Rating Rationale
May 07, 2018 | Mumbai
KPIT Technologies Limited
Ratings continues on 'Watch Developing'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.444.55 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA- (Continues on 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications')
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Continues on 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications')
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL's ratings on the bank facilities of KPIT Technologies Limited (KPIT) continue to be on 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications'.
 
The ratings were placed on watch on January 30, 2018, following KPIT's announcement that Birlasoft (India) Ltd (Birlasoft; part of the CK Birla Group) will merge into KPIT, and the combined entity will later be split into two public companies. One of the companies will be focused on providing automotive engineering and mobility solutions, and the other on enterprise digital business information technology (IT) services.
 
The multi-stage deal is likely be concluded by December 2018, and should involve necessary regulatory approvals. As of April 30, 2018, approvals from the Competition Commission of India and National Stock Exchange have been received. Approvals from the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Company Law Tribunal are awaited.
 
CRISIL is in discussion with the company to understand the post-transaction capital structure, including division of debt between the proposed entities, changes to business and financial risk profiles and strategy, and the impact on KPIT's credit profile. CRISIL will remove the ratings from watch upon conclusion of the transaction, and once it has clarity on these aspects.
 
The ratings continue to reflect the company's healthy business risk profile, with established market position in the automotive and manufacturing verticals, and strong financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to industry competition, and client and geographical concentration in revenue.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of KPIT and its subsidiaries. This is because all the entities are in the same line of business, under a common management, and have strong financial and operational linkages. CRISIL has also amortised the goodwill arising on consolidation of KPIT's subsidiaries over a period of five years.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Healthy business risk profile
Established presence in the automotive and manufacturing industry verticals (contributing 74% of revenue), and longstanding association (over five years) with key customers should continue to support business risk profile. It also has a well-established client base, including companies such as Cummins Inc, Unilever, and Hewlett-Packard, which have been associated with the group for over five years. The company is also focusing on the digital business, considering the sufficient growth prospects in the vertical.
 
* Strong financial risk profile
Networth and gearing were Rs 1,071 crore and 0.36 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2017. Net cash accrual to total debt and interest coverage ratios, were 0.76 time and 18 times, respectively, in fiscal 2017. Debt was Rs 325 crore, and cash and cash equivalents were Rs 502 crore as on December 31, 2017.
 
Despite the dip in operating performance in fiscal 2017, cash accrual of Rs 293 crore was more than adequate for debt repayments and capex requirements. Operating performance should improve gradually, with better absorption of employee costs and moderate growth in revenue. Liquidity may remain robust over the medium term, with reduction in long-term debt.
 
Weakness
* Exposure to intense competition in the IT industry
Indian IT players will need to scale up, primarily due to intense competition among themselves and from multinational corporations expanding their offshore operations in India. Other key success factors include acquiring and retaining new customers, maintaining an efficient cost structure, and ensuring effective labour retention and utilisation. Protectionist measures adopted by the US remain yet another business challenge for Indian IT companies. However, players are likely to effectively counter challenges backed by the Indian IT industry's inherent strengths.
 
* Client and geographic concentration in revenue
Client base is well-established; around 46% of revenue in fiscal 2017 was derived from its top 10 customers (including the Cummins group, which contributed 14%). The US market contributed 68% of revenue in fiscal 2017. Although geographic diversity mitigates business risk, this skew in revenue is unavoidable, as the US is the largest global IT spender.
About the Company

KPIT was originally incorporated in 1990 as KPIT Infosystems Ltd, promoted by Mr SB Pandit, Mr Kishore Patil, and Mr Shrikrishna Patwardhan. In fiscal 2003, Cummins Infotech Ltd merged with the company, which was then renamed KPIT Cummins Infosystems Ltd. The company got its present name in fiscal 2014. KPIT offers solutions primarily in the automotive, transportation, manufacturing, energy, and utilities verticals through its integrated enterprise solutions, automotive and engineering, and SAP business units.
 
For the nine months ended December 31, 2017, profit after tax (PAT) was Rs 177.77 crore and operating income was Rs 2,699.15 crore, as against Rs 184.82 crore and Rs 2,464.89 crore, respectively, for the corresponding period in the previous fiscal.

About Birlasoft
Birlasoft is a part of the 150-year-old CK Birla group, and is engaged in providing IT services. The company focuses on software implementation, testing and product development. Birlasoft specialises in the domains of banking, financial services, manufacturing, healthcare and enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation.

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31 Unit 2017 2016
Revenue Rs crore 3,320 3,224
Profit after tax Rs crore 239 281
PAT margin % 7.2 8.7
Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth Times 0.36 0.30
Interest coverage Times 18.19 21.21
 

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 Bank guarantee NA NA NA 2 CRISIL A1+/Watch Developing
NA Term loan NA NA Oct-2020 79.69 CRISIL AA-/Watch Developing
NA Working capital facility NA NA NA 362.86 CRISIL AA-/Watch Developing
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
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  442.55  CRISIL AA-/Watch Developing  01-02-18  CRISIL AA-/Watch Developing  25-09-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  24-06-16  CRISIL AA-/Stable  23-07-15  CRISIL AA-/Negative  CRISIL AA-/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  2.00  CRISIL A1+/Watch Developing  01-02-18  CRISIL A1+/Watch Developing  25-09-17  CRISIL A1+  24-06-16  CRISIL A1+      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
Bank Guarantee 2 CRISIL A1+/Watch Developing Bank Guarantee 2 CRISIL A1+/Placed on 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications'
Term Loan 79.69 CRISIL AA-/Watch Developing Term Loan 79.69 CRISIL AA-/Placed on 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications'
Working Capital Facility 362.86 CRISIL AA-/Watch Developing Working Capital Facility 362.86 CRISIL AA-/Placed on 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications'
Total 444.55 -- Total 444.55 --
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

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