Rating Rationale
November 26, 2019 | Mumbai
Multitech Auto Private Limited
Rating downgraded to 'CRISIL BB+/Stable'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.16 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BB+/Stable (Downgraded from 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable')
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has downgraded its rating on the long-term bank facilities of Multitech Auto Private Limited (MAPL; part of the Mutitech group) to 'CRISIL BB+/Stable' from 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable'.
 
The downgrade reflects weakening in Multitech's business risk profile due to a slowdown in the auto segment, coinciding with debt funded capacity expansion resulting in weakening of financial flexibility. Given the slowdown in the automobile industry, Multitech's return on capital employed (RoCE) may drop to around 15% in fiscal 2020, from around 28% in fiscal 2019 due to underutilization of enhanced capacity in current fiscal. Sustainability of revenue scale and profitability depends on ramp up in business volume from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). CRISIL will continue to monitor business performance in the medium term.  Further considerable term loan raised in fiscal 2019, to expand the auto component business, has led to substantial repayment obligation of around Rs. 6 Cr in FY2020. This along with expected decline in cash accrual will further reduce the cushion between cash accrual and repayment obligation.
 
The rating reflects the extensive experience of Multitech's promoter in the automotive components industry, and it's prudent working capital management. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to intense competition, significant customer concentration and volatility in raw material prices.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Mal Metallicks Pvt Ltd (MMPL) and MAPL. This is because both the companies, together referred to as the Mutitech group, have operational and financial links between them.

Please refer Annexure - Details of Consolidation, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Extensive experience of the promoter: Presence of over three decades in the automotive components industry, has enabled the promoter to establish strong relationships with large OEMs such as Tata Motors Ltd (CRISIL AA-/Negative/CRISIL A1+) and Brakes India Private Limited (BIL; CRISIL AA+/Stable/CRISIL A1+).
 
* Prudent working capital management: Operations are managed efficiently, with gross current assets remaining below 75 days for the four fiscals ended March 31, 2019. Better receivables management, should support the working capital cycle over the medium term.
 
Weakness
* Exposure to intense competition and volatility in raw material prices: The Multitech group operates in the intensely competitive auto ancillary business, whose performance is linked to fortunes of the automobile industry. The automobile industry is currently going through one of its worst phases over the past two decades, thereby impacting ancillary players as well. As a result of intense competition, the company's turnover has also been low around Rs 111 crore, despite being in operations for around three decades. Price of pig iron, the key raw material, tend to be remain volatile. Though part of the hike in raw material price is passed on to customers, the time lag could adversely affect the operating margin.
 
* Significant customer concentration: TML accounts for around 80% of revenue, which exposes Multitech to customer concentration risk. CRISIL expects TML's share in overall revenue to reduce over the medium term, with addition of new customers. 
Liquidity Adequate

Utilisation of the combined cash credit limit of Rs 11 crore (Rs 8 crore in MAPL and Rs 3 crore in MMPL) averaged around 60% for the 17 months through July 2019. Cash accrual of around Rs 11.5 crore was sufficient to cover the maturing debt of around Rs 2.3 crore in fiscal 2019. Expected net cash accrual of around Rs 8 crore per fiscal, should also comfortably cover the yearly debt of around Rs 6 crore, in the medium term. Promoters have also infused funds in both companies, as and when required, either via equity or unsecured loans.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Mutitech group will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of its promoter.
 
Rating sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Sustained growth in revenue by 20%, and stable operating margin (around 15%), ensuring sufficient cushion between cash accrual and debt
* Better working capital management, with gross current assets declining to less than 50 days
 
Downward factors
* Decline in revenue (by over 25%) and operating margin below 10%, leading to net cash accrual of less than Rs 5 crore
* Large, debt-funded capex, weakening the capital structure
* Substantial increase in working capital requirement, weakening the financial risk profile and liquidity

About the Group

MAPL, which was set up by the promoter, Mr Atul Dua, manufactures precision and critical parts of gear box, suspensions, engine parts, live axle, dummy axle, and steering items. It has a special processing facility for heat treatment, sealed quench furnace, and PIT furnace. The company supplies to TML's plants at Jamshedpur, Lucknow, Pune, Dharwad, and Pantnagar; and to other customers such as Brakes India Ltd, York Transport Ltd, and local clients. The group set up MMPL in 2005, as a backward integration unit, to supply bright bars and cast iron components (two key raw materials) to MAPL. Around 90% of MMPL's total production is consumed by MAPL.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 107.06 89.89
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 8.95 5.38
PAT margin % 8.4 6.0
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 1.38 0.97
Interest coverage Times 8.04 9.98

Status of non cooperation with previous CRA
India Ratings And Research Private Limited has classified MAPL's rating as non-cooperative, vide release dated November 26, 2018, citing lack of information for monitoring of ratings. India Ratings And Research Private Limited has withdrawn Multitech Auto Private Limited's (MAPL) Long-Term Issuer Rating, vide release dated February 06, 2019.

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 crore) Rating assigned with outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 8 CRISIL BB+/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA 31-Mar-24 8 CRISIL BB+/Stable
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation Rationale for Consolidation
Mal Metalliks Pvt Ltd 100% Consolidation Common promoters and significant business and financial linkages
Multitech Auto Pvt Ltd 100% Consolidation Common promoters and significant business and financial linkages
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
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  16.00  CRISIL BB+/Stable      29-08-18  CRISIL BBB-/Stable    --    --  -- 
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 8 CRISIL BB+/Stable Cash Credit 5.5 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Term Loan 8 CRISIL BB+/Stable Long Term Loan 7.5 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
-- 0 -- Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 3 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Total 16 -- Total 16 --
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
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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