Rating Rationale
April 04, 2025 | Mumbai
Laxmi Agro India Private Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'Crisil BBB/Positive/Crisil A3+'; Rated amount enhanced for Bank Debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.500 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.300 Crore)
Long Term RatingCrisil BBB/Positive (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCrisil A3+ (Reaffirmed)
Note: None of the Directors on Crisil Ratings Limited’s Board are members of rating committee and thus do not participate in discussion or assignment of any ratings. The Board of Directors also does not discuss any ratings at its meetings.
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detailed rationale

Crisil Ratings has reaffirmed its Crisil BBB/Positive/Crisil A3+ ratings on the bank loan facilities of Laxmi Agro India Pvt Ltd (LAIPL).

 

The ratings continue to reflect the extensive experience of the promoter in the edible oil industry along with improving scale of operations and sound operating efficiency of the company. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to volatility in raw material prices and regulatory changes and average financial risk profile.

Analytical approach

Unsecured loan (Rs 150 crore as on March 31, 2024) extended by the promoter and group companies has been treated as 75% equity and 25% debt as this interest-free loan is subordinate to bank debt.  

Key rating drivers and detailed description

Strengths:

  • Extensive experience of the promoter: LAIPL is a closely held company based in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh). Its promoter, Mr Mohan Khandelwal, is the brother of Mr Ghanshyam Khandelwal, who owns its group concern, BL Agro Industries Ltd (BLAIL; Crisil A-/Stable/Crisil A2+), which is also engaged in manufacturing, packaging and marketing of edible oils. LAIPL trades in various edible oils and allied products such as mustard, vanaspati, refined soya bean oil, refined palm oil and food grains; it also sells similar products under its own brand, Mohan Dhara. Three-decade-long experience of the promoter, his strong understanding of market dynamics and healthy relationships with suppliers and customers should continue to support the business.

 

  • Improving scale of operations and sound operating efficiency: Revenue may increase to an estimated Rs 2,800-2,900 crore in fiscal 2025, from Rs 2,138 crore in fiscal 2024, driven by volume growth and incremental revenue from the manufacturing segment. This improvement in revenue was driven by sales under its own brand, Mohan Dhara, which contributes around one-fourth of total sales. In fiscal 2025, the company started manufacturing operations by leasing the Joharpur unit (in Uttar Pradesh) of its group concern, BLAIL. Revenue is expected to increase by 10-15% in the near term, driven by higher contribution from the manufacturing segment. The operating margin improved to 2.3% in the first nine months of fiscal 2025 (from 1.95% in fiscal 2024), driven by higher contribution from own-brand sales and manufacturing sales. Return on capital employed is estimated at 15-16% for fiscal 2025 owing to better operating margin, aided by branded sales and is expected at similar levels over the medium term. Healthy revenue growth while sustaining the operating margin at around 2.3% will remain monitorable.
     

Weaknesses:

  • Susceptibility to volatility in raw material prices and regulatory changes: The business is exposed to risks inherent in agriculture-based commodity businesses, such as volatility in global prices, exchange rates, duties and raw material prices and intense competition. The government has revised import duty in the past two fiscals, which impacts demand and prices. Furthermore, the company imports around 70% of its raw materials; hence, risks related to unfavourable fluctuations in foreign exchange rates persist. However, volatility in input cost is partially offset by order-backed imports, which are on high sea basis.

 

  • Average financial risk profile: Networth is estimated at Rs 200-210 crore as on March 31, 2025 (against Rs 180 crore a year ago), gearing at 1.3-1.4 times (1.49 times) and total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratio at 2.7-2.8 times (3.61 times). Interest coverage ratio may be modest at 1.8-1.9 times in fiscal 2025 owing to elevated interest charges as utilisation of the bill discounting limit is high; the ratio may improve to more than 2 times over the medium term, led by better operating margin, and will remain a key rating sensitivity factor.

Liquidity: Adequate

In the absence of any yearly maturing debt over the medium term, the cash accrual -- expected at more than Rs 28 crore per annum – will aid financial flexibility. Bank limit utilisation was around 98% for the 12 months through January 2025. Need-based unsecured loans extended by the promoter and group companies will also support liquidity. Free cash and bank balance stood at Rs 48.3 crore as of January 2025. Current ratio was 1.35 times as on March 31, 2024.

Outlook: Positive

The business risk profile of LAIPL is expected to further improve over the medium term, led by increased revenue from the manufacturing segment along with its established market position and expertise of the management in mitigating inherent risks in the trading business.

Rating sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Steady revenue growth backed by volumetric growth and improved operating margin, leading to higher-than-expected net cash accrual
  • Improvement in the financial risk profile, with interest coverage ratio of around 2 times

 

Downward factors:

  • Significant decline in revenue or operating margin dropping below 2%, resulting in lower-than-expected cash accrual
  • Deterioration in the financial risk profile

About the company

Incorporated in 2011, LAIPL is promoted by Mr Mohan Khandelwal. The Bareilly-based company trades in various edible oils and food grains. It also started selling similar products under its own brand, Mohan Dhara, from fiscal 2023.

Key financials Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Units

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs crore

2138.26

1773.96

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

16.5

15.66

PAT margin

%

0.77

0.88

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

1.49

1.34

Interest coverage

Times

1.53

1.91

Any other information: Not Applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
Crisil Ratings` 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.

Crisil Ratings will disclose complexity level for all securities - including those that are yet to be placed - based on available information. The complexity level for instruments may be updated, where required, in the rating rationale published subsequent to the issuance of the instrument when details on such features are available.

For more details on the Crisil Ratings` complexity levels please visit www.crisilratings.com. 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. Crore) Complexity Levels Rating Outstanding with Outlook
NA Bill Discounting NA NA NA 120.00 NA Crisil A3+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 15.10 NA Crisil BBB/Positive
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 148.25 NA Crisil A3+
NA Proposed Working Capital Facility NA NA NA 16.65 NA Crisil BBB/Positive
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 200.00 NA Crisil BBB/Positive
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2025 (History) 2024  2023  2022  Start of 2022
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT/ST 351.75 Crisil BBB/Positive / Crisil A3+   -- 19-08-24 Crisil BBB/Positive / Crisil A3+ 26-05-23 Crisil A3 / Crisil BBB-/Stable 07-03-22 Crisil A3 / Crisil BBB-/Stable --
      --   --   --   -- 15-02-22 Crisil A3 / Crisil BBB-/Stable --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 148.25 Crisil A3+   -- 19-08-24 Crisil A3+ 26-05-23 Crisil A3 07-03-22 Crisil A3 --
      --   --   --   -- 15-02-22 Crisil A3 / Crisil BBB-/Stable --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bill Discounting 50 Canara Bank Crisil A3+
Bill Discounting 5 CSB Bank Limited Crisil A3+
Bill Discounting 50 Axis Bank Limited Crisil A3+
Bill Discounting 15 HDFC Bank Limited Crisil A3+
Cash Credit 5 IndusInd Bank Limited Crisil BBB/Positive
Cash Credit 10 Punjab National Bank Crisil BBB/Positive
Cash Credit 0.1 UCO Bank Crisil BBB/Positive
Letter of Credit 19 UCO Bank Crisil A3+
Letter of Credit 20 Axis Bank Limited Crisil A3+
Letter of Credit 20.9 Punjab National Bank Crisil A3+
Letter of Credit 20 CSB Bank Limited Crisil A3+
Letter of Credit 13.35 Punjab National Bank Crisil A3+
Letter of Credit 20 HDFC Bank Limited Crisil A3+
Letter of Credit 35 IndusInd Bank Limited Crisil A3+
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 200 Not Applicable Crisil BBB/Positive
Proposed Working Capital Facility 16.65 Not Applicable Crisil BBB/Positive
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
Basics of Ratings (including default recognition, assessing information adequacy)
Criteria for manufacturing, trading and corporate services sector (including approach for financial ratios)

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