Rating Rationale
December 07, 2017 | Mumbai
National Securities Clearing Corporation Limited
Rating Reaffirmed   
 
Rating Action
Corporate Credit Rating CCR AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CCR AAA/Stable' rating on National Securities Clearing Corporation Ltd (NSCCL), indicating that NSCCL has the highest degree of strength with regard to honouring debt obligations.
 
The rating continues to reflect NSCCL's strong operational and financial linkages with its parent, the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE), and comprehensive risk management systems. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to risks inherent in the clearing business (mainly volatility in revenue) and the predominantly fixed-cost structure.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of NSE and NSCCL because of their integrated nature of operations and common management.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong operational and financial linkages with NSE: NSCCL is the clearing corporation of NSE, India's largest stock exchange. NSCCL provides clearing and settlement services for trades executed on NSE's cash and derivatives segments. It also assumes the counterparty risks of members and guarantees financial settlement. This helps NSE isolate operations from risks related to settlement and clearance. In return, NSCCL derives its earnings from NSE; NSCCL's growth and turnover are closely related to those of NSE. NSE continues to launch new products that increase revenue. NSE's turnover in the futures and options (F&O) segment grew by 46% in fiscal 2017 to Rs 944 lakh crore from Rs 648 lakh crore in the previous fiscal. The turnover in the cash market segment also grew by 19% in fiscal 2017 to Rs 50.6 lakh crore from Rs 42.4 lakh crore in the previous fiscal. During the first half of fiscal 2018, turnover in cash and F&O market segment stood at Rs 32.4 lakh crore and Rs 733 lakh crore, respectively, against Rs 24.2 lakh crore and Rs 418 lakh crore, respectively, during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.
 
* Comprehensive risk management systems: Risk management system is comprehensive and is regularly upgraded to pre-empt market failures. The company has stringent norms for selection of members and a robust surveillance mechanism for monitoring risk-based position limits and margins maintained by clients. Moreover, it created a sizeable core settlement guarantee fund (SGF) in line with guidelines released by The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on August 27, 2014. The objective of the core SGF is to have a fund for each segment (for instance, cash and F&O) to guarantee the settlement of trades executed. If a clearing member fails to honour settlement commitments, the core SGF shall be used to fulfil the obligation of that member and complete the settlement without affecting the normal process. NSCCL was earlier maintaining SGF on its own. However, the core SGF as laid down by SEBI is even more comprehensive, well-defined, and easily enforceable. As of November 2017, the total value of core SGF stood over Rs 2,300 crore, which shields profitability from any contingencies on account of counterparty defaults.
 
Weakness
* Variable revenue, linked to large fixed-cost structure: NSCCL's derives its earnings from NSE; its growth and turnover are closely related to those of NSE. Both their cost structures have a high component of fixed costs (90%). The technology infrastructure and payment to employees account for bulk of the fixed costs. On the other hand, the combined earnings of NSE and NSCCL are inherently linked with the trading turnover on NSE. However, the entities have to incur fixed costs irrespective of their revenues, which results in high operating leverage for these entities. Given the nature of its business, CRISIL believes that NSCCL will continue to have a high operating leverage.

Outlook: Stable
CRISIL believes NSCCL will continue to have strong market position over the medium term due to its association with NSE, and maintain comprehensive risk management systems and adequate SGF commensurate with the clearing volumes. The outlook may be revised to 'Negative' if the company is unable to maintain strong risk management standards with growth in business or if it undertakes any large debt-funded acquisition. The outlook may also be revised to 'Negative' if a significant decline in NSE and NSCCL's revenue leads to sharp deterioration in profitability.
About the Company

NSCCL was incorporated in 1995 to foster investor confidence in clearing and settlement of securities, promote short and consistent settlement cycles, provide counterparty risk guarantees, and operate rigorous risk containment systems. The company commenced clearing operations in April 1996. Clearing and settlement of both currency F&O and interest futures and corporate bonds are done by NSCCL.

About NSE
NSE, India's leading stock exchange, was set up by the country's leading financial institutions to provide a modern, automated, screen-based trading system with national reach. Incorporated in 1992, NSE commenced operations in the wholesale debt market in 1994. Its operations in the equity and derivative segments commenced in November 1994 and June 2000, respectively. NSE was the first exchange to receive approvals from SEBI and the Reserve Bank of India for trading in currency derivatives and interest rate futures; NSE had a market share of 85% and 90% in the cash segment and derivatives segment, respectively, during fiscal 2016. The exchange helped transform the microstructure, market practices, and trading volumes in the Indian securities market.

Key Financial Indicators
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2017 2016
Total assets Rs crore 10,740 5,160
Total income Rs crore 352 343
Profit after tax Rs crore 153 174
Gross NPA % NA NA
Adjusted gearing Times NA NA
Return on managed assets % 1.9 3.7
Return on networth % 20.7 23.6
 

Any other information
SEBI has directed NSE to carry out an investigation including forensic examination by an independent external agency in respect of the exchange's colocation facility. NSE has filed consent application with SEBI on July 20, 2017. The management is of the view that pending conclusion of this matter with SEBI, a reliable estimate of the obligation in respect of this matter cannot be presently made and therefore no provision/adjustment to this effect has been made in the financial results for the half year ended September 30, 2017. NSE's credit risk profile remains very strong supported by healthy market share in the cash and F&O segments of Indian equity markets, strong capitalisation, and healthy earnings profile. The obligation arising in respect of the above-mentioned matter nevertheless remains a monitorable.

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 Date of Redemption Coupon Rate (%) Issue Size
(Rs. Cr)
Rating Assigned
with Outlook
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2017 (History) 2016  2015  2014  Start of 2014
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
CCR  CCR AAA/Stable  02-03-17  CCR AAA/Stable    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CCR AAA 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
 
Links to related criteria
Rating Criteria for Securities Companies
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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