Rating Rationale
July 28, 2023 | Mumbai
 
Mercury Laboratories Limited
Rating reaffirmed at 'CRISIL BB+/Stable'
 
Rating Action
Rs.3 Crore Fixed Deposits CRISIL BB+/Stable (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 BB+/Stable’ rating on the fixed deposits of Mercury Laboratories Ltd (MLL).

 

The rating continues to reflect the extensive experience of the promoter in the pharmaceutical industry and the company’s comfortable financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to regulatory changes and volatility in raw materials prices, and average scale of operations and working capital intensive operations.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Extensive experience of the promoter: The promoter’s experience of over five decades in the pharmaceutical industry, his technical expertise, the company’s wide product range in the pediatrics and gynecology segments, the strong team of medical representatives and wide distribution network across India will continue to support the business. The company exports to semi-regulated markets such as Guatemala, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Afghanistan and the Philippines, which enhances the product reach.

 

  • Comfortable financial risk profile: The financial risk profile is supported by moderate capital structure, reflected in estimated adjusted networth of over Rs 43 crore and gearing and total outside liabilities to adjusted networth (TOLANW) ratio of 0.11 time and 0.47 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2023. The metrics are expected to moderate marginally over the medium term due to proposed debt-funded capital expenditure (capex) for setting up manufacturing capacity for medicines, ampules and injections. That said, the capital structure will remain moderate, supported by steady accrual and scheduled debt repayment. Healthy operating profitability and moderate debt have led to adequate debt protection metrics, reflected in interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratio of 18.88 times and 1.49 times, respectively, for fiscal 2023. The financial risk profile is expected to improve over the medium term on account of moderate accretion to reserve and scheduled repayment of term debt.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Susceptibility to regulatory changes and volatility in raw materials prices: The pharmaceutical industry is highly regulated by state governments and various central government agencies, such as Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority. The central agencies approve new drugs and clinical trials, control the quality of imported drugs and set prices for many critical drugs, while state authorities regulate manufacture, sales and distribution. Furthermore, prices of key raw materials (active pharmaceutical ingredients) are volatile. As a result, the operating margin of MLL has fluctuated over the five years through fiscal 2023. Sustenance of the operating margin remains a key monitorable.

 

  • Average scale of operations and working capital intensive operations: Though operating income increased from Rs 58.07 crore in fiscal 2022 to Rs 75.33 crore in fiscal 2023, supported by higher demand both in domestic and overseas markets, the scale of operations remains average. As discussed with the management, exports have been a major contributor to the growth. While healthy demand from the international and domestic markets is expected to aid revenue profile over the medium term, increase in scale is a key rating sensitivity factor.

 

Gross current assets (GCAs) were at 190-213 days over the three fiscals ended March 31, 2023, driven by sizeable receivables due to extensive credit provided to customers to remain competitive, and moderate inventory. The working capital cycle is expected to remain large over the medium term.

Liquidity: Adequate

Bank limit utilisation was low at 11.22% on average for the 12 months through May 2023. Cash accrual is expected at Rs 7.5-7.9 crore against term debt obligation of Rs 0.07-3.75 crore over the medium term, and will cushion liquidity. Current ratio was at 2.5 times on March 31, 2023. The promoter is likely to extend support in the form of equity and unsecured loans to meet working capital requirement and debt obligation. The company had moderate cash and bank balance of Rs 6-7 crore as on March 31, 2023. Low gearing and moderate networth provide financial flexibility to withstand adverse conditions or downturn in the business.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes MLL will continue to benefit from its established position in the pharmaceutical formulations industry.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Significant increase in revenue and sustenance of operating margin over 12% leading to higher cash accrual
  • Improvement in the working capital cycle

 

Downward factors:

  • Increase in working capital requirement with GCAs more than 240 days
  • Large, debt-funded capex resulting in pressure on liquidity

About the Company

Incorporated in 1982 and promoted by Vadodara–based Mr R R Shah, MLL is engaged in formulating, developing, marketing and distributing safe, innovative, cost-effective therapeutic compliance medicines. The company has two plants, which manufacture oral liquid, tablets and dry powder – Unit 1 plant in Vadodara  and Unit 2 at Jarod, 22 km from Vadodara. The plants have state-of-the-art technology, and are environment friendly and energy saving.  They also have WHO-GMP accreditation besides accreditation facility with several countries. The company has presence in more than 25 countries directly and in 15 countries indirectly.  Its major brands are K-Win, K-Stat, T-Stat, Merizyme and Promolact.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

 

2023*

2022

Operating income

Rs crore

75.33

58.07

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

5.58

3.69

PAT margins

%

7.24

6.35

Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth

Times

0.11

0.13

Interest coverage

Times

18.88

16.78

*Provisional numbers

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 the
instrument
Date of
Allotment
Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue size
(Rs. Crore)
Complexity
Level
Rating assigned
with outlook
NA Fixed Deposit NA NA NA 3 Simple CRISIL BB+/Stable
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   --   --   --   --   -- Withdrawn/Stable,Withdrawn / Withdrawn
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST   --   --   --   --   -- Withdrawn
Fixed Deposits LT 3.0 CRISIL BB+/Stable   -- 29-12-22 CRISIL BB+/Stable 16-06-21 F B+/Stable 20-10-20 F B+/Stable F B+/Stable
      --   -- 28-07-22 CRISIL BB+/Stable   --   -- --
      --   -- 21-06-22 CRISIL BB+ /Stable(Issuer Not Cooperating)*   --   -- --
      --   -- 31-05-22 F B+ /Stable(Issuer Not Cooperating)*   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
* - Issuer did not cooperate; based on best-available information
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 Bank Loan Ratings
Rating Criteria for the Pharmaceutical Industry
CRISILs criteria for rating fixed deposit programmes
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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