Rating Rationale
August 24, 2022 | Mumbai
CMR Nikkei India Private Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A+/Positive/CRISIL A1'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.166.6 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL A+/Positive (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1 (Reaffirmed)
Note: None of the Directors on CRISIL Ratings Limited’s Board are members of rating committee and thus do not participate in discussion or assignment of any ratings. The Board of Directors also does not discuss any ratings at its meetings.
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detailed Rationale

CRISIL Ratings has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A+/Positive/CRISIL A1’ ratings on the bank facilities of CMR Nikkei India Private Limited (CMRN; part of the CMR group).

 

The ratings reflect the healthy business risk profile of CMRN, supported by established position in the aluminium recycling industry with strong technical capabilities and high operating efficiencies; comfortable financial risk profile and significant synergies as well as strong business and financial support from parent, CMR Green Technologies Ltd (CMRG; ‘CRISIL A+/Positive/CRISIL A1’). These strengths are partially offset by exposure to cyclicality in the automobile (auto) industry and to volatility in metal prices.

 

CMRN’s revenues have improved significantly by more than 100% in fiscal 2022 led by price increase of aluminium, recovery in demand, ramp up of new capacities, increase in exports. Similar to the parent, CMRN has strengthened its competitive edge in supplying molten aluminium and ingot to auto companies over the last five fiscals. Furthermore, longstanding relationships with customers and favourable location of plants will result in healthy revenue growth of 8-12% per annum over the medium term.

 

The operating profitability has declined to around 6.9% during fiscal 2022 due to increase of aluminium prices. However, with aluminium prices expected to soften in current fiscal, CRISIL Ratings expects operating profitability to improve driven by increase in capacity utilisation.

 

Financial risk profile remains strong, marked by an adjusted networth of over Rs 252 crore as on March 31, 2022, led by a higher profitability from increase in scale aiding accretion to reserves, along with comfortable equity capital invested in the business. Liquidity too is aided by sufficient cash accrual of Rs 70-75 crore. Any large debt funded capex remains a key monitorable.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL Ratings has applied the parent notch-up framework to factor in the strong business, managerial and financial linkages with the parent, CMR Green Technologies Limited.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Strong support of CMR and commonality in business: CMRN is a key entity for the CMR group, which has a capacity of over 420,000 tonne per annum spread across 11 plants. The group holds about 60% market share in liquid aluminium and 30-35% market share in recycled aluminium industry (1.3 million tonne capacity). CMRN, with a production capacity of 70,000 MT per annum, contributes to almost 25% of revenue and operating profit of the group.

 

CMRG specialises in molten aluminium technology which provides benefits such as over-the-road supply and cost savings on inventory. The company follows the hub-and-spoke model for in areas where its plants are located close to units of major auto original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and has maintained healthy relationships with customers.

 

The management has over three decades of experience in the aluminium recycling industry. The CMR group has invested in several technologies and formed joint ventures with many global players to use advanced aluminium recycling processes. The group has pioneered the liquid aluminium technology and over the past five years has launched several other technologies to generate better scrap yield and segregate minute aluminium. Steady pace of investments in newer capabilities should benefit all group entities, including CMRN. CMRG will continue to extend financial support in a timely manner in case of exigency.

 

  • Healthy position in the recycled aluminium industry and high operating efficiency: The company follows the hub-and-spoke model for over-the-road molten aluminium technology in areas where its plants are near the units of major auto OEMs. This has enabled it to develop healthy relationships with customers and save inventory cost.

 

Operating margin has been high largely because of material cost efficiencies achieved by investing in technologies such as hot refining and cold refining. Yield from scrap has improved to about 80% from 75% earlier. The group has pass-through clauses that mitigate the impact of price volatility on margin.

 

Moreover, a robust centralised IT (information technology) system supports overall manufacturing process. Since every consignment is different, the IT system becomes crucial in determining its exact composite and managing inventory effectively. It tracks material buying, logistics, production and sorting of materials. This has resulted in cost efficiencies and operating margin of 6.9% in fiscal 2022. Return on capital employed also remained healthy at about 30%.

 

  • Comfortable financial risk profile: Cash accrual of Rs 70-75 crore per annum should suffice to cover the average capex of Rs 20-25 crore per fiscal over the medium term. Cash accrual should suffice to cover the capex, though the group may have to raise external debt to fund any large capex/acquisition. Networth and gearing are estimated at over Rs 252 crore and 0.6 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2022. Debt protection metrics are strong, with interest coverage and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratios of 8.9 times and 0.5 times, respectively, for fiscal 2022.

 

Weakness:

  • Susceptibility to cyclicality in the auto industry and limited pricing power: The auto industry is inherently cyclical, with performance linked to the economy. High dependence on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) partially limits pricing power. Also, operating profitability is exposed to volatility in raw material prices.

Liquidity: Strong

CMRN is likely to have sufficient liquidity, driven by healthy cash accrual of Rs 70-75 crore in fiscal 2022. The fund-based limits of Rs 154 crore was utilised at 58% on average during the 6 months through June 2022. Internal accrual, cash and its equivalent, and unutilised bank limit should comfortably cover the debt obligation and working capital requirement. However, the company may need to raise external debt to fund its capex or additional working capital expenses.

Outlook: Positive

The company is expected to maintain its position in the aluminium recycling industry and benefit from healthy growth prospects. Steady cash-generating ability, improving profitability and moderate capex are also expected to help sustain healthy financial risk profile over the medium term.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors

  • Improvement in the rating of parent by one notch
  • Sustained increase in scale of operations and cash accrual leading to higher contribution to group’s revenue and sustenance of financial risk profile

 

Downward factors

  • Decline in operating margin to below 5%
  • Large, debt-funded acquisition or capex weakening financial risk profile
  • Moderation in rating of parent by one notch

About the Company

CMRN was formed in November 2013, as a joint venture between CMRG and Nikkei MC Aluminium, Japan, which hold 74% and 26% stake, respectively. The company took over the aluminium alloy business of Nippon Light Metal, and has an annual production capacity of 70,000 MT currently. Nikkei MC Aluminium, Japan is the second largest producer of aluminium alloys in Japan.

 

CMRN’s plant has pioneered the use of a tilting rotary furnace imported from France, over-the-road transfer technology from Japan and sorting technology from China. Baghouse was introduced in this plant for superior pollution control. The plant, spread over five acres, is a state-of-the-art facility for supplying ingot and molten metal.

About the Group

CMR is India’s largest producer of aluminium and zinc die-casting alloys with a combined annual capacity of over 420,000 tpa. The CMR group is also engaged in the segregation and sale of metal scrap (with specific focus on stainless steel, brass, copper and zinc).

Key Financial Indicators

As of period ended March 31

Unit

2022

2021

Revenue

Rs crore

1529

745

Profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

65

38

PAT margin

%

4.3

5.1

Adjusted debt/adjusted net worth

Times

0.6

0.2

Interest coverage

Times

8.9

7.4

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL Ratings` 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.

CRISIL Ratings will disclose complexity level for all securities - including those that are yet to be placed - based on available information. The complexity level for instruments may be updated, where required, in the rating rationale published subsequent to the issuance of the instrument when details on such features are available.

For more details on the CRISIL Ratings` complexity levels please visit www.crisilratings.com. 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)

Complexity Level

Rating assigned 

with outlook

NA

Cash Credit*

NA

NA

NA

155

NA

CRISIL A+/Positive

NA

Bank Guarantee#

NA

NA

NA

11.6

NA

CRISIL A1

*Interchangeable with WCDL/FCNRB/Working capital loan

#Interchangeable with LC/SBLC/Buyer’s Credit/Bank Guarantee

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2022 (History) 2021  2020  2019  Start of 2019
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 155.0 CRISIL A+/Positive   -- 07-12-21 CRISIL A+/Positive   -- 22-08-19 Withdrawn (Issuer Not Cooperating)* CRISIL A-/Stable
      --   -- 29-09-21 CRISIL A+/Stable   --   -- --
      --   -- 14-06-21 CRISIL A+/Stable   --   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 11.6 CRISIL A1   -- 07-12-21 CRISIL A1   -- 22-08-19 Withdrawn (Issuer Not Cooperating)* CRISIL A2+
      --   -- 29-09-21 CRISIL A1   --   -- --
      --   -- 14-06-21 CRISIL A1   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
* - Issuer did not cooperate; based on best-available information
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee& 11.6 IndusInd Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Cash Credit^ 25 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL A+/Positive
Cash Credit^ 25 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL A+/Positive
Cash Credit^ 30 IndusInd Bank Limited CRISIL A+/Positive
Cash Credit^ 55 State Bank of India CRISIL A+/Positive
Cash Credit^ 20 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A+/Positive
This Annexure has been updated on 24-Aug-2022 in line with the lender-wise facility details as on 31-Jul-2021 received from the rated entity
& - Interchangeable with LC/SBLC/Buyer's credit/Bank Guarantee
^ - Interchangeable with WCDL/FCNRB/Working capital loan.
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support
Mapping global scale ratings onto CRISIL scale

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