Rating Rationale
February 18, 2025 | Mumbai
Metalxperts (India) Private Limited
'Crisil BB-/Stable/Crisil A4+' assigned to Bank Debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.86 Crore
Long Term RatingCrisil BB-/Stable (Assigned)
Short Term RatingCrisil A4+ (Assigned)
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 assigned its Crisil BB-/Stable/Crisil A4+’ ratings to the bank loan facilities of Metalxperts (India) Pvt Ltd (MXIPL).

 

The ratings reflect the extensive experience of the promoters in the steel industry and the moderate scale of operations of the company. These strengths are partially offset by the low operating margin owing to the trading nature of business and the weak financial risk profile.

Analytical approach

Crisil Ratings has evaluated the standalone business and financial risk profiles of MXIPL.

Key rating drivers & detailed description

Strengths:

  • Extensive experience of the promoters: The two-decade-long experience of the promoters in the steel Industry, their strong understanding of market dynamics and established relationships with suppliers and customers will continue to support the business risk profile. MXIPL is the sole distributor of Jindal Panther thermo-mechanically treated (TMT) bars for Gujarat, Goa and south Maharashtra. The company also deals in products of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL).

 

  • Moderate scale of operations: Revenue of Rs 887.68 crore reported in fiscal 2024 (up from Rs 718.84 crore in fiscal 2023) indicates the moderate scale of operations. For fiscal 2025, the company has already booked revenue of Rs 643 crore till December 31, 2024. Further the revenue of the Company is expected to grow with the expanding of the horizon and other territories.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Low operating margin constrained by the trading nature of operations: Low entry barriers have led to huge fragmentation and intense competition in the steel industry. MXIPL has booked net losses during fiscals 2023 and 2024, due to volatility in steel prices. Operating margin was negligible at 0.56% in fiscal 2024 and 0.65% in fiscal 2023, as against 1.93% in fiscal 2022. However, the margin has improved to 1.64% during the first eight months of fiscal 2025, with better inventory management and fixed cost absorption, which in turn were driven by growth in sales volume and expansion of customer base. Sustenance of the margin remains a key monitorable.

 

  • Weak financial risk profile: Networth was low at Rs 5.19 crore as on March 31, 2024. Gearing and total outside liabilities to adjusted networth ratios were high at 13.91 times and 23.13 times, respectively, as on March 31, 2024, as against 9.78 times and 14.26 times, respectively, as on March 31, 2023. Debt protection metrics were weak due to cash losses in fiscal 2023 and minimal cash accrual in fiscal 2025. The financial risk profile is expected to improve in line with growth in profitability, yet will remain weak over the medium term.

Liquidity: Adequate

Utilisation of the fund-based limit averaged 67% over the 12 months through December 2024, but is likely to increase, with expansion in the scale of operations. Cash accrual has been low during fiscal 2024 due to the low operating margin. Need-based support, in the form of unsecured loans extended by the promoters, lend comfort.

Outlook: Stable

Crisil Ratings believes MXIPL will continue to benefit from its longstanding relationships with principals and the extensive experience of the management, which should help mitigate the inherent risk in the trading business.

Rating sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Sustained growth in revenue or operating margin, leading to cash accrual above Rs 4 crore
  • Improvement in the financial risk profile

 

Downward factors:

  • Decline in revenue or operating margin, resulting in net cash accrual less than Rs 2.00 crore
  • Substantial increase in working capital requirement with gross current assets exceeding 70 days, thereby weakening liquidity

About the company

MXIPL was initially set as a limited liability partnership in 2017 and reconstituted as a private limited company in 2022. The company trades in a range of steel products and other structural products, including TMT bars, round bars, wire rods, various types of coils and plates. It is the sole distributor of Jindal Steel and Power Ltd for Jindal Panther TMT bars for Gujarat, Goa and south Maharashtra. It is also the dealer of RINL.

 

Operations are managed by Mr Sanjay Modi, Mr Jayesh Gandhi, Mr Hinesh Vyas, Mr Amar Gaunjhu and Ms Rashmi Dilip Khandelwal.

Key financial indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

Unit

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs crore

887.68

718.84

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

-0.49

-0.88

PAT margin

%

-0.05

-0.12

Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth

Times

13.91

9.78

Interest coverage

Times

0.56

0.65

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 Instrument Date Of Allotment Coupon Rate (%) Maturity Date Issue Size (Rs. Crore) Complexity Levels Rating Outstanding with Outlook
NA Bill Discounting under Letter of Credit NA NA NA 5.00 NA Crisil A4+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 27.00 NA Crisil BB-/Stable
NA Inventory Funding Facility NA NA NA 5.00 NA Crisil BB-/Stable
NA Packing Credit NA NA NA 1.00 NA Crisil A4+
NA Working Capital Facility NA NA NA 48.00 NA Crisil BB-/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2025 (History) 2024  2023  2022  Start of 2022
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT/ST 81.0 Crisil A4+ / Crisil BB-/Stable   --   --   --   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 5.0 Crisil A4+   --   --   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bill Discounting under Letter of Credit 5 HDFC Bank Limited Crisil A4+
Cash Credit 27 HDFC Bank Limited Crisil BB-/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 5 Axis Bank Limited Crisil BB-/Stable
Packing Credit 1 HDFC Bank Limited Crisil A4+
Working Capital Facility 48 State Bank of India Crisil BB-/Stable
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
Criteria for manufacturing, trading and corporate services sector (including approach for financial ratios)
Basics of Ratings (including default recognition, assessing information adequacy)

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