Rating Rationale
August 10, 2020 | Mumbai
Dr. Lal Pathlabs Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.60 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA-/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 AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the bank facilities of Dr. Lal Pathlabs Ltd (DRLPL; a part of the DRLPL group).
 
The reaffirmation factors in the DRLPL group's performance in fiscal 2020 and anticipated impact on the performance in fiscal 2021 amid Covid-19 pandemic. The DRLPL group generated operating income and EBIDTA of Rs 1331 crore and Rs 329 crore in fiscal 2020, in line with CRISIL's expectations.
 
The operations of the group were slightly impacted in March because of the nationwide lockdown announced by the government on March 22, 2020. This was reflected in decline in revenue and EBIDTA by 8% and 30% respectively in Q4 FY20 compared to performance in Q3 FY20. Higher decline in EBIDTA was because of larger proportion of fixed cost to be incurred by the group
 
In fiscal 2021, DRLPL group's performance is expected to decline compared to fiscal 2020 as demand of its products is largely a function of private OPDs, whose operations have been impacted significantly during the lockdown period. This is reflected in group's performance for first three months of fiscal 2021 wherein it reported operating income and profit after tax of Rs 266 crore and Rs 28 crore, i.e. year-on-year decline of 21% and 52% respectively. Despite an anticipated decline, group's business and financial risk profiles are expected to remain comfortable.
 
The ratings continue to reflect the group's leading position in the pathology laboratories (path lab) services segment supported by an established brand and strong infrastructure network; and healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to intense competition, and moderate entry barriers to the path lab services industry.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of DRLPL and its subsidiaries: Paliwal Diagnostic Pvt Ltd, Paliwal Medicare Pvt Ltd, APL Institute of Clinical Laboratory & Research Pvt Ltd, Dr Lal Pathlabs Nepal Pvt Ltd, Dr Lal Pathlabs International B.V., Dr Lal Pathlabs Bangladesh Pvt Ltd, Dr Lal Ventures Pvt Ltd, PathLabs Unifiers Pvt Ltd and Dr. Lal Pathlabs Kenya Pvt Ltd, Centrapath Labs Pvt Ltd and APRL Pathlabs Pvt Ltd. All these entities are collectively referred to as the DRLPL group.
 
Earnings before interest, depreciation, tax and amortization (EBIDTA) for fiscal 2020 has been adjusted by including interest on lease liability of Rs 15 crore.


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: 
* Leading market position backed by established brand and strong infrastructure network: The group has maintained its dominant position in the Indian path lab industry, reflected in its operating income of Rs 133 crore in fiscal 2020, and pan-India network of 216 clinical laboratories (including national reference lab in Delhi and regional reference lab in Kolkata), 3095 patient service centres, and 6995 pick-up points.
 
* Strong financial risk profile: Networth was large at over Rs 932 crore as on March 31, 2020, because of healthy accretion to reserves. Debt-free status for the five fiscals through 2020 has led to a total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratio of below 0.2 time and robust debt protection metrics with adjusted interest cover of 8432 times in fiscal 2020.
 
Weakness:
* Exposure to intense competition: Intense competition in the diagnostic services market, which has several large and small players offering similar services, results in pricing pressure. Thus, despite being in the industry for over five decades, the group has a small market share.
Liquidity Superior

Liquidity is superior, driven by healthy cash reserves of Rs 759.8 crore (Rs 1-2 crore are lien marked against bank guarantees) as on June 30, 2020 in form of cash and fixed deposits balance in bank and also market instruments like mutual funds. Average utilisation of the fund-based bank limit of Rs 25 crore was negligible during the 12 months through June 2020. There is nil debt on the books for the last five fiscals through March 2020. Cash accrual should be sufficient to finance capital expenditure (capex) and working capital requirement over the medium term.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes that over the medium term, the DRLPL group will maintain its leading market position in path lab services industry, backed by an established brand and widespread infrastructure network; and will sustain its strong financial risk profile supported by healthy net cash accrual.

Rating Sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Significant diversification in revenue profile
* Sustaining operating profitability at over 24%, along with a conservative approach towards debt
 
Downward factors
* Considerable decline in operating margin by over 400 basis points
* Large, debt-funded capex or acquisition, adversely impacting the financial risk profile with the gearing increasing to above 0.5 time
* Considerable reduction in cash and liquid investments
About the Group

DRLPL is the flagship company of the DRLPL group. Set up as a partnership firm in 1949 by the late Dr S K Lal, it was reconstituted as a private limited company in 1992. The entity was further reconstituted as a public limited company before being listed on the National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange in December 2015. DRLPL operates its own path labs, while collection centres are primarily run on a franchisee model. Though operations are spread across the country, northern India accounts for over 70% of total revenue.

Key Financial Indicators*
As on / for the period ended March 31   2020 2019
Operating income Rs crore 1331 1204
Reported profit after tax Rs crore 228 200
PAT margins % 17.1 16.6
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth Times 0.00 0.00
Interest coverage Times 8431.9 350.8
*The above figures are CRISIL-adjusted numbers

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 Facility Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity date Issue size (Rs crore) Complexity Level Rating assigned with outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 25 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 34.5 NA CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 0.5 NA CRISIL A1+
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Name of the company Extent of consolidation Rationale for Consolidation
Paliwal Diagnostics Pvt Ltd Full Subsidiary with 80% of shares held by DRLPL in the entity.
Paliwal Medicare Pvt Ltd Full Subsidiary with 80% of shares held by DRLPL in the entity.
APL Institute of Clinical Laboratory & Research Pvt Ltd Full Wholly owned subsidiary
Dr. Lal PathLabs Nepal Pvt Ltd Full Wholly owned subsidiary
Dr. Lal PathLabs International B.V. Full Directly held subsidiary but with no capital subscription
Dr. Lal PathLabs Bangladesh Pvt Ltd Full Subsidiary with 71.83% of shares held by DRLPL in the entity.
Dr Lal Ventures Pvt Ltd Full Wholly owned subsidiary
PathLabs Unifiers Pvt Ltd Full Wholly owned subsidiary
Dr. Lal PathLabs Kenya Pvt Ltd Full Wholly owned subsidiary
Centrapath Labs Pvt Ltd Full Step down subsidiary with 70% of shares held by DRLPL in the entity.
APRL Pathlabs Pvt Ltd Full Step down subsidiary with 70% of shares held by DRLPL in the entity.
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  59.50  CRISIL AA-/Stable      27-09-19  CRISIL AA-/Stable  05-06-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  22-02-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  CRISIL AA-/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  0.50  CRISIL A1+      27-09-19  CRISIL A1+  05-06-18  CRISIL A1+  22-02-17  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
Bank Guarantee .5 CRISIL A1+ Bank Guarantee .5 CRISIL A1+
Cash Credit 25 CRISIL AA-/Stable Cash Credit 25 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 34.5 CRISIL AA-/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 34.5 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Total 60 -- Total 60 --
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 Criteria for Consolidation

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