Rating Rationale
July 05, 2018 | Mumbai
HT Media Limited
Rated amount enhanced 
 
Rating Action
Rs.250 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AA+/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Rs.1500 Crore Commercial Paper (Enhanced from Rs.1200 Crore) 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 debt instruments of HT Media Limited (HTML).

The ratings continue to reflect the strong position of the company's flagship English daily, Hindustan Times (HT), in the National Capital Region (NCR), and the established market position of its Hindi daily, Hindustan. The ratings also factor in HTML's strong financial risk profile because of healthy cash accrual and adequate liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by the investment phase of the company's digital and education businesses; low profitability of HT's Mumbai edition; and susceptibility of operating margin to volatility in newsprint prices and economic downturns.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of HTML and its subsidiaries. This is because all the entities, together referred to as HTML, are in related business and have common promoters.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established market position of publications: HT is the third-largest English daily in India with a circulation 11.7 lakh copies during July-December 2017, as per circulation audit by Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC). Hindustan is also the third-largest circulated Hindi daily with 27.6 lakh copies for the same period as per the ABC data. HT's strong market position in NCR and Hindustan's leadership position in Bihar and Jharkhand has helped HTML's overall business risk profile.

HTML has strengthened its position in the radio business through the launch of Radio Nasha in existing geographies of Delhi and Mumbai. The company is witnessing healthy revenue growth and operating margins in the radio business.

* Strong financial risk profile: Gearing was comfortable at 0.43 time as on March 31, 2018 (0.46 time as on March 31, 2017), while interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios improved to 7.8 times (5.2 times in fiscal 2017) and 0.39 time (0.30 time in fiscal 2017), respectively, in fiscal 2018. Cash accrual remained comfortable at Rs 464 crore during fiscal 2018. Capital structure is further strengthened by sizeable liquid surplus (Rs 2653 crore as on March 31, 2018) that comfortably exceeds total debt of Rs 1188 crore. Financial risk profile will remain steady over the medium term, supported by healthy cash accrual and absence of any large, debt-funded capital expenditure (capex)/investment.

Furthermore, the company had undertaken cost control measures such as rationalisation of employee and raw material costs in recent quarters; resulting in operating margin improvement to 17.0% in fiscal 2018 from 13.2% in the previous year. This has further led to higher cash accruals thereby supporting overall financial risk profile of the company.

Weaknesses
* Investment phase for digital business, and low profitability of Mumbai edition: Despite an established market position, healthy business risk profile, and revenue diversity, some of the company's business segments continue to be in the investment phase, thereby moderating overall operating profits and return on capital employed. The digital business will continue to be in the investment mode over the medium term, till the ecosystem develops for operations to gain traction. Moreover, although the Mumbai edition of HT has turned profitable from fiscal 2014, low profitability due to intense competition in the Mumbai market is expected to affect overall operating margin.

* Susceptibility of operating margin to volatility in newsprint prices and economic downturns: Business and financial risk profiles remain susceptible to sharp increase in newsprint prices and economic downturns. Notwithstanding the company's bulk procurement strategy, operating profitability will be affected if there is a significant increase in international newsprint prices. Any moderation in macro-economic growth is likely to result in slower advertising revenue growth, thereby affecting operating profitability of print media players. The impact of economic downturn is particularly high in the case of English dailies such as HT and business dailies such as Mint, which depend more on national advertisers.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes HTML will maintain its strong market position in key publications and geographies, and robust financial risk profile because of healthy capital structure and adequate liquidity, over the medium term.

Upside scenario
* Significant scale up of operations with improved profitability, while sustaining financial risk profile

Downside scenario
* Large, debt-funded capex/acquisition or diversification into unrelated businesses, leading to weakening of capital structure
* Sharp deterioration in operating profitability due to higher-than-expected losses in digital business or sharp increase in newsprint prices
* Weakening in market position of the publications due to intense competition.

About the Company

Hindustan Times Ltd (HTL), a KK Birla group company, held 69.5% stake in HTML as on March 31, 2018. HTL demerged its print media business into HTML in July 2003. HT, the leading English daily in Delhi that was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1924, is HTML's flagship product. Other publications include Hindustan and Mint; a women's Hindi magazine, Kadambini; and a children's magazine, Nandan. HTML has presence in the FM radio space through Fever 104 FM and Radio Nasha; and has internet portals such as shine.com, htcampus.com, hindustantimes.com, livemint.com, livehindustan.com, and desimartini.com.

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31 Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs crore 2,346 2,465
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 352 213
PAT Margin % 15.0 8.7
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.43 0.46
Interest coverage Times 7.84 5.21
These are CRISIL adjusted numbers and do not match directly with the numbers reported by the company

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. 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 cr)
Rating assigned with outlook
NA Debentures* NA NA NA 250 CRISIL AA+/Stable
NA Commercial Paper NA NA 7-365 days 1500 CRISIL A1+
*Not yet placed by the company
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  0.00
05-07-18 
CRISIL AA+/Stable      21-12-17  CRISIL AA+/Stable  26-09-16  CRISIL AA+/Stable  10-11-15  CRISIL AA+/Stable  CRISIL AA+/Stable 
            28-09-17  CRISIL AA+/Stable      11-06-15  CRISIL AA+/Stable   
                    21-01-15  CRISIL AA+/Stable   
Commercial Paper   ST   1500.00   CRISIL A1+      21-12-17   CRISIL A1+   26-09-16  CRISIL A1+  10-11-15   CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
             28-09-17   CRISIL A1+      11-06-15   CRISIL A1+   
                    21-01-15 CRISIL A1+   
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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