Rating Rationale
January 27, 2022 | Mumbai
Meher Foundations and Civil Engineers Private Limited
Ratings reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.40 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL BBB/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A2 (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detailed Rationale

CRISIL Ratings has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A2' ratings on the bank facilities of Meher Foundations and Civil Engineers Private Limited (Meher).

 

The ratings continue to reflect the company’s extensive experience of the promoters and comfortable financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by moderate scale of operations and susceptibility to economic downturns and investment cycles.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Extensive experience of the promoters: The promoters have experience of more than three decades in the pile foundation construction segment, which has helped the company establish its presence in Maharashtra and nearby states. Also, the execution of projects in a timely manner has led to repeat orders from customers. The extensive experience of the promoters should continue to support the business and scale up operations. The company’s order book was over Rs 200 crore as on December 31, 2021, which is to be executed over the next 18-24 months.

 

  • Comfortable financial risk profile: The financial risk profile should remain comfortable over the medium term, supported by healthy accretion to reserves. Networth is expected to be Rs.90-100 crores while gearing and total outside liabilities to adjusted networth ratios are estimated to be low at 0.05-0.10 time and 0.40-0.50 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2022. Debt protection metrics  are expected to remain adequate, with estimated interest coverage ratio of 11-12 times and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratio of 1.8-1.9 times in fiscal 2022. The financial risk profile is expected to remain at similar levels in fiscal 2022 due to low dependence on debt.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Moderate scale of operations amid intense competition: Despite long industry presence, revenue has remained moderate and volatile at Rs 90-120 crore over the three fiscals ended March 31, 2021. The construction industry is highly fragmented due to low entry barriers and capital requirement. The company generates its entire revenue through tenders, which intensifies competition and limits the bargaining power. Intense competition may continue to constrain scalability, pricing power and profitability.

 

  • Large working capital cycle: The working capital cycle is mainly driven by various tender and retention deposits to be maintained with counterparties. Gross current assets are expected to be at 180-200 days as on March 31, 2022. The company generates bills on a monthly basis and payment is received within 60-75 days. Credit period of 45-60 days offered by suppliers partly aids working capital management. With no major changes expected in operating policies, working capital cycle will continue to remain large over medium term.

 

  • Susceptibility to economic downturns and investment cycles: The business largely depends on infrastructure activity and investment plans of corporate entities. Any slowdown in the economic cycle may also impact the scale of operations.

Liquidity: Adequate

Meher has adequate liquidity driven by expected cash accruals of Rs.18-21 crores annually in fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024 against long term repayment obligations of Rs.3.43 crores and Rs.2.85 crores annually. Unencumbered cash and cash equivalents were Rs.4.45 crore and liquid investments were Rs.31.88 crores as on March 31, 2021. Meher’s fund-based limits have been unutilized over the 12 months ended December 2021. CRISIL Ratings expects internal accruals, cash & cash equivalents and unutilized bank lines to be sufficient to meet its repayment obligations and incremental working capital requirements.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes Meher’s business risk profile will remain stable over the medium term.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Increase in revenue and stable operating profitability, leading to net cash accrual of more than Rs 20 crore
  • Significant improvement in the working capital cycle, leading to reduction in gross current assets (GCAs) to below 120 days

 

Downward factors:

  • Sizeable stretch in the working capital cycle, with GCAs rising above 250 days
  • Debt-funded capital expenditure or stretch in the working capital cycle, leading to significant weakening of the financial risk profile

About the Company

Set up in 1986 as a partnership firm, Meher Foundation Engineers, the firm got reconstituted as a private limited company with the current name in 1991. This Mumbai-based company specialises in geotechnical services; construction of pile foundations and pile caps for industrial buildings, roads and bridges; and marine activities. It further diversified into construction of bridges in 2006. Mr Shripal Shah, Mr Shrikunj Shah and Mr G S Kutty are the promoters.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

 

2021*

2020

Operating income

Rs crore

97.88

109.40

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

7.25

10.25

PAT margin

%

7.41

9.83

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

0.11

0.12

Interest coverage

Times

9.33

9.10

*provisional

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. The CRISIL Ratings' complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL Ratings' 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 crore) Complexity level Rating assigned with outlook
NA Cash credit NA NA NA 5 NA CRISIL BBB/Stable
NA Bank guarantee NA NA NA 35 NA CRISIL A2

 

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2022 (History) 2021  2020  2019  Start of 2019
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 5.0 CRISIL BBB/Stable   --   -- 21-10-20 CRISIL BBB/Stable 17-07-19 CRISIL BBB/Stable CRISIL BBB/Stable
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 35.0 CRISIL A2   --   -- 21-10-20 CRISIL A2 17-07-19 CRISIL A2 CRISIL A2
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 35 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A2
Cash Credit 5 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Stable

This Annexure has been updated on 27-Jan-2022 in line with the lender-wise facility details as on 17-Aug-2021 received from the rated entity.

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 Construction Industry
Rating Criteria for Engineering Sector
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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