Rating Rationale
March 14, 2019 | Mumbai
Hinduja Global Solutions Limited
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.500 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A+/Stable
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+
 
Rs.125 Crore Commercial Paper Programme CRISIL A1+
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL ratings on the bank facilities and commercial paper of Hinduja Global Solutions Limited (HGSL) continue to reflect the company's healthy business risk profile, supported by presence in diverse verticals and geographies, and sound financial risk profile driven by comfortable debt protection metrics and adequate liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by geographical and customer concentration in revenue, and exposure to intense competition in the business process management (BPM) industry.
 
Revenue grew 4% in fiscal 2018 over the previous fiscal primarily led by growth in the healthcare vertical (accounted for 49% of revenue in fiscal 2018), improving capacity utilization across delivery centres, supported by integration of acquired entities. Over the medium term, growth is expected at 10-12% driven by increased focus on the core healthcare leading to strong deal wins, expanding seat capacity in US and Philippines and stabilisation of acquired entities {Axis Point Health (AxisPoint) and Element Solutions in March 2018} post integration of operations.
 
The continuous increase in employee costs and integration expenses of acquired entities limited the operating profitability range at 10.0-11.5% during the past five years. In the first half of fiscal 2019, operating profitability declined further to 6.7% primarily due to operating losses in the acquired entity AxisPoint, following the exit of one of AxisPoint's large customers in Q1 fiscal 2019. Additionally, the continued pressure in India CRM business and higher employee costs offset the operational improvement in other delivery centres. While focus towards renegotiation of contracts, premium service offerings and other cost optimization will improve margins from present level, continued increase in employee cost will limit operating margins to 9-10% over the medium term. Financial risk profile should remain healthy in the absence of any large debt-funded capital expenditure (capex) or acquisition.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of HGSL and all its subsidiaries, held directly or indirectly, as the entities share a common management, operate in similar line of business with significant operational and financial linkages. The consolidated entities include HGS International, HGS International Services Private Limited, Hinduja Global Solutions Inc., HGS Properties LLC, HGS Canada Holdings LLC, HGS Colibrium Inc., HGS Healthcare LLC, HGS EBOS LLC, HGS (USA), LLC, HGS Population Health LLC, HGS Canada Inc., Affina Company, Canada, C-Cubed B.V., C-Cubed N.V.,  Customer Contact Centre Inc., Hinduja Global Solutions Europe Limited, Hinduja Global Solutions UK Limited, HGS France, S.A.R.L, HGS St. Lucia Limited, Team HGS Limited and HGS Mena FZ LLC. CRISIL considers these entities as being strategic to HGSL in view of their strong integration with HGSL's operations.

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
* Presence in diverse verticals: Business risk profile is supported by diversified presence across multiple verticals such as healthcare, telecom, consumer products, and banking & financial services, to cater to flexible client requirements. On boarding of new clients in e-commerce and media segments should bolster revenue. CRISIL believes HGSL will maintain healthy revenue growth of 10-12% over the medium term, driven by its strong position as a diversified market player and niche acquisitions in the healthcare segment.

* Healthy financial risk profile: Debt repayment and absence of large, debt-funded capex has helped HGSL sustain healthy capital structure, indicated by gearing of below 0.7 time over the past 5 fiscal years (0.39 time as on March 31, 2018). Despite a couple of acquisitions in fiscal 2018 and 2019, debt protection metrics remain strong, with healthy net cash accrual to total debt ratio of 0.53 time and interest coverage ratio of 12.75 times during fiscal 2018. Liquidity is likely to remain healthy over the medium term driven by healthy net cash accrual and prudent capex funding.

Weaknesses
* High geographical and customer concentration in revenue: HGSL derived 78% of its revenue from the US and Canada in fiscal 2018, and the rest from India (15%) and the UK (7%). The geographical concentration in revenue, especially from the US which accounts for 68%, exposes HGSL to risks relating to economic slowdown in the region and to volatility in the value of the Indian rupee against the US dollar. Also, customer concentration risks persist, despite a customer base of 190 core BPM clients and 636 clients in the payroll business. During fiscal 2018, the top client contributed 18% to revenue while the top five contributed 51%. CRISIL believes HGSL's revenue will remain concentrated in the US and Canada over the medium term, driven by the healthcare and telecom segments.

* Intensifying competition impacts price flexibility and cost management: The information technology enabled services industry is highly competitive. Service quality, price, reliability, breadth of services, and data security technology determine margins. Competition comes from other established players such as Genpact, WNS (Holding) Ltd, and Firstsource Solutions Ltd ('CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1'). Also, increasing wages and costs associated with hiring, training, and retaining talent pose challenges for adequate staffing and seat utilisation. Additionally, the integration costs for new acquisition is expected to further lower the price flexibility. HGSL's profitability will remain susceptible to intensifying competition rising employee cost and HGSL's ability to transfer such rising costs.
Liquidity

HGSL has ample liquidity driven by expected cash accruals of more than Rs. 250-350 crore per annum over the medium term and cash and cash equivalents of Rs. 425 crore as on September 30, 2018. HGSL also has access to adequate bank limits of Rs 325 crore, utilized to the tune of 43% on an average (including commercial paper issued) over the 12 months ended October 2018. The company has long term repayment obligations around Rs. 48 crore each in FY19 and FY20 with maintenance capex of around Rs.175 crore per annum. CRISIL believes the company has sufficient accruals and cash and cash equivalents to meet its repayment obligations, capex requirements and investment requirements in various subsidiaries and JVs. With a gearing of 0.39 times as of March 31, 2018, HGSL has sufficient gearing headroom, to raise additional debt for its capex requirements. Its unutilized bank lines are more than adequate to meet its incremental working capital needs over the next one year.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes HGSL's business risk profile will be supported by its established client relationships over the medium term, while its financial risk profile will remain strong supported by increasing cash accrual and healthy cash reserve.

Upside scenario:
* Significant improvement in operating performance, supported by sustained revenue growth and profitability.
* Continued improvement in financial risk profile, backed by improved liquidity.

Downside scenario:
* Further steady decline in profitability
* Delay in stabilization of AxisPoint business extending beyond Q4 of fiscal 2019
* Larger-than-expected, debt-funded acquisition or investments in group companies, weakening capital structure or debt protection metrics.

About the Company

HGSL is a part of the Hinduja group, which includes Ashok Leyland Ltd, IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd, and IndusInd Bank Ltd ('CRISIL AA+/CRISIL AA/Stable/CRISIL A1+'). HGSL provides business process outsourcing (BPO) services, primarily back-office processing and contact centre services, to domestic and international clients. As on March 31, 2018, it had 70 delivery centres in 7 countries, and 44,265 employees.
 
During the first six months of fiscal 2019, HGS reported a profit after tax of Rs 85.1 crore (as against profit of Rs 94.8 crore during six months of fiscal 2018) on an operating income of Rs 2,259 crore (Rs 1,870 crore).

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs Crore 3855 3718
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs Crore 192 179
PAT margin % 5.0 4.8
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.52 0.49
Interest coverage Times 12.75 10.27

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 125.00 CRISIL A1+
NA Cash credit* NA NA NA 250.00 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Packing credit NA NA NA 75.00 CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed working capital facility NA NA NA 25.00 CRISIL A+/Stable
NA Proposed term loan NA NA NA 150.00 CRISIL A+/Stable
*Interchangeable with post-shipment credit and other WC financing instruments
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
The consolidated entities include HGS International, HGS International Services Private Limited, Hinduja Global Solutions Inc., HGS Properties LLC, HGS Canada Holdings LLC, HGS Colibrium Inc., HGS Healthcare LLC, HGS EBOS LLC, HGS (USA), LLC, HGS Population Health LLC, HGS Canada Inc., Affina Company, Canada, C-Cubed B.V., C-Cubed N.V.,  Customer Contact Centre Inc., Hinduja Global Solutions Europe Limited, Hinduja Global Solutions UK Limited, HGS France, S.A.R.L, HGS St. Lucia Limited, Team HGS Limited and HGS Mena FZ LLC.
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST  125.00  CRISIL A1+      12-12-18  CRISIL A1+  09-11-17  CRISIL A1+  04-10-16  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
            15-02-18  CRISIL A1+  19-05-17  CRISIL A1+  10-08-16  CRISIL A1+   
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  500.00  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+      12-12-18  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  09-11-17  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  04-10-16  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+ 
            15-02-18  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  19-05-17  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  10-08-16  CRISIL A+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST    --    --    --    --    --  CRISIL A1+ 
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* 250 CRISIL A+/Stable Cash Credit* 250 CRISIL A+/Stable
Packing Credit 75 CRISIL A1+ Packing Credit 50 CRISIL A1+
Proposed Term Loan 150 CRISIL A+/Stable Proposed Term Loan 150 CRISIL A+/Stable
Proposed Working Capital Facility 25 CRISIL A+/Stable Proposed Working Capital Facility 50 CRISIL A+/Stable
Total 500 -- Total 500 --
*Interchangeable with post-shipment credit and other WC financing instruments
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 Software Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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