Rating Rationale
March 07, 2019 | Mumbai
Lumax Auto Technologies Limited
Rated amount enhanced
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.122 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.72 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL A+/Positive (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.20 Crore Commercial Paper CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its ratings on the bank facilities and commercial paper programme of Lumax Auto Technologies Limited (LATL; part of the Lumax group) at 'CRISIL A+/Positive/CRISIL A1+'.
 
Revenue is expected to grow 12-15% per annum over the medium term, driven by steady demand from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Profitability will, likely, be maintained at around 10%, driven by cost efficiencies and higher aftermarket presence. In the first nine months of fiscal 2019, revenue grew at healthy rate of 30.8% and operating margin sustained at 9.5%. Financial risk profile is also expected to improve over the medium term, supported by steady cash accrual and prudent funding of capital expenditure and management of working capital. Debt protection metrics and liquidity should remain healthy, backed by better cash generation and reducing debt.
 
The ratings continue to reflect the Lumax group's healthy financial risk profile, because of strong capital structure and sound debt protection metrics, established market position in the automobile illumination products segment, and steady relationships with key customers. These strengths are partially offset by customer concentration risk in revenue and vulnerability to volatility in raw material prices.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of LATL and its subsidiaries-Lumax DK Auto Industries Ltd (LDK), Lumax Integrated Ventures Ltd (LIVL), and Lumax Management Services Pvt Ltd (LMSPL)-and the 55% joint venture (JV), Lumax Mannoh Allied Technologies Ltd (LMAT), and equal JVs, namely Lumax Cornaglia Auto Technologies Pvt Ltd (LCAT) and Lumax Gill-Austem Auto Technologies Pvt Ltd (LGAT). The companies, collectively referred to as the Lumax group (part of the DK Jain group), are in the same line of business.

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:
* Established market position and strong relationships with key customers
LATL, and its subsidiary, LDK, has an established market position in the auto lighting products industry and strong relationships with key customers: Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL; CRISIL AAA/FAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+) and Lumax Industries Ltd (LIL). The group mainly supplies two-wheeler and three-wheeler lighting products and two-wheeler chassis to BAL, and four-wheeler gear shift assemblies to players such as Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL; 'CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+'), Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Company, and Renault-Nissan. In an effort to further diversify the product offerings, the group has commenced supply of swing arms for two-wheelers and trailing arms for three-wheelers. A network of over 400 distributors across India for aftermarket sales further strengthens business risk profile. Moreover, the group continues to pursue JVs to augment their product profiles and to expand geographically.
 
* Healthy financial risk profile
Gearing is robust and debt protection metrics strong, backed by steady cash accrual, large networth, and low debt. Supported by healthy revenue growth and improved operating margin, net cash accrual have increased to Rs 76 crore in fiscal 2018 from Rs 14 crore in fiscal 2009. Networth is estimated to have risen to Rs 498 crore as on March 31, 2018, from Rs 64 crore as on March 31, 2009, because of increased accretion to reserves.
 
Weaknesses
* Customer concentration risk in revenue
Sales to BAL, MSIL, and LIL collectively contribute around 60% to total revenue. Despite strong customer relationships, revenue and margin will remain vulnerable to a change in the business plans of a major client. As a strategic volume partner to BAL, the Lumax group faces demand fluctuation risk on an ongoing basis, which leads to volatility in revenue and margin, especially when capacity is underutilised.
 
* Vulnerability to volatile raw material prices
The main raw material used for making plastic powder is polypropylene (PP), which is a downstream petrochemical product. Hence, the price of PP is directly linked to crude oil rates, which are highly volatile. Also, steel prices have been volatile in the past 4-5 years. Given that most customers are OEMs, the group does not have the cushion to fully pass on increase in input rates as price revision happens annually.
Liquidity

Liquidity is healthy, driven by annual cash accrual expected at around Rs 100 crore over the medium term, cash surplus of Rs 62 crore as on September 30, 2018. Utilisation of fund-based limit of Rs 40 crore averaged a moderate 10% in the 9 months through December 2018. Accrual, liquid surplus, and unutilised bank lines should be sufficient to meet capital expenditure and incremental working capital requirements over the medium term.

Outlook: Positive

CRISIL believes the Lumax group will continue to benefit from its diversified product mix and established customer base. Financial risk profile is expected to improve further, supported by healthy growth in cash accrual, modest capital expenditure and working capital requirements, and low reliance on external debt.
 
Upside Scenario:

  • Better-than-expected growth in revenue and diversification of customer and product base
  • Higher improvement in profitability

Downside Scenario:

  • Sharp decline in revenue and profitability due to a slowdown in the end-user industry
  • Unexpected changes in procurement strategy by key customers, resulting in suboptimal capacity utilisation
  • Large, debt-funded capital expenditure for acquisition, or substantial investment in unrelated ventures/real estate
About the Group

The Lumax group is part of the DK Jain group of companies.
 
LATL was incorporated in 1981 as Lumax Auto Electricals Pvt Ltd, and renamed Dhanesh Auto Electricals Pvt Ltd in 1988 and Dhanesh Auto Electricals Ltd in 1998. The company got its current name in 2006. LATL has two main divisions: lighting systems (55% of revenue), and sheet metal components, gear shifters, and moulded parts (45%). Lighting products (head lamps, tail lamps, and blinkers) are manufactured in Pune, sheet metal components (mainly chassis for BAL's two-wheelers) in Aurangabad, moulded parts (for HMSI) in Bengaluru, and electronic components (for LED lighting) in Manesar (Haryana). The company's aftermarket division (domestic and export) trades in auto components such as lightings, accessories, and audio and navigation systems.
 
LDK, incorporated in 1997, is a wholly owned subsidiary of LATL and was merged with the latter in December 2018. The company manufactures auto components, including gear shifter assemblies, head and tail lamp assemblies, moulded parts, and parking brakes. The bulk of revenue comes from supply of lighting products and moulded parts to BAL, and the remaining from gear shifter assemblies and parking brakes for MSIL. Manufacturing plants are in Pantnagar and Manesar. The gear shifter business was demerged, effective April 2014, into LMAT, which is a 55:45 JV between LATL and Mannoh Industrial Co Ltd, Japan.
 
LIVL, incorporated in fiscal 2016, is an investment company and a wholly owned subsidiary of LATL. It is the engine for LATL's non-auto business. The company has a wholly owned subsidiary, too Lumax Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd which deals in LED lighting products. It has also entered into a JV with SIPAL SpA (Lumax SIPAL Engineering Pvt Ltd), which deals in defence services. LIVL holds 51% equity with management control over the JV, while SIPAL SpA holds the remaining 49% equity.
 
LCAT is a JV between LATL and Officine Metallurgiche G Cornaglia, SpA, Italy, through the Italian company's subsidiary, Cornaglia Metallurgical Products India Pvt Ltd. The JV commenced operations in fiscal 2008 and manufactures and supplies air-intake systems and exhaust systems to automotive manufacturers. The manufacturing facilities are in Pune.
 
LGAT is a JV between LATL and Gill-Austem LLC, which, in turn, is a JV between Gill Group, USA, and Austem, Korea. It manufactures seating mechanisms, seating assemblies, and head restraints for the auto industry.
 
LMSPL is engaged in providing corporate support services to the DK Jain group companies. LMSPL provides services like Research and Development, SAP-ERP support, IT/ITES support, skill development and human resource support services to Lumax Auto technologies Limited (LATL) and Lumax Industries Limited (LIL)..
 
Lumax FAE Technologies Private Limited was established in July 2017 by LATL and FAE to manufacture oxygen sensors for the Indian automotive industry, with LATL owning 51% and FAE 49%. The facility being set up at Manesar, Haryana, will have the capacity to manufacture 2.5 million oxygen sensors.
 
Lumax Ituran Telematics Pvt Ltd is a 50:50 JV between LATL and Ituran, Israel. It was formed in fiscal 2017 to produce telematics products.
 
On a standalone basis, net profit was Rs 38.86 crore in the first nine months of fiscal 2019 on net sales of Rs 623.89 crore, as against Rs 23.07 crore and Rs 400.42 crore, respectively, in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Key Financial Indicators (Lumax group)
As on / for the period ended March 31   2018 2017
Revenue Rs Crore 1170.5 1074.3
PAT Rs Crore 58.7 42.7
PAT margin % 5.0 3.9
Adjusted debt/adjusted Networth Times 0.02 0.13
Interest coverage Times 40.01 20.80

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)
Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Cash Credit* NA NA NA 80 CRISIL A+/Positive
NA Vendor Bill Discounting Limits NA NA NA 35 CRISIL A+/Positive
NA Non-Fund-Based Limits NA NA NA 7 CRISIL A+/Positive
NA Commercial Paper NA NA 7-365 days 20 CRISIL A1+
*Interchangeable with working capital demand loan
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Entity Consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
Lumax DK Auto Industries Ltd Full Subsidiary
Lumax Integrated Ventures Ltd Full Subsidiary
Lumax Management Services Pvt Ltd Full Subsidiary
Lumax Mannoh Allied Technologies Ltd Full Business synergies, common management
Lumax Cornaglia Auto Technologies Pvt Ltd Full Business synergies, common management
Lumax Gill-Austem Auto Technologies Pvt Ltd Full Business synergies, common management
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST  20.00  CRISIL A1+      27-12-18  CRISIL A1+  22-06-17  CRISIL A1  02-09-16  CRISIL A1  -- 
            22-06-18  CRISIL A1+           
            31-05-18  CRISIL A1+           
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  115.00  CRISIL A+/Positive      27-12-18  CRISIL A+/Positive/ CRISIL A1+  22-06-17  CRISIL A+/Stable  02-09-16  CRISIL A+/Stable  CRISIL A/Positive 
            22-06-18  CRISIL A+/Positive/ CRISIL A1+      17-08-16  CRISIL A+/Stable   
            31-05-18  CRISIL A+/Positive/ CRISIL A1+      29-07-16  CRISIL A+/Stable   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  7.00  CRISIL A+/Positive    --    --    --    --  -- 
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* 80 CRISIL A+/Positive Cash Credit 27 CRISIL A+/Positive
Non-Fund Based Limit 7 CRISIL A+/Positive Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 35 CRISIL A+/Positive
Vendor Bill Discounting Limits 35 CRISIL A+/Positive Short Term Loan 10 CRISIL A1+
Total 122 -- Total 72 --
*Interchangeable with working capital demand loan
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
Rating Criteria for Auto Component Suppliers
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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