Rating Rationale
July 06, 2020 | Mumbai
Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited
'CRISIL A1+' assigned to CP
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.563 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.100 Crore Commercial Paper CRISIL A1+ (Assigned)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has assigned its 'CRISIL A1+' rating to the Rs.100 crore commercial paper programme of Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited (KOEL) and has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AA/Stable/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the bank facilities.
 
The ratings continue to reflect the equity infusion of Rs 526.5 crore up to March 2020 in ARKA Fincap Ltd (ARKA), formerly known as Kirloskar Capital Ltd, which is KOEL's wholly owned subsidiary in the non-banking financial company (NBFC) segment. The investment was funded through KOEL's existing cash and liquid investments which stood at Rs 338 crore as on March 31, 2020. Developments in the NBFC subsidiary and any higher-than-expected investment from KOEL will be key monitorables.
 
Revenue declined by 8.2% in fiscal 2020 compared with fiscal 2019, mainly due to subdued demand in power generation, industrial and large engines segments. Results were supported by the healthy performance of La-Gajjar Machineris Pvt Ltd (LGMPL; 'CRISIL A+/Stable/CRISIL A1'). In fiscal 2021, operating performance is expected to moderate due to the nationwide lockdown on account of the Covid-19 pandemic and slower demand pick-up in industrial and power generation segments. However, the financial risk profile is likely to remain strong even after capital infusion of upto Rs 325 crore in ARKA by fiscal 2022, backed by strong debt protection metrics and negligible term debt obligation. Liquidity should remain adequate, supported by steady annual cash accrual of Rs 170 crore and moderate capital expenditure (capex) plans as well as investment of Rs 125 crore in fiscal 2021 in ARKA.
 
The ratings also factor in the company's strong financial risk profile, established market position in the small- and medium-sized diesel engine segment across key end-user industries, and widening product portfolio with the electric pump business of LGMPL. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to cyclicality in the end-user segments, volatility in raw material prices, and intense competition in the diesel engine market.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of KOEL and its subsidiaries: KOEL Americas Corp (wholly owned subsidiary) and LGMPL (76% subsidiary). This is because the entities, collectively referred to as KOEL, have common management and close operational linkages. For the financial subsidiary ARKA, CRISIL has factored in the capital allocation method. Cash outflow towards equity investment of Rs 526.5 crore in ARKA by March 2020 has been considered.

Also, CRISIL has amortised goodwill (post completion of purchase price allocation) acquisition over five years; both profit after tax and networth have been adjusted to that extent.

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
* Strong financial risk profile
The financial risk profile is supported by healthy networth of over Rs 1,700 crore as on March 31, 2020. Gearing and debt protection metrics were healthy at 0.06 time and interest coverage of 28.4 times, respectively, in fiscal 2020. The financial risk profile is likely to remain strong over the medium term, supported by moderate capex plans and steady cash accrual.
 
* Established market position in the small- and medium-range diesel engine segments
KOEL has strong presence in diverse sectors, such as power generation, agriculture, and industrial. Market position is well established, particularly in the agriculture and industrial sectors; a bulk of the revenue is derived from sales of diesel-powered farm pump sets (agriculture) and engines for construction equipment (industrial). Acquisition of controlling stake in LGMPL has provided KOEL a significant footprint in the electric pump market. While the company's operating performance has been marginally impacted due to subdued demand in industrial and power generation segments, LGMPL's business has provided stability.
 
Weaknesses
* Susceptibility to cyclicality in end-user industries
Given the nature of products, KOEL's prospects will remain linked to capex undertaken by end-user industries. Susceptibility to cyclicality in demand should persist, reducing revenue contribution from the impacted segment, as witnessed in the case of industrial and power generation segments in fiscal 2020.
 
* Volatility in raw material prices and intense competition
Raw material cost accounts for about 66-67% of operating income. Profitability, therefore, is susceptible to volatility in the prices of raw materials, particularly in the intensely competitive small- and medium-range diesel engine segments. KOEL faces competition from unorganised players in the small-range diesel engine segment, and from entities such as Cummins India Ltd, Ashok Leyland Ltd, and Mahindra and Mahindra in the medium-range diesel engine segment.
Liquidity Strong

Liquidity is likely to remain strong supported by healthy annual cash accrual over the next two years. The fund-based bank limit of Rs 103 crore has been sparingly utilised. KOEL has not availed moratorium announced under the Reserve Bank of India guidelines. Term debt obligation is expected to be minimal at Rs 4.6 crore and Rs 7.6 crore in fiscals 2021 and 2022, respectively, and capex of Rs 100-110 crore per annum will be comfortably covered through internal accrual. Cash accrual will be more than sufficient to meet debt obligation and capex requirement. Bank lines will be used to meet working capital requirement, which may be negligible.

Outlook: Stable

KOEL will continue to benefit from its established market position and vast product portfolio. The financial risk profile should remain healthy, supported by robust capital structure and debt protection metrics.

Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
* Substantial and sustained growth in revenue and profitability driven by product launches or higher sales to major end-user segments, resulting in annual cash accrual above Rs 400 crore
* Efficient working capital management and healthy financial risk profile

Downward Factors
* Weaker business performance due to downturns in the end-user industries, constraining revenue and profitability, with annual net cash accrual below Rs.150 crore
* Large, debt-funded capex or acquisition.

About the Company

KOEL, one of the flagship companies of the Kirloskar group, manufactures and services diesel engines (primarily between 2.5-740 horsepower) and diesel generator sets (mainly between 2-1,010 kilo-volt-ampere). The company also makes diesel-, petrol-, and kerosene-based pump sets. It has manufacturing units in Pune, Kagal, and Nashik, all in Maharashtra. KOEL caters to the agriculture, power generation, and industrial sectors. On August 1, 2017, it acquired 76% stake in LGMPL and is likely to acquire the remaining stake over the next five years, in line with the share purchase agreement. KOEL has set up an NBFC business through ARKA, with equity infusion of Rs 526.5 crore as on March 31, 2020.  
 
In fiscal 2020, on a consolidated basis excluding LGMPL, net profit was Rs 170 crore on operating income of Rs 2,918 crore, against Rs 225 crore and Rs 3,263 crore, respectively, in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars** Unit 2020* 2019
Revenue Rs crore 3,331 3,630
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 152 184
PAT Margin % 4.6 5.1
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.06 0.05
Interest coverage Times 28.4 30.2
*Provisional
**CRISIL-adjusted consolidated numbers

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 103 NA CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 460 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Commercial Paper NA NA 7 to 365 days 100 Simple CRISIL A1+
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Name of entities consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
KOEL Americas Corp Full Common management and close operational linkages
LGMPL Full Common management and close operational linkages
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  100.00  CRISIL A1+    --    --    --    --  -- 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  103.00  CRISIL AA/Stable      13-12-19  CRISIL AA/Stable  03-09-18  CRISIL AA/Stable  27-06-17  CRISIL AA/Stable  CRISIL AA/Stable 
            09-04-19  CRISIL AA/Stable           
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  460.00  CRISIL A1+      13-12-19  CRISIL A1+  03-09-18  CRISIL A1+  27-06-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
            09-04-19  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 103 CRISIL AA/Stable Cash Credit 103 CRISIL AA/Stable
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 460 CRISIL A1+ Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 460 CRISIL A1+
Total 563 -- Total 563 --
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
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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