Rating Rationale
September 24, 2020 | Mumbai
Hi-Tech Pipes Limited
Ratings downgraded to 'CRISIL BB+/Stable/CRISIL A4+; Ratings withdrawn
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.231 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BB+/Stable (Downgraded from 'CRISIL BBB+/Positive'; Rating Withdrawn)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A4+ (Downgraded from 'CRISIL A2'; Rating Withdrawn)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has downgraded its ratings on the bank facilities of Hi-Tech Pipes Limited (HTPL; part of the Hi-Tech Pipes group) to 'CRISIL BB+/Stable/CRISIL A4+' from 'CRISIL BBB+/Positive/CRISIL A2'.
 
CRISIL has also withdrawn its ratings at the company's request and on receipt of no-objection certificate from all the bankers. The withdrawal is in line with CRISIL's policy of withdrawal of bank loan ratings.
 
The downgrade reflects delays in debt servicing by HTPL on one of its bill discounting facility - not rated by CRISIL - despite availability of adequate liquidity to meet the debt obligations in a timely manner.
 
The ratings also reflects CRISIL's beliefs that the payment delay was a one-off event and the limit was regularized by HTPL after the moratorium request wasn't processed by the concerned lender.
 
However, CRISIL believes there is no liquidity stress in HTPL as it has continued to service all its debt obligations with all other lenders in time and has also maintained significant cushion in bank limits over the last 12 months.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL has taken a consolidated view on HTPL and its 100% subsidiaries, HTL Metal Pvt Ltd (HTL Metal) and HTL Ispat Pvt Ltd (HTL Ispat), together referred to as the Hi-Tech Pipes group. This is because these companies are in the same line of business, and HTL Metal and HTL Ispat are wholly owned by HTPL. CRISIL has treated unsecured loans of Rs 13.85 crore as 75% equity and 25% debt, as they are provided by the group's promoters and should remain in the business in the medium term.

Please refer Annexure - Details of Consolidation, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

About the Group

Incorporated in 1985 by Mr HL Bansal, HTPL is an ISO-9001 certified manufacturer of steel tubes and pipes and flat steel products. Operations are managed by Mr Ajay Bansal and Mr Anish Bansal. The manufacturing capacities are in Sikandrabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Sanand (Gujarat). The company is listed on the National Stock Exchange.
 
HTL Metal is a wholly owned subsidiary of HTPL; it commenced operations in 2017. The company's manufacturing facility is in Hindupur (Andhra Pradesh).
 
HTL Ispat is also a wholly owned subsidiary of HTPL. It was acquired by HTPL in fiscal 2019. The group is planning to set up a new manufacturing capacity at Khopoli (Maharashtra).

Key Financial Indicators Consolidated
As on / for the period ended March 31   2020 2019
Operating income Rs crore 1209.62 1,358.76
Reported profit after tax Rs crore 20.45 27.35
PAT margin % 1.69 2.01
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth Times 1.6 1.8
Interest coverage Times 1.97 2.45

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 Cr)
Complexity Level Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 147.50 NA Withdrawn
NA Long-Term Loan NA NA Apr-2022 23.5 NA Withdrawn
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 60 NA Withdrawn
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation Rationale for Consolidation
Hi-Tech Pipes Ltd Full Common management and engaged in the same line of business
HTL Ispat Full Common management and engaged in the same line of business
HTL Metal Pvt Ltd Full Common management and engaged in the same line of business
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
Commercial Paper  ST    --    --  09-09-19  Withdrawn 31-12-18  CRISIL A2  30-12-17  CRISIL A2  -- 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  171.00  Withdrawn      09-09-19  CRISIL BBB+/Positive  31-12-18  CRISIL BBB+/Positive  30-12-17  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  Suspended 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  95.00  Withdrawn      09-09-19  CRISIL A2  31-12-18  CRISIL A2  30-12-17  CRISIL A2  Suspended 
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 147.5 Withdrawn Cash Credit 147.5 CRISIL BBB+/Positive
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 60 Withdrawn Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 60 CRISIL A2
Long Term Loan 23.5 Withdrawn Long Term Loan 23.5 CRISIL BBB+/Positive
Total 231 -- Total 231 --
Links to related criteria
Assessing Information Adequacy Risk
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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