted networth (TOLANW) ratio at below 1 time for the past three years ended March 31, 2020. Further, management is committed to maintaining gearing below 1 time over the medium term. Debt protection metrics were adequate, with interest coverage ratio of 15.5 times and net cash accrual to total debt ratio of 2.89 times in fiscal 2020. The financial risk profile should remain robust in the medium term due to strong cash accrual and controlled reliance on external debt.
 
Weaknesses:
* Vulnerability of profitability to changes in government regulations, and moderate concentration in product portfolio: 
The pharmaceutical industry is highly regulated by state governments and various government agencies, which approve new drugs and clinical trials, control the quality of imported drugs, and set prices for critical drugs. Furthermore, the top ten product groups account for about 50% of the group's revenue. Also, many of these drugs have application in the critical/emergency care segment and are hence subject to stringent quality and regulatory control. Hence, any adverse changes in regulations or disruption in production because of quality-related issues can adversely impact the business risk profile.
 
* Large working capital requirement: 
The increasing scale of operations has led to large incremental working capital requirement as reflected in gross current assets of 196 days as on March 31, 2020. The receivables cycle is around two months, and inventory of around three months is maintained due to lead time on imports and the production process. These requirements are met by letters of credit-backed imports, credit available on domestic procurement, internal cash accrual, and moderate working capital bank borrowing.
Liquidity Strong

The group has strong liquidity driven by expected cash accruals around Rs 120 crore, against term debt obligations of Rs 10.6 crore in fiscals 2021 and Rs 9.2 crore in fiscals 2022. Cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs 82.2 crore as on March 31, 2020. The working capital limit of Rs 240 crore (reduced to Rs 195 crore as on date) was utilised at an average of 20% during the 12 months through July 2020. Internal cash accrual, cash and cash equivalents, and unutilised bank lines should be sufficient to meet repayment obligation as well as incremental working capital requirement over the medium term.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the BSV group will continue to benefit from the strong market position in the biopharmaceutical industry and a healthy financial risk profile.
 
Rating sensitivity factors:
Upward factors
* Sustained growth in revenue and operating profitability, leading to cash accrual of over Rs 125 crore per fiscal
* Improvement in working capital management, thus strengthening the financial risk profile
 
Downward factors
* Large, debt-funded capital expenditure or acquisition, or a stretch in the working capital cycle (gross current assets of more than 250 days), thus weakening the financial risk profile
* Significant decline in revenue or profitability, leading to low cash accrual

About the Group

The BSV group was promoted by Daftary family and in February 2020 Advent International Corporation acquired a majority stake in BSVL, providing partial exit to Daftary family and full exit to private equity firms Kotak Private Equity and Orbimed Asia. The operations are currently managed by a professional team led by managing director and CEO, Mr. Sanjiv Navangul.
 
BSVL, incorporated in 1971, researches, manufactures, and markets biopharmaceuticals. It is headquartered in Mumbai with manufacturing facilities at Ambernath and Thane in Maharashtra and a horse farm in Hyderabad.

BSVBG, set up in 2007, manufactures antibodies/APIs for biopharmaceuticals. Its manufacturing facility is in Baesweiler, Germany.
 
BSVBI researches and develops biopharmaceuticals, especially recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies.
 
BSVBPI, set up in 2016, acts solely as a sales office for the group in the Philippines.
 
KRPL undertakes clinical research in the field of regenerative medicine.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs. Cr. 898.6 883.7
Profit after tax Rs. Cr. 51.6 103.8
PAT margin % 5.75 11.74
Adjusted debt/adjusted net worth Times 0.07 0.14
Interest coverage Times 15.54 16.39

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 Complexity levels Issue Size
(Rs. Cr)
Rating Assigned
with Outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA NA 37 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Foreign Currency Term Loan NA NA June-2023 NA 20 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA NA 18 CRISIL A1
NA Working Capital Facility NA NA NA NA 140 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Proposed Working Capital Facility NA NA NA NA 25 CRISIL A+/Stable
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation Rationale for Consolidation
Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited (BSVL) Full consolidation Significant business and financial linkages and common management
BSV Biosciences Inc, USA (BSVBI) Full consolidation Significant business and financial linkages, common management and wholly owned subsidiary of BSVL
BSV Biosciences Gmbh, Germany (BSVBG) Full consolidation Significant business and financial linkages, common management and wholly owned subsidiary of BSVL
BSV Biosciences Philippines Inc (BSVBPI) Full consolidation Significant business and financial linkages, common management and wholly owned subsidiary of BSVL
Kasiak Research Private Limited (KRPL) Full consolidation Significant business and financial linkages, common management and wholly owned subsidiary of BSVL
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
Commercial Paper  ST    --    --    --  05-07-18  Withdrawal  23-06-17  CRISIL A1  CRISIL A1 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  222.00  CRISIL A+/Stable      26-11-19  CRISIL A+/Stable  05-07-18  CRISIL A+/Stable  23-06-17  CRISIL A+/Stable  CRISIL A+/Stable 
            30-10-19  CRISIL A+/Stable           
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  18.00  CRISIL A1      26-11-19  CRISIL A1  05-07-18  CRISIL A1  23-06-17  CRISIL A1  CRISIL A1 
            30-10-19  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 37 CRISIL A+/Stable Cash Credit 73 CRISIL A+/Stable
Foreign Currency Term Loan 20 CRISIL A+/Stable Letter of Credit 27 CRISIL A1
Letter of Credit 18 CRISIL A1 Working Capital Facility 140 CRISIL A+/Stable
Working Capital Facility 140 CRISIL A+/Stable -- 0 --
Proposed Working Capital Facility 25 CRISIL A+/Stable -- 0 --
Total 240 -- Total 240 --
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 the Pharmaceutical Industry
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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