Rating Rationale
July 26, 2017 | Mumbai
Kansai Nerolac Paints Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.160 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.10 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Rs.30 Crore Commercial Paper Programme CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL's ratings on the cash credit facility, non-convertible debentures, and commercial paper programme of Kansai Nerolac Paints Limited (Kansai Nerolac) continue to reflect its market leadership in the industrial paints segment in India and increasing focus on decorative paints, which lends diversity to its revenue profile. Moreover, association with Kansai Paints Company Ltd, Japan (Kansai), has helped it to maintain dominance in the automotive paints segment. The company has a robust financial risk profile, marked by healthy gearing and sizeable cash flow. These strengths are partially offset by pricing pressure from automobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and limited pricing flexibility in the decorative paints segment.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profile of Kansai Nerolac and its subsidiaries, KNP Japan Pvt Ltd (68% subsidiary of Kansai Nerolac) and Kansai Paints Lanka Pvt Ltd (60% subsidiary of Kansai Nerolac), together referred to as the Kansai Nerolac group.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Leading position in the domestic industrial paints segment:
Kansai Nerolac group's leadership position in the domestic industrial paints industry is underpinned by its strong technological tie-ups, varied product portfolio, and established relationship with major OEMs across passenger cars, utility vehicles, and two-wheelers. Furthermore, technological support from parent enables it to introduce high-end products, which translates into efficiencies in the form of application as well as power consumption.

* Established position in the decorative paints industry: Kansai Nerolac is the third-largest player in the domestic decorative paints segment (constitutes 70% of total domestic paints industry), supported by a strong distribution network of 18,000 dealers, 13,000 colour-tinting machines, and 102 depots. The company has introduced innovative products such as Nerolac Impressions, metallic finish, Little Master, Nerolac Lotus Touch, Magic Clean, and water-based enamels; which support sales growth.

* Benefits derived from association with parent: Kansai is Japan's largest paint manufacturing company and among the world's top ten coating manufacturers. It produces automotive coatings, refinishes, industrial coatings, architectural and construction materials, and marine coating, and is particularly strong in the automotive paints segment. The group's established position arises from its strong brand equity and technological tie-ups. In a sector where technology is a key factor in sustaining market position and determining relationships with OEMs, Kansai has helped the group attain market leadership, retain existing clients, and win over new ones.

* Robust financial risk profile, including strong liquidity: Gearing was healthy at 0.01 time as on March 31, 2017, while debt protection metrics were comfortable, with net cash accrual to total debt ratio of 13.3 times in fiscal 2017. Operating margin has been in the 11-17% range in the past few years, despite increasing raw material costs. The group has strong liquidity, with about Rs. 993 crores as cash and marketable securities as on March 31, 2017. Long-term debt mainly consists of interest-free sales tax loans; therefore, the repayment pressures are negligible.

Weakness

* Pricing pressure from automobile OEMs: The paint industry is raw material intensive. Majority of raw materials (solvents, phthalic anhydride, and pentaerythritol) are petroleum products; the other important raw material is titanium dioxide (20% of raw material cost). Since some raw materials are imported to ensure superior quality, operating margin remains susceptible to changing input prices and fluctuating foreign exchange rates. Additionally the group has limited pricing flexibility due to its relatively low bargaining power with auto OEMs which are a major contributor to this segment's revenue.

* Limited pricing flexibility in the decorative paints segment: The organised paint industry is oligopolistic and dominated by a few large players. Despite this, paint manufacturers face competition from strong regional players, especially in mass-market products. Consequently, while paint manufacturers have flexibility to pass on cost increases, ability to absorb cost benefits and thereby increase margins is limited. While CRISIL believes the group will maintain its margins, its ability to increase them is limited by competition in the industry and decisions of the market leader.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Kansai Nerolac group will maintain its business risk profile over the medium term, driven by improving offtake from the automobile industry and steady demand from the housing sector. Expected improvement in cash accrual against modest internal requirement for capex and working capital will help maintain strong financial risk profile and increase liquid surplus.

Downside scenario
* Aggressive debt-funded capex or acquisition weakening capital structure
 *Intense competition exerting pressure on margins
* Increase in input prices and lower sales from the automotive industry adversely affecting profitability

About the Company

Kansai Nerolac, a 74.99% owned subsidiary of Japan-based Kansai, has strong presence in the decorative and industrial paints segments. In the industrial paints segment, the company manufactures automotive coatings, high-performance coatings, powder coatings, and general industrial coatings.

Technical collaborations with renowned global players give Kansai Nerolac a competitive advantage, enabling it to offer products that meet stringent international specifications. Apart from its mainstay technological collaboration with Kansai for manufacturing sophisticated architectural coatings, Kansai Nerolac has technological tie-ups with, Oshima Kogyo Company Ltd, Japan (for heat-resistant paints), Protech Oxyplast Group, Canada (for powder coatings), and Cashew Ltd, Japan (automotive coatings).

For fiscal 2017, net profit was Rs 510 crore on net sales of Rs 4,574 crore, against Rs 902 crore and Rs 4,263 crore, respectively, in fiscal 2016. In the quarter ended March 31, 2017, standalone net profit and net sales were Rs 116 crore and Rs 1,060 crore (Rs 619 crore and Rs 991 crore for the corresponding period in the previous year).

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 Cash Credit* NA NA NA 160 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Non-convertible debentures# NA NA NA 10 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Commercial paper NA NA 7-365 days 30 CRISIL A1+
*Interchangeable with buyer's credit, working capital loan, letter of credit, and bank guarantee.
#yet to be issued
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2017 (History) 2016  2015  2014  Start of 2014
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST  30  CRISIL A1+    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL A1+ 
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  10  CRISIL AAA/Stable    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  160  CRISIL AAA/Stable    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Cash Credit* 160 CRISIL AAA/Stable Cash Credit* 160 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Total 160 -- Total 160 --
*Interchangeable with buyer's credit, working capital loan, letter of credit, and bank guarantee.
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 Chemical Industry
Criteria for rating Short-Term Debt (including Commercial Paper)

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