Rating Rationale
October 31, 2020 | Mumbai
HCL Technologies Limited
Rating Reaffirmed 
 
Rating Action
Corporate Credit Rating CCR AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its corporate credit rating on HCL Technologies Limited (HCL Technologies) at 'CCR AAA/Stable'.
 
During fiscal 2020, revenues increased by 17% (constant currency growth of 16.7%) compared to the previous year driven by healthy demand for IT services across segments and steady monetization of the acquisitions mainly the acquired software products from International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). EBITDA margins also improved to 24.5% (compared to 23.4% in fiscal 2019) driven by improved operating efficiencies as well as increasing share of Mode 2 and 3 contracts which entail higher margins. Following a temporary blip during the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the deal momentum has reverted to healthy levels during second quarter of fiscal 2021 (15 large transformation deals across segments) driven by strong end market demand for cloud migration and digital transformation projects. Consequently, revenues are expected to grow at about 6% in fiscal 2021 compared to the previous year.
 
The rating reflects the company's strong market position because of presence across diverse verticals and service lines, and robust financial risk profile driven by large networth, strong debt protection metrics, and robust liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to intense competition in the information technology (IT) industry and volatility in foreign exchange rates. Regulatory changes including significant protectionist measures (particularly by the US) and sizeable debt-funded acquisitions will be key rating sensitivity factors over the medium term.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of HCL Technologies and its subsidiaries as they are in the same business. CRISIL has also amortised the goodwill arising out of HCL Technologies' acquisition of Axon Group Plc over a 10-year period; adjusted networth was Rs 49,565 crore as on March 31, 2020.

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:
* Strong business risk profile, marked by presence across diverse verticals and service lines, and healthy operating profitability - HCL Technologies is the third-largest, listed Indian information technology (IT) services provider in terms of revenue. It has established a diverse industry-vertical portfolio which has enabled it to better mitigate the Covid-19 induced sector-specific slowdown in fiscal 2021. Financial services segment contributed 21.1% of revenues during fiscal 2020, followed by manufacturing (20.7%), technology & services (16.2%); other segments in life sciences & healthcare, retail & CPG and others contributed the remaining 42.0%.
 
The company has further strengthened its capabilities in IT products and platforms segment with the acquisition of IBM's intellectual property rights for seven of its product suites in fiscal 2020. This has additionally provided access to a large addressable market across geographies and niche technological capabilities. Over the past two years the company has been steadily increasing its share of digital revenues driven by its 'Mode 2'and 'Mode 3' segment (contribution has increased from 23.4% in fiscal 2018 to 34.9% in fiscal 2020). The major acquisitions including Actian and C3i Solutions (in April 2019) and DWS (in September 2020) will further support this long term business expansion towards providing digital solutions.
 
The continuous improvement in efficiency parameters, profitable monetisation of acquired IP assets and increasing contribution from higher-margin digital contracts will help mitigate the pressure created on operating margins by the industry-wide issue of increasing employee costs, investments for enhancing capabilities as well as regulatory compliance.
 
* Healthy financial risk profile ' Healthy capital structure with comfortable gearing at 0.10 time, large networth of Rs 49,565 crore and cash and cash equivalents of Rs 11,965 crore as on March 31, 2020. Debt-protection metrics are robust, with interest coverage ratio of 37 times and net cash accrual to total debt ratio of 2.5 times in fiscal 2020. HCL Technologies is expected to invest in niche acquisitions to strengthen its existing portfolio in the medium term and will be largely funded from its cash surplus and healthy accruals.
 
Weakness:
* Exposure to intense competition in the IT industry ' Company has to compete with Indian IT majors such as TCS, Infosys (rated CRISIL AAA/Stable/ A1+), Cognizant, and Wipro; and also global players such as IBM, Accenture, and DXC Technology. CRISIL believes that though HCL Technologies, with its diversified service and vertical mix along with deeper client mining, will continue to register healthy revenue growth over the medium term; albeit it will remain exposed to intense competition from its peers in the industry. CRISIL also believes that to leverage the opportunities arising in the global markets and cushion medium-term volatility, domestic IT companies will need to realign their cost structures, and improve operating efficiencies and financial flexibility.
Liquidity Strong

Liquidity remains strong driven by cash surplus of Rs 11,965 crore as of March 2020. Repayment obligations remains moderate at about Rs 378 crore and Rs 272 crore in fiscal 2021 and 2022 respectively. Capex requirements are also expected to remain moderate at about Rs 4,000 crore per annum to fund the internal product development marketing and client acquisition costs. This will be funded through healthy accruals of greater than Rs 10,000 crore over the medium term. During June 2020, HCL technologies paid the second and final tranche towards the acquisition of IBM assets (about Rs 6000 crore).

Outlook: Stable
CRISIL believes HCL Technologies will sustain its business risk profile over the medium term, driven by healthy revenue growth across segments, expanding customer base and timely execution of large deals. Furthermore, financial risk profile will continue to be backed by strong cash generating abilities, robust debt protection metrics, and cash surplus.
 
Rating Sensitive factors:
Downward factors:
* Decline in OPBDIT (Operating profit before depreciation, interest and tax) margins below 19% levels (compared to 24.54% reported in fiscal 2020).
 
* Sustained slowdown in revenue growth due to regulatory changes in the regions in which it operates, resulting in weakening of business risk profile, overriding the advantage of healthy diversity in clientele and geographies.
 
* Sustained reduction in cash surplus below Rs 5000 crore (compared to Rs 11,985 crore as of March 2020) due to large acquisitions or capital return to investors which can impact the healthy financial risk profile.

About the Company

HCL Technologies is one of the leading Indian IT service providers that offers enterprise application services, engineering, research and development, custom applications, remote infrastructure management, and business process outsourcing. The company caters to various industry verticals including financial services, manufacturing, telecom, retail, life sciences, media and entertainment, and energy and utilities.
 
For the six month period ended September 30, 2020, the company reported a PAT of Rs. 6081 crores (Rs. 4941 crores in the corresponding period of fiscal 2019), on net revenues of Rs 36,436 crores (Rs. 33,954 crores in the corresponding period of fiscal 2019).

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31   2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 70,689 60,453
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 10,848 10,120
PAT margins % 15.3 16.7
Adjusted debt/adjusted net worth Times 0.10 0.10
Interest coverage Times 37 81

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. Crore) Complexity levels Rating assigned with outlook
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA CCR AAA/Stable
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Name of entity Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
HCL Comnet Systems & Services Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Comnet Limited Full Operational similarities
Statestreet HCL Services (India) Private Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Eagle limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Global Processing Services Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Solutions Limited Full Operational similarities
Concept2Silicon Services Private Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Training & Staffing Services Private Limited Full Operational similarities
C3i Support Services Private Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Bermuda Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies (Shanghai) Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Singapore Pte. Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Great Britain Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL (Netherlands) BV Full Operational similarities
HCL Belgium NV Full Operational similarities
HCL Sweden AB Full Operational similarities
HCL GmbH Full Operational similarities
HCL Italy SRL Full Operational similarities
HCL Australia Services Pty. Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL (New Zealand) Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Hong Kong SAR Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Japan Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL America Inc. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Austria GmbH Full Operational similarities
HCL Poland Sp.z.o.o Full Operational similarities
HCL EAS Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Insurance BPO Services Limited Full Operational similarities
Axon Group Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Axon Technologies Inc. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Solutions GmbH Full Operational similarities
Axon Solutions  Pty. Limited Full Operational similarities
Axon Solutions Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Axon Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. Full Operational similarities
Axon Solutions Singapore Pte. Limited Full Operational similarities
Axon Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Axon (Proprietary) Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Argentina s.a. Full Operational similarities
HCL Mexico S. de R.L. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Romania s.r.l. Full Operational similarities
HCL Hungary Kft Full Operational similarities
HCL Latin America Holding LLC Full Operational similarities
HCL (Brazil) Technologia da informacao Ltda. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Denmark Apps Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Norway AS Full Operational similarities
PT. HCL Technologies Indonesia Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Philippines Inc. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies South Africa (Proprietary) Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Arabia LLC Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies France SAS Full Operational similarities
Filial Espanola De HCL Technologies S.L Full Operational similarities
Anzospan Investments Pty Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Investments (UK) Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL America Solutions Inc. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Chile Spa Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies UK Limited Full Operational similarities
Statestreet HCL Holding UK Limited Full Operational similarities
Statestreet HCL Services (Phillipines) Inc. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies B.V. Full Operational similarities
HCL (Ireland) Information Systems Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Germany Gmbh Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Belgium BVBA Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Sweden AB Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Finland Oy Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Italy S.P.A Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Columbia S.A.S Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Middle East FZ-LLC Full Operational similarities
HCL Istanbul Bilisim Teknolojileri Limited Sirketi Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Greece Single Member P.C Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies S.A. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Beijing Co. Ltd Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Luxembourg S.a r.l Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Egypt Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Estonia OÃ'' Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies (Thailand) Ltd. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o. Full Operational similarities
HCL Muscat Technologies L.L.C. Full Operational similarities
Powerteam, LLC Full Operational similarities
Point To Point Limited Full Operational similarities
Point to Point Products Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Lithuania UAB Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies (Taiwan) Ltd. Full Operational similarities
Geometric Americas, Inc. Full Operational similarities
Geometric Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd Full Operational similarities
Geometric Europe GmbH Full Operational similarities
Geometric China, Inc. Full Operational similarities
Geometric SRL Full Operational similarities
Geometric SAS Full Operational similarities
Butler America Aerospace LLC Full Operational similarities
HCL Mortgage Holding LLC Full Operational similarities
Urban Fulfillment Services LLC Full Operational similarities
Datawave (An HCL Technologies Company) Limited (formely known as 'ETL Factory Limited" Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Corporate Services Limited Full Operational similarities
Telerx Marketing, Inc. Full Operational similarities
C3i Europe Eood Full Operational similarities
C3i (UK) Limited Full Operational similarities
C3i Japan GK Full Operational similarities
C3i Services &Technologies (Dalian) Co., Ltd Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies SEP Holdings Inc Full Operational similarities
Actian Corporation (and including its subsidiaries) Full Operational similarities
Honisgberg & Duvel Corporation Full Operational similarities
Honisgberg & Duvel Datentichnik GMBH Full Operational similarities
H&D Business Services GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D IT Solutions GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D Training und Consulting GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D IT Professional Services GmbH Full Operational similarities
qmo-it GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D Services for Engineering GmbH Full Operational similarities
catis GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D IT Automotive Services GmbH Full Operational similarities
ca Management Services GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D ITAS Infrastructure Services GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D ITAS Application Services GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D ITAS Client Services GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D ITAS SÃ'¼d GmbH Full Operational similarities
H&D International GmbH Full Operational similarities
HÃ'¶nigsberg & DÃ'¼vel Datentechnik Czech s.r.o. Full Operational similarities
HCL Technologies Vietnam Company Limited Full Operational similarities
HCL Guatemala Sociedad Anonima Full Operational similarities
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
CCR              12-12-18  CCR AAA/Stable  24-03-17  CCR AAA/Stable  CCR AAA 
                19-07-18  CCR AAA/Stable  13-02-17  CCR AAA/Stable   
                23-04-18  CCR AAA/Stable       
                06-04-18  CCR AAA/Stable       
--  CCR  0.00  CCR AAA/Stable      09-10-19  CCR AAA/Stable    --    --  -- 
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating Criteria for Software Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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