Rating Rationale
May 06, 2021 | Mumbai
Life Line Feeds India Private Limited
Rated amount enhanced
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.131.37 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.106.37 Crore)
Long Term RatingCRISIL BBB-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A3 (Assigned)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detaled Rationale

CRISIL Ratings has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable' ratings on the long term bank facilities of Life Line Feeds India Private Limited (LLF) while assigned its ‘CRISIL A3’ rating to the short term bank facility.

 

The rating continues to reflect the company’s vertically integrated operations and strong presence in Karnataka, backed by the extensive experience of its promoter in the poultry business. The rating also factors in its above-average financial risk profile, despite major debt-funded capital expenditure (capex) in the recent past. These strengths are partially offset by large working capital requirement, exposure to intense competition, and inherent risks in the poultry industry.

 

CRISIL Ratings had on February 09, 2021, revised the outlook to ‘Stable’ from ‘Negative while the long term rating has been reaffirmed at CRISIL BBB-.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Vertically integrated operations and strong regional presence: LLF is one of the few vertically integrated poultry players in Karnataka, with operations spanning from breeding of egg-laying birds and rearing of chicks to processing and sale of meat through a chain of retail outlets named Tender Chicken, apart from manufacturing of poultry feed and sale of eggs. The end-to-end operations and strong brand presence in Karnataka will continue to benefit the company.

 

  • Extensive experience of the promoter: The promoter has been in the poultry business for more than two decades and has sustainably scaled up and diversified operations over the years. He has built strong relationships with key industry stakeholders, which will keep the company in good stead going forward.

 

  • Above-average financial risk profile: The financial risk profile is supported by healthy networth of Rs 90.51 crore and comfortable total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratio of 1.50 times estimated as on March 31, 2021. Debt protection metrics have also been adequate, as reflected in estimated interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios of more than 3.69 times and close to 20%, respectively, in fiscal 2021.

 

Weakness:

  • Large working capital requirement: The company has gross current assets of 100-110 days, mainly because of inventory maintained across the value chain, resulting in sizeable funds being blocked as working capital.

 

  • Exposure to intense competition and risks inherent in the poultry industry: The poultry industry has organised as well as unorganised players and is driven by regional demand and supply factors because of transportation constraints and the perishable nature of products. Limited brand recall intensifies competition from regional, unorganised players, and restricts them from fully passing on increases in input cost to customers. The industry is also vulnerable to the outbreak of diseases, which could lead to decline in sales volume and realisations of poultry feed manufacturers. Also, because of religious sentiment, demand for eggs is seasonal

Liquidity: Adequate

The company had moderate bank limit utilisation and adequate cash accrual for meeting debt obligation. The company is likely to generate accruals in the range of Rs.25-30 crore in the near term against which it will have repayment obligation of Rs.10.5 crore in fiscal 2022. The company has access to fund based limit of Rs.55 crore which is utilised at an average of 81% for the past 12 months ended February 2021. The fund based limit has been enhanced to Rs.70 crore in March 2021 and will support the liquidity.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes LLF’s business will continue to benefit from its established market position and extensive experience of the promoters.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Increase in accrual to over Rs 25 crore, supported by improved business or profitability
  • Sustained improvement in the financial risk profile

 

Downward factors:

  • Decline in revenue or profitability leading to lower-than-expected accrual
  • Deterioration in the financial risk profile on account of capex or working capital requirement, resulting in weakening of the interest coverage ratio to less than 2 times

About the Company

Set up in 1996, LLF produces poultry feed, hatching eggs, broiler birds, and chicken meat. The company is promoted by Mr K Kishore Kumar Hegde and is based in Chikmagalur, Karnataka.

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit

2020

2019

Operating income

Rs.Crore

359

336

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs.Crore

3.79

12

PAT margin

%

1.1

3.5

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

1.33

1.16

Interest coverage

Times

3.99

4.49

 

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)

Complexity

Levels

Rating assigned with outlook

NA

Cash Credit

NA

NA

NA

70

NA

CRISIL BBB-/Stable

NA

Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility

NA

NA

NA

4.5

NA

CRISIL BBB-/Stable

NA

Term Loan

NA

NA

Sept-2023

51.37

NA

CRISIL BBB-/Stable

NA

Working Capital Term Loan

NA

NA

Sept-2024

5.5

NA

CRISIL A3

 

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2021 (History) 2020  2019  2018  Start of 2018
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT/ST 131.37 CRISIL BBB-/Stable / CRISIL A3 09-02-21 CRISIL BBB-/Stable 24-03-20 CRISIL BBB-/Negative 23-05-19 CRISIL BBB-/Stable 04-06-18 CRISIL BBB-/Stable CRISIL BBB-/Negative
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 70 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Cash Credit 55 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 4.5 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Term Loan 51.37 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Term Loan 51.37 CRISIL BBB-/Stable - - -
Working Capital Term Loan 5.5 CRISIL A3 - - -
Total 131.37 - Total 106.37 -
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
CRISILs Approach to Recognising Default
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings

Media Relations
Analytical Contacts
Customer Service Helpdesk
Saman Khan
Media Relations
CRISIL Limited
D: +91 22 3342 3895
B: +91 22 3342 3000
saman.khan@crisil.com

Naireen Ahmed
Media Relations
CRISIL Limited
D: +91 22 3342 1818
B: +91 22 3342 3000
 naireen.ahmed@crisil.com

Dinesh Jain
Director
CRISIL Ratings Limited
D:+91 44 6656 3115
Dinesh.Jain@crisil.com


Krishna Ambadasu
Associate Director
CRISIL Ratings Limited
D:+91 22 6172 3189
Krishna.Ambadasu@crisil.com


Dinesh Kumar
Rating Analyst
CRISIL Ratings Limited
B:+91 22 6172 3100
Dinesh.Kumar@crisil.com
Timings: 10.00 am to 7.00 pm
Toll free Number:1800 267 1301

For a copy of Rationales / Rating Reports:
CRISILratingdesk@crisil.com
 
For Analytical queries:
ratingsinvestordesk@crisil.com


 

Note for Media:
This rating rationale is transmitted to you for the sole purpose of dissemination through your newspaper / magazine / agency. The rating rationale may be used by you in full or in part without changing the meaning or context thereof but with due credit to CRISIL Ratings. However, CRISIL Ratings alone has the sole right of distribution (whether directly or indirectly) of its rationales for consideration or otherwise through any media including websites, portals etc.


About CRISIL Ratings Limited

CRISIL Ratings pioneered the concept of credit rating in India in 1987. With a tradition of independence, analytical rigour and innovation, we set the standards in the credit rating business. We rate the entire range of debt instruments, such as, bank loans, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, non-convertible / convertible / partially convertible bonds and debentures, perpetual bonds, bank hybrid capital instruments, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, partial guarantees and other structured debt instruments. We have rated over 33,000 large and mid-scale corporates and financial institutions. We have also instituted several innovations in India in the rating business, including rating municipal bonds, partially guaranteed instruments and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs).
 
CRISIL Ratings Limited ("CRISIL Ratings") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CRISIL Limited ("CRISIL"). CRISIL Ratings Limited is registered in India as a credit rating agency with the Securities and Exchange Board of India ("SEBI").
 
For more information, visit www.crisil.com/ratings 




About CRISIL Limited

CRISIL is a global analytical company providing ratings, research, and risk and policy advisory services. We are India's leading ratings agency. We are also the foremost provider of high-end research to the world's largest banks and leading corporations.

CRISIL is majority owned by S&P Global Inc., a leading provider of transparent and independent ratings, benchmarks, analytics and data to the capital and commodity markets worldwide


For more information, visit www.crisil.com

Connect with us: TWITTER | LINKEDIN | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK


CRISIL PRIVACY NOTICE
 
CRISIL respects your privacy. We may use your contact information, such as your name, address, and email id to fulfil your request and service your account and to provide you with additional information from CRISIL.For further information on CRISIL’s privacy policy please visit www.crisil.com.


DISCLAIMER

This disclaimer forms part of and applies to each credit rating report and/or credit rating rationale (each a "Report") that is provided by CRISIL Ratings Limited  (hereinafter referred to as "CRISIL Ratings") . For the avoidance of doubt, the term "Report" includes the information, ratings and other content forming part of the Report. The Report is intended for the jurisdiction of India only. This Report does not constitute an offer of services. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, nothing in the Report is to be construed as CRISIL Ratings providing or intending to provide any services in jurisdictions where CRISIL Ratings does not have the necessary licenses and/or registration to carry out its business activities referred to above. Access or use of this Report does not create a client relationship between CRISIL Ratings and the user.

We are not aware that any user intends to rely on the Report or of the manner in which a user intends to use the Report. In preparing our Report we have not taken into consideration the objectives or particular needs of any particular user. It is made abundantly clear that the Report is not intended to and does not constitute an investment advice. The Report is not an offer to sell or an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment in any securities, instruments, facilities or solicitation of any kind or otherwise enter into any deal or transaction with the entity to which the Report pertains. The Report should not be the sole or primary basis for any investment decision within the meaning of any law or regulation (including the laws and regulations applicable in the US).

Ratings from CRISIL Ratings are statements of opinion as of the date they are expressed and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, hold, or sell any securities / instruments or to make any investment decisions. Any opinions expressed here are in good faith, are subject to change without notice, and are only current as of the stated date of their issue. CRISIL Ratings assumes no obligation to update its opinions following publication in any form or format although CRISIL Ratings may disseminate its opinions and analysis. Rating by CRISIL Ratings contained in the Report is not a substitute for the skill, judgment and experience of the user, its management, employees, advisors and/or clients when making investment or other business decisions. The recipients of the Report should rely on their own judgment and take their own professional advice before acting on the Report in any way. CRISIL Ratings or its associates may have other commercial transactions with the company/entity.

Neither CRISIL Ratings nor its affiliates, third party providers, as well as their directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents (collectively, "CRISIL Ratings Parties") guarantee the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the Report, and no CRISIL Ratings Party shall have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions therein, regardless of the cause, or for the results obtained from the use of any part of the Report. EACH CRISIL RATINGS' PARTY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, SUITABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE. In no event shall any CRISIL Ratings Party be liable to any party for any direct, indirect, incidental, exemplary, compensatory, punitive, special or consequential damages, costs, expenses, legal fees, or losses (including, without limitation, lost income or lost profits and opportunity costs) in connection with any use of any part of the Report even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

CRISIL Ratings may receive compensation for its ratings and certain credit-related analyses, normally from issuers or underwriters of the instruments, facilities, securities or from obligors. CRISIL Rating's public ratings and analysis as are required to be disclosed under the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (and other applicable regulations, if any) are made available on its web sites, www.crisil.com (free of charge). Reports with more detail and additional information may be available for subscription at a fee - more details about ratings by CRISIL Ratings are available here: www.crisilratings.com.

CRISIL Ratings and its affiliates do not act as a fiduciary. While CRISIL Ratings has obtained information from sources it believes to be reliable, CRISIL Ratings does not perform an audit and undertakes no duty of due diligence or independent verification of any information it receives and / or relies in its Reports. CRISIL Ratings has established policies and procedures to maintain the confidentiality of certain non-public information received in connection with each analytical process. CRISIL Ratings has in place a ratings code of conduct and policies for analytical firewalls and for managing conflict of interest. For details please refer to: http://www.crisil.com/ratings/highlightedpolicy.html

Rating criteria by CRISIL Ratings are generally available without charge to the public on the CRISIL Ratings public web site, www.crisil.com. For latest rating information on any instrument of any company rated by CRISIL Ratings you may contact CRISIL RATING DESK at CRISILratingdesk@crisil.com, or at (0091) 1800 267 1301.

This Report should not be reproduced or redistributed to any other person or in any form without a prior written consent of CRISIL Ratings.

All rights reserved @ CRISIL Ratings Limited. CRISIL Ratings Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of CRISIL Limited.

CRISIL Ratings uses the prefix ‘PP-MLD’ for the ratings of principal-protected market-linked debentures (PPMLD) with effect from November 1, 2011 to comply with the SEBI circular, "Guidelines for Issue and Listing of Structured Products/Market Linked Debentures". The revision in rating symbols for PPMLDs should not be construed as a change in the rating of the subject instrument. For details on CRISIL Ratiings' use of 'PP-MLD' please refer to the notes to Rating scale for Debt Instruments and Structured Finance Instruments at the following link: www.crisil.com/ratings/credit-rating-scale.html