Rating Rationale
December 04, 2020 | Mumbai
C. J. Shah and Co.
Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.932 Crore
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 rating on the short-term bank facility of C. J. Shah and Co. (CJ Shah; part of the CJ Shah group) at 'CRISIL A1'.
 
The rating reflects the stable operating performance in fiscal 2020, backed by steady margins amidst the unprecedented pandemic situation. The rating also factors in the extensive experience of the partners in the petrochemicals trading business, and the diversified product and customer base. Adequate risk management practices have helped sustain profitability despite volatility in foreign exchange (forex) rates and commodity prices, mainly crude.
 
Operating margin should remain at similar levels in fiscal 2021 as a large proportion of order-backed sales and low inventory holding period limits the price risk. Higher resilience of end user industries such as paints, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals will also help mitigate the impact of the pandemic on revenue performance in the current fiscal. Sound risk mitigation practices and low receivables along with healthy increase in profit, will minimise dependence on external debt.
 
Financial profile remains healthy, backed by nil long-term debt and adequate liquidity. Though improvement in net worth could be constrained by capital withdrawals, low capital expenditure (capex) needs and efficient working capital management will reduce dependence on external debt and help maintain a cash surplus in the medium term. These rating strengths are partially offset by exposure to inventory and forex risk, and susceptibility to market risk in the investment portfolio.

Analytical Approach

In accordance with the homogeneous group criteria, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of CJ Shah, CJS Specialty Chemicals Pvt Ltd and CJW collectively referred to as the CJ Shah group to arrive at the rating.

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
* Extensive experience of the promoters
The three-decade-long experience of the promoters in the chemicals trading industry and their established relationships with large suppliers and customers should continue to support the business.
 
* Diversified product portfolio and customer base
The group has over 100 products across additives, resins, pigments, plasticisers, solvents, agro chemicals, and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The well-diversified product portfolio insulates revenue from cyclicality in any particular sector. The group is the exclusive distributor of certain global chemical companies for the Indian market.    
 
* Healthy financial risk profile
Limited capex intensity and efficient working capital requirement have minimised dependence on external debt and led to a comfortable gearing ratio. Inventory and receivables are also low, in line with peers, and are largely offset by equivalent creditors. Financial risk profile should thus, remain comfortable aided by minimal debt and maintenance of healthy cash surplus over the medium term.
 
Weaknesses
* Susceptible to volatility in key commodity prices and exposure to inventory risks
Most of the traded goods are imported, while domestic sales contribute most of the revenue, thus exposing the company to build-up of inventory till favourable prices are reached. Although it mitigates this risk through order-backed procurement and forward contracts, profitability should remain susceptible to sudden sharp movements in currency or commodity rates, to the extent of the uncovered exposure.
 
* Constrained accretions to net worth and high total outside liabilities to tangible net worth (TOL/TNW) ratio
Regular capital withdrawals made by the promoters over the past three fiscals have resulted in constrained accretion to net worth. This, coupled with the trading nature of operations, have led to a relatively high TOL/TNW ratio during this period.
 
The net worth however, continues to remain sufficient for business requirements and withdrawal levels will be a key monitorable for the entity.
Liquidity Adequate

Liquidity is adequate, marked by minimum capex requirement and subsequently low dependence on external long-term debt. Cash and cash equivalents are adequate. Utilisation of fund-based facilities was low, and that for non-fund based facilities averaged around 80% during Fiscal 2021.

Rating sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Prudent working capital management and healthy accretion to net worth, leading to improvement in the TOLTNW ratio below 1.5 times and further build-up in cash surplus.
* Substantial increase in scale of operations and sustenance of operating profitability 
 
Downward factors
* Significant increase in working capital or large capital withdrawal, weakening in key credit metrics; for example, the TOLTNW ratio in excess of 4.0 times
* Substantial decline in operating margin to below 3% caused by fluctuations in forex rates and commodity prices

About the Group

CJ Shah was set up by the late Mr Mahesh Shah in 1961, and is currently managed by his son, Mr. Apurva Shah. The firm imports petrochemicals, and sells them to paints and agro-chemical companies. It is an exclusive distributor of certain chemicals of global companies for the Indian market.
 
In 2008, the Shah Brothers promoted a company, CJS Specialty Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. This entity trades exclusively in specialty chemicals. The brothers have a majority holding in this company. Mr. Dharmesh Mange and Mr. Ashish Shah, two unrelated individuals with expertise in specialty chemicals, hold the rest.
 
In 2019, a part of CJ Shah was demerged to form a new entity, Shah CJ World LLP. This entity trades in drum packaging, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The company is solely managed by Mr Ashit Shah, younger brother of Mr Apurva Shah.

Key Financial Indicators - Consolidated CRISIL adjusted figures
As on / for the period ended March 31 Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 4691 4962
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore NA NA
PAT margin % NA NA
Adjusted debt/adjusted net worth Times NA NA
Interest coverage Times NA NA

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 Letter of credit NA NA NA 932 NA CRISIL A1
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Company name Subsidiary/Joint Venture/Group company Extent of consolidation
C J S Specialty Chemicals Pvt Ltd Group company Majority
Shah CJ World LLP Group company Majority
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
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  932.00  CRISIL A1      27-12-19  CRISIL A1  08-10-18  CRISIL A1  24-10-17  CRISIL A1  CRISIL A2+ 
            17-10-19  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
Letter of Credit 932 CRISIL A1 Letter of Credit 932 CRISIL A1
-- 0 -- Letter of Credit 130 Withdrawn
Total 932 -- Total 1062 --
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 Chemical Industry
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
Criteria for rating entities belonging to homogenous groups

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