Rating Rationale
July 14, 2023 | Mumbai
Lincoln Pharmaceuticals Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1'; rated amount enhanced for Bank Debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.102 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.93.41 Crore)
Long Term RatingCRISIL A/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1 (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 A/Stable/CRISIL A1' ratings on the bank loan facilities of Lincoln Pharmaceuticals Limited (LPL; part of Lincoln group)

 

The ratings reflect the extensive experience of the group's promoters in the pharmaceutical industry, and its established market position and healthy financial risk profile and liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by a working capital intensive operations, exposure to risks related to unfavourable regulations, and intense competitive pressure.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL Ratings has combined the business and financial risk profiles of LPL, Lincoln Parenteral Ltd (Lincoln Parenteral), and Zullinc Healthcare Ltd (ZHL). This is because the companies, collectively referred to as the Lincoln group, are in the same line of business, and have common promoter and management team. They also support each other in the event of an exigency and have significant transactions. Furthermore, LPL holds the entire stake in ZHL, and 98.58% stake in Lincoln Parenteral. Lincoln Parenteral was merged with LPL in FY23.

 

Please refer Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Extensive experience of the promoters: Benefits from the promoters’ experience of more than three decades should continue to support business risk profile. Over the years, promoters have developed keen understanding of markets and a close relationship with customers and suppliers.

 

  • Established market position: Lincoln group’s business profile is underpinned by an established market position, widespread geographic reach, and healthy customer and product base. The group has presence in more than 15 therapeutic segments and exports to more than 90 countries. Revenue is Rs 510 crore in fiscal 2023 (reflects y-o-y growth of 10% over fiscal 2022).

 

  • Healthy financial risk profile: Financial risk profile is healthy with networth of Rs 502 crore and nil gearing as on March 31, 2023. Debt protection metrics are comfortable, too, with interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios of 43.9 times and 41.1 times, respectively, in fiscal 2023. The financial risk profile is estimated to have further strengthened in fiscal 2024 supported by healthy profits and minimal borrowings.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Working capital intensive operations: Operations are working capital intensive as reflected in gross current assets (GCA) days of around six to seven months as on March 31, 2023. The group had debtors and inventory of 98 days and 61 days, respectively. Credit received from suppliers partially funds the working capital.

 

  • Exposure to risks related to regulations and intense competitive pressure: Susceptibility to regulatory risk with regards to pharmaceutical formulations, and intense competition persists. The group needs to continuously comply with stringent quality and pricing norms. Also, with increasing export base, regulatory requirements of a wider base of countries need to be met as well.

Liquidity: Strong

The group is expected to generate annual cash accruals in the range of Rs 80-85 crore against which it does not have any major term debt obligations. The group currently has liquid investments of around Rs 91 crore in form of mutual funds and over Rs 30 crore in form of liquid funds as on March 31, 2023. Bank limit have been rarely utilized by the company. Current ratio was healthy at 5.74 times on March 31, 2023. Further, the group does not have any major capex plans and annual investment remaining below Rs 50 crore over medium term. Low gearing and moderate net worth support its financial flexibility, and provides the financial cushion available in case of any adverse conditions or downturn in the business.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes the Lincoln group will benefit over the medium term from its established market presence and healthy financial profile.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Sustained scale up in operations at a CAGR of 20% with steady margin
  • Improved geographic diversification and working capital cycle

 

Downward factors:

  • Operating profitability below 16% or pressure on topline reflecting moderation in business profile
  • Deterioration in the working capital cycle or large, unexpected capex, investment

About the Group

LPL was set up as a partnership firm in 1979 and reconstituted as a public limited company in January 1995. It is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. LPL manufactures and sells pharmaceutical formulations related to respiratory, genitourinary, and musculoskeletal systems, alimentary tract and metabolism, and anti-infectives among others.

 

Lincoln Parenteral was incorporated in 1991 and manufactures dry powder, liquid injectibles, and syrup variants at its facilities in Ahmedabad (Gujarat). The company merged with LPL during FY23.

 

ZHL trades in and markets pharmaceutical products.

Key Financial Indicators

Particulars

Unit

2023

2022

Revenue

Rs crore

510.31

472.12

Profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

72.90

69.36

PAT margin

%

14.29

14.69

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

0.00

0.00

Interest coverage

Times

43.94

70.12

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 th instrument Date of
Allotment
Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue size
(Rs. Crore)
Complexity
Level
Rating assigned
with outlook
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 6 NA CRISIL A1
NA Cash Credit^^ NA NA NA 15 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Export Packing Credit& NA NA NA 10.41 NA CRISIL A1
NA Export Packing Credit NA NA NA 51 NA CRISIL A1
NA Export Packing Credit& NA NA NA 8.59 NA CRISIL A1
NA Export Packing Credit^ NA NA NA 5 NA CRISIL A1
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 6 NA CRISIL A1

^ - Fully interchangeable with LC and includes sublimit of CC of Rs 1 crore
^^ - Fully interchangeable with EPC/PCFC/FBD 
& - Includes sublimit of WCDL of Rs 15 crore, LC of Rs 2 crore

Annexure – List of entities consolidated

Names of Entities Consolidated

Extent of Consolidation

Rationale for Consolidation

Lincoln Parenteral Limited

Full

Companies are in the same line of business and have common promoter and management team. They also support each other in the event of an exigency, and have significant transactions. Furthermore, LPL holds the entire stake in ZHL, and Lincoln Parenteral merged with LPL.

Lincoln Pharmaceuticals Limited

Zullinc Healthcare LLP

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2023 (History) 2022  2021  2020  Start of 2020
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT/ST 90.0 CRISIL A1 / CRISIL A/Stable   -- 21-04-22 CRISIL A1 / CRISIL A/Stable 07-04-21 CRISIL A-/Positive 29-06-20 CRISIL A-/Stable CRISIL A-/Stable
      --   --   --   --   -- CRISIL A-/Stable
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 12.0 CRISIL A1   -- 21-04-22 CRISIL A1 07-04-21 CRISIL A2+ 29-06-20 CRISIL A2+ CRISIL A2+
      --   --   --   --   -- CRISIL A-/Stable
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 6 State Bank of India CRISIL A1
Cash Credit^^ 15 State Bank of India CRISIL A/Stable
Export Packing Credit& 10.41 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Export Packing Credit 26 YES Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Export Packing Credit& 8.59 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Export Packing Credit^ 5 YES Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Export Packing Credit 25 State Bank of India CRISIL A1
Letter of Credit 6 State Bank of India CRISIL A1
^ - Fully interchangeable with LC and includes sublimit of CC of Rs 1 crore
^^ - Fully interchangeable with EPC/PCFC/FBD 
& - Includes sublimit of WCDL of Rs 15 crore, LC of Rs 2 crore
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
Rating Criteria for the Pharmaceutical Industry
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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