Rating Rationale
February 07, 2018 | Mumbai
Haldia Petrochemicals Limited
'CRISIL A1+' assigned to CP 
 
Rating Action
Rs.100 Crore Commercial Paper Programme CRISIL A1+ (Assigned)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has assigned its 'CRISIL A1+' rating on the Rs.100 crore commercial paper programme of Haldia Petrochemicals Limited (HPL).
 
The ratings reflect the company's established market position as one of the large players in the Indian petrochemical industry with strong position in Eastern India, and healthy demand outlook for petrochemical products in India. The ratings also factor in HPL's improving financial risk profile and ample liquidity. These rating strengths are partially offset by large contingent liabilities and susceptibility of operating profitability to cyclicality in the petrochemicals industry.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has analysed the consolidated business and financial risk profile of HPL. The securities premium reserve of Rs 11,964 crore created during amalgamation of the three companies, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd, Bengal Cracker Complex Ltd and Haldia Cracker Complex Ltd has been adjusted from the networth. Furthermore, 1% cumulative preference shares of Rs 271 crore (Rs 201 crore as on March 2017) invested by a shareholder, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC), has been treated as debt.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* One of the large players in the Indian petrochemical industry with strong position in Eastern India: HPL's petrochemical complex is a large scale petrochemical plant with favourable location near the Haldia Port which aids in import of raw material (naphtha) and export of products. The company derives 77% of its revenue from polymers such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), polypropylene and 23% of its sales from chemicals such as benzene, butadiene and motor spirit. Exports account for nearly 20% of the revenues and the share is expected to increase in medium-term. HPL has strong clientele for its products both in the domestic and overseas markets. The marketing of products is carried out by Del Credere Agents which operate on cash and carry model. Naphtha is mainly procured from major international and domestic players such as Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (rated, CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (rated, CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+), Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Shell on both spot and term basis.
 
* Operating performance expected to benefit from healthy demand outlook of the petrochemical industry: Post restructuring in fiscal 2015 and infusion of additional working capital funds by banks, the company's operational profile has improved significantly over the last two years. The company has reported capacity utilization of 88% in fiscal 2017 and first half of fiscal 2018. With lower prices of feedstock and healthy operating efficiency, operating margins are healthy at 32% in fiscal 2017 and 28% in H1 of fiscal 2018. CRISIL Research expects healthy demand outlook for petrochemical products in India with CAGR of 9-10%, for the next four years, mainly by healthy demand from major end use segments such as packaging and infrastructure. Company's ability to continue to maintain healthy capacity utilisation and profitability levels over a medium-term remains a key monitorable.
 
* Improving financial risk profile and ample liquidity position: Financial risk profile has improved over the last two years, with cash accrual of Rs 2,758 crore generated in fiscal 2017. Debt protection metrics are comfortable with interest coverage of 5.6 times and NCATD of 0.55 time, respectively as on September 30, 2017. Over the medium-term, the financial risk profile is expected to remain healthy, with the gross debt-to-EBITDA remaining around 2.5 times. Liquidity is supported by cash and equivalents of Rs 4,859 crore as of September 2017, primarily in the form of mutual funds. Annual repayment liabilities are around Rs 300 crore each for the next 3 years, while capex plans are around Rs 400 crore. While 75% of cash and equivalents were lien marked as on September 30, 2017 with banks, liquidity is supported by significantly low bank limit utilisation levels (under 10%). Company's ability to limit capex and maintain comfortable liquidity over the medium term is a key rating sensitivity factor.
 
Weaknesses
* Cyclicality in the petrochemicals business and susceptibility to volatility in spreads between the pricing of the feedstock (naphtha) and the finished products: The company operates in the volatile and cyclical petrochemical industry. Further, as a portion of the products will be sold overseas it is also susceptible to significant geo-political risks which may arise due to political instability globally. HPL's profitability will remain vulnerable to volatility in spreads between the pricing of feedstock (naphtha) and finished products as seen in the past. In fiscals 2013 and 2014, the company incurred losses due to high price of feedstock.
 
* Large contingent liabilities of the company, however, it has declined from earlier levels: Earlier, HPL used to import naphtha under advance license and against this, certain export obligations had to be fulfilled which the company was not able to meet till 2015. As a result, the company had sought for extension of time to fulfil these obligations and was granted additional time of 4 years by Directorate-General of Foreign Trade till December 2019. Against this extension of timeline, the company had submitted bank guarantee of Rs 3,100 crores which includes interest and penal charges. The company is ahead of schedule in meeting its export obligations and has already completed its chemical export obligations and around 70% of polymer export obligations. These liabilities are expected to significantly decline in the near term.
About the Company

HPL was set up in 1994 as a joint venture among The Chatterjee Group (TCG), West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) and Tata Group, HPL began commercial production in 2000. It is a large petrochemical plant based out of Haldia in Eastern India. The company is the fourth largest player in the domestic petrochemical market and enjoys dominant position in Eastern India.
 
In September 2014, a share purchase agreement was signed between TCG and WBIDC and in December 2015, WBIDC sold its 15.4% stake in HPL to TCG for a consideration of Rs 653 crores (Rs 25.10 per share). With this transaction, TCG became the majority shareholder with 55% stake and acquired management control of HPL. Further, TCG has an option to purchase another 15.4% stake from WBIDC within 84 months of completion of first tranche.
 
HPL's plant was shut down for 7 months due to lack of working capital and a technical glitch. Post the signing of above mentioned share purchase agreement, RBI approved a special dispensation wherein financial institutions were allowed to carry out second financial restructuring on principle that the same is on account of change in management control. The company restarted operations in February 2015 and was able to have ~90% capacity utilisation within one month of restarting operations.
 
In November 2016, TCG acquired 90.4% stake in Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation's unit Materials Chemicals and Performance Intermediaries Private Limited (MCPI) (formerly MCC PTA India Corporation).

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2017 * 2016 *
Revenue Rs. Cr. 10,165 10,115
Profit after tax Rs. Cr. 2,317 1,579
PAT margin % 22 15
Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth Times 0.98 1.83
Interest coverage Times 5.6 3.7
*Networth adjusted for Rs 11,964 crores of securities premium reserve.
Amortization of goodwill and intangible assets have been added back to the PAT.

Status of non cooperation with previous CRA
HPL has not cooperated with CARE which has classified it as non-cooperative vide release dated October 27, 2017. The reason provided by CARE Ratings is non-furnishing of information for monitoring of ratings.

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 Commercial Paper NA NA 7-365 days 100 CRISIL A1+
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST  100  CRISIL A1+    --    --    --    --  -- 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Rating Criteria for Chemical Industry
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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