Rating Rationale
February 24, 2020 | Mumbai
NBCC (India) Limited
Rated amount enhanced
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1750 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.1600 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA/Negative (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AA/Negative' rating on the long-term bank facility of NBCC (India) Limited (NBCC).
 
CRISIL had revised the rating outlook to 'Negative' from 'Stable' on December 27, 2019. The outlook revision reflects CRISIL's belief that NBCC's operating performance will remain subdued over the medium term due to stalled high-value orders and slowdown in real estate projects. Revenue declined by 18% in the first half of fiscal 2020 as compared with the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. Weak order execution also impacted profitability as indicated by the decline in the operating profit before depreciation, interest, and tax (OPBDIT) margin to 0.7% from 3.1% over this period. The capital structure, though, is expected to remain strong in the absence of any debt.
 
The rating continues to factor in the company's strong market position in the project management consultancy (PMC) segment and its robust financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to risks related to saleability of real estate projects, and modest operating profitability.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of NBCC and all its subsidiaries, except NBCC RK Millen, HSCL-SIPL, and Jamal NBCC International (PTY) Ltd as these companies did not have any transactions, and NBCC has already provided for losses in 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:
* Strong market position in the PMC segment: The company's status as a public works organisation (PWO) enables it to secure orders from central and state government organisations on a nomination basis rather than through competitive bidding. Focus on quality and timely execution of projects have resulted in repeat orders. NBCC is also designated as an implementing agency for several government schemes such as Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Following the successful implementation of the Moti Bagh project in Delhi, it is now redeveloping four other such projects. These have higher margins and the company is likely to undertake more such projects in the future. Work on a few of them has, however, been stalled from the second quarter of fiscal 2019 due to a ban on tree cutting in some parts of Delhi, which has impacted revenue for this business.
 
* Robust financial risk profile: The capital structure is strong and liquidity healthy. Cash accrual was over Rs 250 crore against no debt in fiscal 2019. The cash and bank balance was over Rs 5,108 crore as on March 31, 2019. Though most of the cash is earmarked for specific projects and cannot be used for other purposes, the company maintains a healthy unencumbered cash balance of over Rs 750 crore at a consolidated level. Despite being in the highly capital-intensive construction space, the working capital cycle is moderate on account of the business model of executing PMC projects against customer advances. This also leads to sizeable liquid surplus, which generates large non-operating cash flow. 
 
Weaknesses:
* Exposure to risks related to saleability of real estate projects: Saleability and implementation risks in the real estate sector persist, as witnessed over the three fiscals through 2019, when income from this sector was volatile. In view of weak demand, the pace of land acquisition has been slowed and some slow-moving projects have been put on hold. The slowdown in sales was evident in the first half of fiscal 2020. The company has also submitted a resolution plan to takeover and complete stalled projects of Jaypee Infratech Limited, which will remain a key rating sensitivity factor.
 
* Slowdown in execution, impacting operating profitability: A slowdown in order execution led to a more than 18% fall in revenue to Rs 3,542 crore in the first half of fiscal 2020 from Rs 4,315 crore in the first half of fiscal 2019. This led to a decline in the OPBDIT margin to 0.7% from 3.1%. The slowdown was because many orders were stalled: around 40% of the orders are stuck and only around 30% executed.
Liquidity Strong

Cash and cash equivalent was substantial at more than Rs 5,000 crore as on March 31, 2019. Healthy expected cash accrual of more than Rs 200 crore in fiscals 2020 and 2021 each, combined with nil debt, will continue to support liquidity. The policy of executing projects against customer advances, which is also followed for real estate and redevelopment projects, should also keep liquidity comfortable.

Outlook: Negative

CRISIL believes the credit risk profile will remain weaker than earlier expected on account of slower-than-anticipated order execution.

Rating Sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Improvement in operating profitability margin to above 5% through higher-than-expected order execution, while maintaining the working capital cycle.
* Sustained growth in orders, providing medium-term revenue visibility

Downward factors
* OPBDIT margin remaining below 2%.
* Weakening of the business risk profile through lower order inflows or delay in execution of orders
* Weakening of the capital structure or increase in working capital intensity
About the Company

NBCC, incorporated in 1960, is a central government enterprise under the Ministry of Urban Development and is a 'Schedule A' Navratna company. It was set up as a PMC to undertake civil and industrial infrastructure projects for central and state governments. Under this arrangement, projects are awarded on a nomination basis to NBCC, and the company assigns the projects to third-party contractors. The company also secures jobs on tender basis from government and public sector clients, and develops commercial and residential real estate projects.

Key Financial Indicators - (Consolidated)
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 9876 8441
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 386 396
PAT Margin % 3.9 4.7
Adjusted gearing Times 0.0 0.0
Interest coverage Times 107.5 16.21

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 Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 1750.0 CRISIL AA/Negative

Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Entity consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
NBCC Services Limited Full Subsidiary
NBCC Engineering & Consultancy Ltd Full Subsidiary
NBCC International Ltd Full Subsidiary
NBCC Environment Engineering Ltd Full Subsidiary
Hindustan Steelworks Construction Ltd Full Subsidiary
HSCC (India) Ltd Full Subsidiary
NBCC Gulf LLC Full Subsidiary
NBCC DWC LLC- Dubai Full Subsidiary
NBCC -MHG (A.O.P.) Partial Joint Venture
NBCC- AB (A.O.P.) Partial Joint Venture
Real Estate Development and Construction corporation of Rajasthan Limited Partial Joint Venture
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2020 (History) 2019  2018  2017  Start of 2017
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  1750.00  CRISIL AA/Negative      27-12-19  CRISIL AA/Negative  28-09-18  CRISIL AA/Stable  30-06-17  CRISIL AA/Stable  CRISIL AA/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
Bank Guarantee 1750 CRISIL AA/Negative Bank Guarantee 1500 CRISIL AA/Negative
-- 0 -- Proposed Bank Guarantee 100 CRISIL AA/Negative
Total 1750 -- Total 1600 --
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 Construction Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Entities Based on Government Support

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