Rating Rationale
August 28, 2020 | Mumbai
Happy Forgings Limited
Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.270 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed the rating on the bank facilities of Happy Forgings Limited (HFL) at 'CRISIL A/Stable'
 
The ratings continue to reflect the company's established position in the forged and machined components market, healthy segmental and customer diversity, and comfortable financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by working capital-intensive operations, susceptibility to sharp cyclical downturns of commercial vehicle (CV) or tractor segments.
 
On the operations front, HFL's performance was significantly impacted in the quarter ended June 30, 2020 on account of the tepid demand scenario in the automotive sector, accentuated further by the Coronavirus (N-Covid 19) induced lockdown across India and overseas markets.

The company's performance, however, started improving from July 2020 onwards with sales and earnings before interest, tax and depreciation (EBITDA) recording ~86% and 70% respectively of of pre-covid level. While demand from the commercial vehicle segment continues to remain subdued, demand from the tractor segment has remained healthy. While accruals are expected to be lower this fiscal due to tepid sales in the first quarter, overall financial risk profile is expected to remain adequate. The company's liquidity also remains adequate, with sparingly used bank limits and surplus cash in form of fixed deposits of Rs.50 crore as on July 31, 2020.
 
On May 13, 2020, one of the company's bankers, State Bank of India (SBI) debited Rs 18 crore from its Cash Credit (CC) account. The same was part of SBI's (earlier State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur which subsequently merged into SBI) demand for payment of right to recompense (RoR) made in October 2018, as part of the relief extended to HFL during the debt restructuring undertaken in May 2013. HFL's management has contended that the clause for RoR was not included in the restructuring document executed with the lender, and hence, no amount was payable by it. HFL's management had also filed a case with the Punjab and Haryana High Court against SBI in relation to the demand for RoR and other related matters, which was dismissed by the Court in February 2020. The company subsequently filed a review petition in March 2020, but due to the covid-pandemic, the review petition is yet to be heard. HFL has settled all other loans with SBI, but for the disputed amount, which remains unpaid till date. CRISIL has treated this as a commercial dispute between HFL and SBI, and HFL continues to honor all other debt obligations in a timely manner. CRISIL notes that HFL has adequate  liquidity to make good the payment, if required, to SBI, and will continue to monitor developments in this regard.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Healthy business risk profile supported by strong customer relationship
HFL has been in the automotive forgings segment for over three decades, and manufactures 50-60 types of forged components in 10-15 sizes and variants per product. Furthermore, strong relationship with customers such as Ashok Leyland, Bharat Gears, Graziano transmission India Pvt Ltd, and VE commercial vehicles is reflected in repeat orders. Also, HFL is a preferred supplier for Ashok Leyland and started with supplies of suspension for trucks and gradually penetrated into suspension and crankshafts requirement, thereby increasing penetration per vehicle and share of business. Consequently, HFL is expected to benefit from strong linkages with existing customers as demand starts picking up post the lockdown
 
* Healthy segmental and customer diversity with improving product range
Sales to cyclical industries like tractors and commercial vehicles contributed 31% and 43% of the revenue respectively in the first half of fiscal 2020. The balance 36% is derived from passenger cars and utility vehicles, off-highway vehicles, railways and scrap sales. HFL also has good customer diversity; it supplies to more than 40 customers including Ashok Leyland, Bharat Gears, Graziano transmission India Pvt Ltd, VE commercial vehicles and JCB India Ltd. Its largest customer, Ashok Leyland accounted for only 20% of revenues in fiscal 2020. With commissioning of newer presses, HFL will further diversify its portfolio to include newer customers as well as increase its share in segments other than MHCV and tractors.
 
* Healthy financial risk profile: Financial risk profile has improved over the years on the back of healthy cash accrual, progressive debt repayment and equity infusion in fiscal 2019. Gearing is estimated to improve to 0.2 time as on March 31, 2020, from 1.6 times as of March, 2018 and 2.9 times as on March 31, 2015. Despite high working capital requirement and moderate capex, debt increase over the medium term will be limited, thereby enabling gearing to remain at present healthy level. Steady increase in accruals will ensure debt metrics to also remain healthy over the medium term.
 
Weaknesses
* Working capital-intensive operations: HFL's operations are working capital intensive. Gross current assets (GCAs) continue to be high - estimated at 113 days as on March 31, 2020. The high GCA days are mainly due to sizeable inventory, given the large product range and high lead time required for manufacturing. Operations will remain working capital intensive and prudent management of the same remains a rating sensitivity factor.
 
* Susceptibility to cyclical downturn of CV and tractor segments: The CV industry is affected by growth in industrial and agricultural production, freight movement, share of road transport in freight movement, changes in freight rates and fuel prices, profitability of truck operators, state transport undertakings, and government policies. Also, Tractor demand is vulnerable to monsoon vagaries and the consequent impact on farm income.
 
Hence, high dependence on these segments poses a risk to revenue and profitability While HFL has been gradually diversifying its customer base by addition of new clients, revenues and profitability will remain susceptible to segmental concentration, given that HFL derives around 43% from CV segment and 31% tractor segment.
Liquidity Adequate

Liquidity is adequate, driven by expected annual cash accrual of around Rs 80-100 crore, sufficient to meet long-term debt obligations of Rs 15-20 crore per annum over the medium term. Utilisation of fund-based limit of Rs 122 crore averaged a modest 10-12% in the past 6 months through July 2020. Company also has surplus cash in the form of ~Rs. 50 crore of fixed deposits as on July 31, 2020. Steady accrual and unutilised bank lines should be sufficient to support working capital and debt servicing over the medium term.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes HFL's business risk profile will benefit over the medium term from the initiatives it has taken to increase share of business from existing domestic and overseas customers, and enhance opportunities in both the markets, even as domestic and overseas OEM demand is expected to remain tepid over the near term. Furthermore, steady cash accrual and moderate capex without sizeable additional debt should help sustain the adequate financial risk profile over the medium term.
 
Rating Sensitivity factors
Upward factors:
* Sustained revenue growth of over 12-15% while maintaining healthy operating margin of above 20-22% supported by faster reversal to normalcy, diversification of customer base and product mix leading to healthy cash accruals of around Rs. 120-150 crore
* Sustenance of healthy credit metrics - gearing below 0.5 time
 
Downward factors: 
* Slower than expected recovery in performance, most likely due to further deterioration in business conditions including due to prolonged demand slowdown, leading to operating margin declining below 12-15% on sustained basis
* Large debt-funded capex or acquisitions leading to deterioration of credit metrics ' gearing above 1 time

About the Company

Established in 1979 by Mr Paritosh Kumar Garg (chief managing director) and his father, Mr Channan Ram Garg & and further well supported by Mr. Ashish Garg, Managing Director (son of Mr. Paritsoh Kumar Garg), HFL manufactures forged and machined components, primarily crankshafts, for the automotive and non-automotive segments. Facility in Ludhiana has forging capacity of 46,000 tonne per annum (tpa) and machining capacity of 20,500 tpa.

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31   2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 750 551
Profit after tax Rs crore 95 58
PAT margins % 12.6 10.6
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.33 1.65
Interest coverage Times 9.20 6.30

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 level Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 140.0 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Long Term Loan NA NA 31-Mar-24 23.0 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Long Term Loan NA NA 31-Mar-22 3.83 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Long Term Loan NA NA 31-Mar-26 40.0 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 63.17 NA CRISIL A/Stable
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  270.00  CRISIL A/Stable  06-05-20  CRISIL A/Stable  25-01-19  CRISIL A/Positive      14-12-17  CRISIL A-/Stable  CRISIL BB+/Stable 
        30-04-20  CRISIL A/Stable          21-08-17  CRISIL BBB+/Stable   
                    28-04-17  CRISIL BBB/Stable   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST    --    --    --    --  14-12-17  CRISIL A2+  CRISIL A4+ 
                    21-08-17  CRISIL A2   
                    28-04-17  CRISIL A3+   
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
Cash Credit 140 CRISIL A/Stable Cash Credit 140 CRISIL A/Stable
Long Term Loan 66.83 CRISIL A/Stable Long Term Loan 66.83 CRISIL A/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 63.17 CRISIL A/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 63.17 CRISIL A/Stable
Total 270 -- Total 270 --
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
Rating Criteria for Auto Component Suppliers
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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