Rating Rationale
December 21, 2020 | Mumbai
Krishna Construction
Ratings migrated to 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.200 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB/Stable (Migrated from 'CRISIL BB+/Stable ISSUER NOT COOPERATING'*)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3+ (Migrated from 'CRISIL A4+ ISSUER NOT COOPERATING'*)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
*Issuer did not cooperate; based on best-available information
Detailed Rationale

Due to inadequate information and in line with the Securities and Exchange Board of India guidelines, CRISIL had migrated its ratings on the bank facilities of Krishna Construction (KC) to 'CRISIL BB+/Stable/CRISIL A4+; Issuer not cooperating'. However, the firm's management has started sharing the information necessary for a comprehensive review of the ratings. Consequently, CRISIL is migrating the ratings from 'CRISIL BB+/Stable/CRISIL A4+ Issuer Not Cooperating' to 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+'.

The ratings continue to reflect the proprietor's extensive experience in the civil construction industry, and the firm's efficient working capital management and healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to risks related to investments in real estate, intense competitive pressure and the risks inherent in the tender-based business.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Extensive experience of the proprietor in the civil construction industry: The decade-long experience of the proprietor in the civil construction industry has helped the firm establish a strong track record in executing projects in Uttar Pradesh (UP), and build healthy relationships with various government authorities. Orders of around Rs 2,869 crore as on August 31, 2020, support medium-term revenue visibility.
 
* Efficient working capital management: Operations are managed efficiently, as indicated by gross current assets of 39-72 days over the four fiscals ended March 31, 2020. The firm keeps only necessary raw material at its project sites and makes frequent orders as per requirement, leading to low inventory. Receivables are low as the firm raises bills every month and receives payments in 30-60 days. It had receivables of 21 days as of March 2020. Interest-free mobilisation advances from customers against bank guarantee support working capital management.

* Comfortable financial risk profile: The financial risk profile is supported by comfortable networth and total outside liabilities to adjusted networth ratio estimated at Rs 336 crore and 0.93 times, respectively, as on March 31, 2020. Debt protection metrics were above average, with net cash accrual to adjusted debt and interest coverage ratios estimated at 1.35 times and 12.38 times, respectively, in fiscal 2020.

Weaknesses:
* Exposure to intense competition and risks inherent in tender-based operations: Orders are mainly through tenders floated by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and UP government authorities. The topline thus depends entirely on ability to win tenders amid intense competition from other bidders, and hence, is volatile.

* Exposure to risks related to investment in real estate: KC has continuously invested in properties over the past 3-4 years and currently the investment stands at Rs. 78.9 crore as on March 31, 2020. The investment is in different properties at different locations. CRISIL believes these investments are made solely with the purpose of strengthening the collateral base, to support any additional facilities required in future, however these investments carry a risk of easy marketability of real estate investment and will also remain susceptible to volatility in real estate prices, thus constraining the free liquidity available to the company.
Liquidity Adequate

Net cash accrual is expected at Rs 89 crore in fiscal 2021 against debt obligation of Rs 30 crore. Utilisation of bank limit averaged just 2% in the 12 months through October 2020. Current ratio'at 1.84 times as on March 31, 2020'should remain moderate over the medium term. In the absence of any large capital expenditure, net cash accrual and cash and equivalent should be sufficient to cover incremental working capital requirement over the medium term.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes KC will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of its proprietor in the civil construction industry.

Rating Sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Improvement in revenue by 20%
* Stabilisation in the operating margin
 
Downward factors
* Decline in revenue by 15% and in profitability, weakening liquidity
* Large debt-funded capital expenditure constraining the financial risk profile
About the Firm

KC, a proprietorship firm set up by Mr Subhash Tyagi, undertakes road construction activities for the state and central government enterprises, primarily in UP. It began operations in 2007.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 905.5 504.4
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 122.74 49.31
PAT margin % 13.55 9.78
Adjusted debt / adjusted networth Times 0.32 0.46
Interest coverage Times 12.38 12.38

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 Working capital facility NA NA NA 45.0 NA CRISIL BBB/Stable
NA Proposed short-term bank loan facility NA NA NA 155.0 NA CRISIL A3+
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
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  200.00  CRISIL BBB/Stable/ CRISIL A3+  27-08-20  CRISIL BB+/Stable (Issuer Not Cooperating)*  30-05-19  CRISIL BBB/Stable  13-02-18  CRISIL BBB/Stable      CRISIL BBB/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST      27-08-20  CRISIL A4+ (Issuer Not Cooperating)*  30-05-19  CRISIL A3+  13-02-18  CRISIL A3+      CRISIL BBB/Stable/ CRISIL A3+ 
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
*Issuer did not cooperate; based on best-available information
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Proposed Short Term Bank Loan Facility 155 CRISIL A3+ Bank Guarantee 119 CRISIL A4+/Issuer Not Cooperating
Working Capital Facility 45 CRISIL BBB/Stable Overdraft 15 CRISIL BB+/Stable/Issuer Not Cooperating
-- 0 -- Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 66 CRISIL BB+/Stable/Issuer Not Cooperating
Total 200 -- Total 200 --
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
Rating Criteria for Toll Road Projects
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings

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