Rating Rationale
March 13, 2023 | Mumbai
Goldstone Technologies Limited
Rating upgraded to 'CRISIL BB-/Stable'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.5 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL BB-/Stable (Upgraded from 'CRISIL B+/Stable')
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 upgraded its rating on the long-term bank facilities of Goldstone Technologies Ltd (GTL; part of the GTL group) to CRISIL BB-/Stable’ from ‘CRISIL B+/Stable.

 

The upgrade reflects the improvement in the business risk profile driven by expected increase in operating margin to around 3% in fiscal 2023 from 0.62% in fiscal 2021. The rating action also factors in the improvement in the financial risk profile, with return on capital employed (RoCE) expected at 4.5 times in fiscal 2023 (0.35 time in fiscal 2021). Interest coverage ratio improved to 9.16 times in fiscal 2022 from 1.94 times in fiscal 2021.

 

The rating reflects the extensive experience of the promoter in the information technology (IT) services industry and the above-average financial risk profile of the group. These strengths are partially offset by modest scale of operations, customer concentration in revenue and exposure to intense competition.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL Ratings has combined the business and financial risk profiles of GTL and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Staytop Systems Inc (SSI) and Staytop Systems and Software Pvt Ltd (SSSPL). This is because all these entities, collectively referred to as the GTL group, are in the same business and have significant operational and financial linkages.

 

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:

Extensive experience of the promoter: The promoter’s experience of 10 years in the IT services industry and healthy relationships with customers and suppliers will continue to support the business.

 

Partnerships with other IT services companies: The company has entered into strategic partnerships with software companies such as Fivetran, Snowflake, Simply Learn, Alteryx UK, DVW UK, as well as Tableau to sell its business intelligence products and software services. With these partnerships, revenue is expected to improve from fiscal 2023.

 

Above-average financial risk profile

Limited reliance on debt has kept the financial risk profile moderate. Aided by equity infusion, networth increased to around Rs 57 crore as on March 31, 2022, from Rs 34.6 crore on March 31, 2021. Gearing and total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratios will be comfortable over the medium term. However, the debt protection metrics will be subdued, constrained by modest operating margin. 

 

Weaknesses:

Modest scale of operations amid intense competition: Intense competition constrains scalability, as reflected in revenue of Rs 60.98 crore in fiscal 2022. Furthermore, the operating margin was negative (2.10%) in fiscal 2022.

 

High customer concentration in revenue: Key customers such as Cisco, Dr Reddy’s, Genpact, Eveready and ORACLE accounted for over 40% of the topline in fiscal 2022. Thus, the GTL group remains vulnerable to changes in the business policies of these clients.

Liquidity: Adequate

Bank limit utilisation was moderate at 62% on average for the 13 months through October 2022. Cash accrual, expected at Rs 2-3 crore per annum, will sufficiently cover yearly term debt obligation which is negligble over the medium term, and cushion liquidity.

 

Current ratio was healthy at 3.84 times as on March 31, 2022, while cash and bank balance was small around Rs 7 lakh as on the same date. Low gearing and moderate networth support financial flexibility, which will cushion adverse conditions or downturns in the business.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes the GTL group will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of its promoter.

Rating Sensitivity Factors

Upward factors:

  • Increase in operating margin to 6% leading to higher cash accrual
  • Improvement in RoCE and debt protection metrics

 

Downward factors:

  • Decline in operating margin to less than 2% resulting in lower cash accrual
  • Stretched working capital cycle driven by delay in collection of receivables

About the Company

Incorporated in 1994 in Hyderabad, GTL is promoted by Mr LP Sashikumar. The company provides software development and management services. It is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.

 

SSI and SSSPL are wholly owned subsidiaries of GTL. SSI provides IT related services, but there are no operations under SSSPL.

 

As on December 31, 2022, the GTL group reported consolidated revenue and profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 66.57 crore and Rs 1.17 crore, respectively.

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit

2022

2021

Operating income

Rs crore

60.98

50.41

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

0.51

-0.57

PAT margin

%

0.83

-1.14

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

0.06

0.00

Interest coverage

Times

9.16

1.94

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

Overdraft Facility

NA

NA

NA

4

NA

CRISIL BB-/Stable

NA

Overdraft Facility

NA

NA

NA

1

NA

CRISIL BB-/Stable

Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated

Names of entities consolidated

Extent of consolidation

Rationale for consolidation

Goldstone Technologies Ltd

Full consolidation

Same business and operational and financial linkages

Staytop Systems Inc

Full consolidation

Same business and operational and financial linkages

Staytop Systems and Software Pvt Ltd

Full consolidation

Same business and operational and financial linkages

 

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2023 (History) 2022  2021  2020  Start of 2020
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 5.0 CRISIL BB-/Stable   -- 28-01-22 CRISIL B+/Stable   -- 20-10-20 CRISIL B+/Stable CRISIL B+/Stable
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Overdraft Facility 4 CRISIL BB-/Stable
Overdraft Facility 1 CRISIL BB-/Stable
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
Rating Criteria for Software Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

Media Relations
Analytical Contacts
Customer Service Helpdesk

Aveek Datta
Media Relations
CRISIL Limited
M: +91 99204 93912
B: +91 22 3342 3000
AVEEK.DATTA@crisil.com

Prakruti Jani
Media Relations
CRISIL Limited
M: +91 98678 68976
B: +91 22 3342 3000
PRAKRUTI.JANI@crisil.com

Rutuja Gaikwad 
Media Relations
CRISIL Limited
B: +91 22 3342 3000
Rutuja.Gaikwad@ext-crisil.com


Himank Sharma
Director
CRISIL Ratings Limited
D:+91 124 672 2152
himank.sharma@crisil.com


Nagarjun Alaparthi
Associate Director
CRISIL Ratings Limited
B:+91 40 4032 8200
nagarjun.alaparthi@crisil.com


Shaik Nazir
Senior Rating Analyst
CRISIL Ratings Limited
B:+91 40 4032 8200
Shaik.Nazir@crisil.com
Timings: 10.00 am to 7.00 pm
Toll free Number:1800 267 1301

For a copy of Rationales / Rating Reports:
CRISILratingdesk@crisil.com
 
For Analytical queries:
ratingsinvestordesk@crisil.com


 

Note for Media:
This rating rationale is transmitted to you for the sole purpose of dissemination through your newspaper/magazine/agency. The rating rationale may be used by you in full or in part without changing the meaning or context thereof but with due credit to CRISIL Ratings. However, CRISIL Ratings alone has the sole right of distribution (whether directly or indirectly) of its rationales for consideration or otherwise through any media including websites and portals.


About CRISIL Ratings Limited (A subsidiary of CRISIL Limited, an S&P Global Company)

CRISIL Ratings pioneered the concept of credit rating in India in 1987. With a tradition of independence, analytical rigour and innovation, we set the standards in the credit rating business. We rate the entire range of debt instruments, such as bank loans, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, non-convertible/convertible/partially convertible bonds and debentures, perpetual bonds, bank hybrid capital instruments, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, partial guarantees and other structured debt instruments. We have rated over 33,000 large and mid-scale corporates and financial institutions. We have also instituted several innovations in India in the rating business, including ratings for municipal bonds, partially guaranteed instruments and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs).
 
CRISIL Ratings Limited ('CRISIL Ratings') is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CRISIL Limited ('CRISIL'). CRISIL Ratings Limited is registered in India as a credit rating agency with the Securities and Exchange Board of India ("SEBI").
 
For more information, visit www.crisilratings.com 

 



About CRISIL Limited

CRISIL is a leading, agile and innovative global analytics company driven by its mission of making markets function better. 

It is India’s foremost provider of ratings, data, research, analytics and solutions with a strong track record of growth, culture of innovation, and global footprint.

It has delivered independent opinions, actionable insights, and efficient solutions to over 100,000 customers through businesses that operate from India, the US, the UK, Argentina, Poland, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.

It is majority owned by S&P Global Inc, a leading provider of transparent and independent ratings, benchmarks, analytics and data to the capital and commodity markets worldwide.

For more information, visit www.crisil.com

Connect with us: TWITTER | LINKEDIN | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK


CRISIL PRIVACY NOTICE
 
CRISIL respects your privacy. We may use your contact information, such as your name, address and email id to fulfil your request and service your account and to provide you with additional information from CRISIL. For further information on CRISIL's privacy policy please visit www.crisil.com.



DISCLAIMER

This disclaimer is part of and applies to each credit rating report and/or credit rating rationale ('report') that is provided by CRISIL Ratings Limited ('CRISIL Ratings'). To avoid doubt, the term 'report' includes the information, ratings and other content forming part of the report. The report is intended for the jurisdiction of India only. This report does not constitute an offer of services. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, nothing in the report is to be construed as CRISIL Ratings providing or intending to provide any services in jurisdictions where CRISIL Ratings does not have the necessary licenses and/or registration to carry out its business activities referred to above. Access or use of this report does not create a client relationship between CRISIL Ratings and the user.

We are not aware that any user intends to rely on the report or of the manner in which a user intends to use the report. In preparing our report we have not taken into consideration the objectives or particular needs of any particular user. It is made abundantly clear that the report is not intended to and does not constitute an investment advice. The report is not an offer to sell or an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment in any securities, instruments, facilities or solicitation of any kind to enter into any deal or transaction with the entity to which the report pertains. The report should not be the sole or primary basis for any investment decision within the meaning of any law or regulation (including the laws and regulations applicable in the US).

Ratings from CRISIL Ratings are statements of opinion as of the date they are expressed and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, hold or sell any securities/instruments or to make any investment decisions. Any opinions expressed here are in good faith, are subject to change without notice, and are only current as of the stated date of their issue. CRISIL Ratings assumes no obligation to update its opinions following publication in any form or format although CRISIL Ratings may disseminate its opinions and analysis. The rating contained in the report is not a substitute for the skill, judgment and experience of the user, its management, employees, advisors and/or clients when making investment or other business decisions. The recipients of the report should rely on their own judgment and take their own professional advice before acting on the report in any way. CRISIL Ratings or its associates may have other commercial transactions with the entity to which the report pertains.

Neither CRISIL Ratings nor its affiliates, third-party providers, as well as their directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents (collectively, 'CRISIL Ratings Parties') guarantee the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the report, and no CRISIL Ratings Party shall have any liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein, regardless of the cause, or for the results obtained from the use of any part of the report. EACH CRISIL RATINGS PARTY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, SUITABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE. In no event shall any CRISIL Ratings Party be liable to any party for any direct, indirect, incidental, exemplary, compensatory, punitive, special or consequential damages, costs, expenses, legal fees or losses (including, without limitation, lost income or lost profits and opportunity costs) in connection with any use of any part of the report even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

CRISIL Ratings may receive compensation for its ratings and certain credit-related analyses, normally from issuers or underwriters of the instruments, facilities, securities or from obligors. Public ratings and analysis by CRISIL Ratings, as are required to be disclosed under the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (and other applicable regulations, if any), are made available on its website, www.crisilratings.com (free of charge). Reports with more detail and additional information may be available for subscription at a fee - more details about ratings by CRISIL Ratings are available here: www.crisilratings.com.

CRISIL Ratings and its affiliates do not act as a fiduciary. While CRISIL Ratings has obtained information from sources it believes to be reliable, CRISIL Ratings does not perform an audit and undertakes no duty of due diligence or independent verification of any information it receives and/or relies on in its reports. CRISIL Ratings has established policies and procedures to maintain the confidentiality of certain non-public information received in connection with each analytical process. CRISIL Ratings has in place a ratings code of conduct and policies for managing conflict of interest. For details please refer to:
https://www.crisil.com/en/home/our-businesses/ratings/regulatory-disclosures/highlighted-policies.html.

Rating criteria by CRISIL Ratings are generally available without charge to the public on the CRISIL Ratings public website, www.crisilratings.com. For latest rating information on any instrument of any company rated by CRISIL Ratings, you may contact the CRISIL Ratings desk at crisilratingdesk@crisil.com, or at (0091) 1800 267 1301.

This report should not be reproduced or redistributed to any other person or in any form without prior written consent from CRISIL Ratings.

All rights reserved @ CRISIL Ratings Limited. CRISIL Ratings is a wholly owned subsidiary of CRISIL Limited.

 

 

CRISIL Ratings uses the prefix 'PP-MLD' for the ratings of principal-protected market-linked debentures (PPMLD) with effect from November 1, 2011, to comply with the SEBI circular, "Guidelines for Issue and Listing of Structured Products/Market Linked Debentures". The revision in rating symbols for PPMLDs should not be construed as a change in the rating of the subject instrument. For details on CRISIL Ratings' use of 'PP-MLD' please refer to the notes to Rating scale for Debt Instruments and Structured Finance Instruments at the following link: https://www.crisil.com/en/home/our-businesses/ratings/credit-ratings-scale.html