Rating Rationale
January 12, 2018 | Mumbai
P.N.Gadgil Jewellers Private Limited
'CRISIL BBB+/Negative/CRISIL A2' assigned to bank debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.359 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB+/Negative (Assigned)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A2 (Assigned)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has assigned its 'CRISIL BBB+/Negative/CRISIL A2' ratings to the bank facilities of P.N.Gadgil Jewellers Private Limited (PNG).

The ratings reflect the sustained improvement in operating performance during fiscal 2017: the company reported sales of Rs 2234 crore and operating margins of 4%, against Rs 2170 crore and 2.8%, respectively, during fiscal 2016. Performance has further improved with operating income of Rs 1570 crore and operating margin of 4.4% for the eight months ended November 2017.

Operations were affected in the past by significant expansion through rollout of new stores, as well as regulatory changes. Currently, of the 10 new stores, 4 have broken even and 6 have incurred marginal store-level losses. CRISIL expects the company's operating profitability to improve with gradual improvement in profitability of its new stores, which will, in turn, lead to better debt protection metrics with interest cover and high total outside liabilities to tangible networth (TOLTNW) estimated at about 3 times and 3.4 times respectively, during fiscal 2018 against 1.8 times and 4.4 times, respectively, for fiscal 2017. However, significant exposure to group entities will continue to constrain improvement in financial risk profile. Any major increase or decrease in group exposure will remain a key rating sensitivity factor.

The ratings reflect PNG's established market position in the jewellery industry with a strong brand, and experienced management. The ratings also factor in moderate risk management policies with significant portion of gold inventory being hedged. These strengths are partially offset by significant exposure to group entities, vulnerability to changes in government regulations, and moderate debt protection metrics.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has taken a standalone approach for PNG. CRISIL has included the corporate guarantees given to subsidiaries and joint ventures as debt for PNG. Further, CRISIL has made adjustments for the preference shares of the promoters; 75% of the preference shares have been treated as equity and 25% has been treated as debt. 

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established market position in the jewellery industry with a strong brand, experienced management
PNG is a large player in the gold and silver business in Pune. The Purushottam Narayan Gadgil brand has been in existence for more than 180 years and is well-recognised in and around Pune and Sangli (Maharashtra). It was started in 1832 in Sangli by Mr Ganesh Narayan Gadgil and Mr Purushottam Narayan Gadgil expanded the brand into Pune in 1958. The company is currently headed by Mr Saurabh Gadgil, who has around 20 years' experience. PNG currently operates 21 retail outlets, primarily in Maharashtra.

* Moderate risk management policies
Easing regulatory scenario and commencement of gold-on-lease model of inventory procurement support the company's risk management practices. The company follows the inventory replenishment model, as prevalent in the retail jewellery business. The company has prudent inventory management policy with moderate inventory of 76 days with an optimum inventory of gold per showroom. PNG maintains lower inventory than its peers. Hedging practices protect profitability from fluctuations in gold prices.

Weaknesses
* Significant exposure to group entities
Apart from India, PNG has presence in the USA and Dubai through 100% subsidiary and a joint venture, respectively. The company also has subsidiaries in India that are into online jewellery business and diamonds. PNG's exposure to these entities has increased significantly over the last few years: PNG has invested equity of Rs 47 crore, extended loans and advances of Rs 38 crore, and also given corporate guarantees of Rs 40 crore. This is high in the context of adjusted networth of Rs 138 crore as on March 31, 2017. Entity in the US broke even in fiscal 2017 and the operating performance of the subsidiary in Dubai is improving. The company plans to shut down the remaining loss-making subsidiaries. Any major increase or decrease in group exposure will remain a key rating sensitivity factor.

* Moderate debt protection metrics although expected to improve
Sizeable expansion programme during fiscals 2015 and 2016 led to higher working capital requirement and therefore higher reliance on external borrowing, which increased to Rs 372 crore as on March 31, 2017, from Rs 159 crore as on March 31, 2014. As a result, debt protection metrics remained moderate with TOLTNW and interest coverage ratios of 4.4 times and 1.8 times, respectively, for fiscal 2017. Although, with the improvement in scale and profitability, CRISIL expects gradual improvement in debt protection metrics, any significant improvement in the financial risk profile will happen only if the company is able to reduce its exposure to group companies.

* Susceptibility to regulatory risks in the jewellery industry
The jewellery sector depends significantly on import of gold, which forms an important part of India's foreign exchange outgo and current account deficit (CAD). In the past, government has undertaken regulatory measures to curb import of gold to control CAD by the way of increase in import duty to 10% from 2%; introduction of 80:20 rule (scrapped in fiscal 2015); discontinuation of gold on loan scheme (restarted in fiscal 2015); modification of gold deposit scheme; introduction of excise duty of 1%; requirement of PAN card for purchases of over Rs 2 lakh, and introduction of sovereign gold bond scheme to shift consumer preference away from physical gold. These regulatory changes impacted PNG's performance in the past. Introduction of the goods and service tax, on the other hand, is expected to benefit organised jewellers including PNG over the medium term. Nevertheless, performance of organised players, including PNG, will continue to be exposed to regulatory risks.
Outlook: Negative

Negative outlook reflects PNG's leveraged financial risk profile, with moderate debt protection metrics.

Downside scenario
* Subdued operating profitability, resulting in low cash accrual
* Sustained high reliance on external debt due to more-than-expected working capital requirement or capital expenditure or inability to control exposure to group companies.

Upside Scenario
* Reduction in group exposure leading to lower reliance on external debt and improvement in leverage and
* Significant improvement in operating profitability and net cash accrual, led by an increase in revenue and profitability.

About the Company

Set up in 1832, PNG is one of the oldest jewellers in Pune and retails gold, silver, and diamond jewellery. The promoter family has been in the jewellery business since 1832. PNG was originally established as PN Gadgil & Co in 1958 in Pune. Operations were later transferred to a partnership firm, PN Gadgil Jewellers. The business was transferred to a newly incorporated private limited company, PNG, with effect from December 2013. The company has 21 showrooms. It is also present in the US and Dubai, where operations are managed through group entities. Operations are mainly managed by Mr Saurabh Gadgil and Mr Parag Gadgil.  

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31 Unit 2017 2016
Revenue Rs. Cr. 2234 2170
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs. Cr. 11 5
PAT margins % 0.5 0.2
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 3.0 3.9
Interest coverage Times 1.8 1.6

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 Working Capital Demand Loan NA NA NA 90.00 CRISIL BBB+/Negative
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 125.00 CRISIL BBB+/Negative
NA Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 70.00 CRISIL A2
NA Term Loan 16-Oct-2015 NA 16-Nov-2020 24.00 CRISIL BBB+/Negative
NA Term Loan 8-Sept-2016 NA 17-Sep-2021 45.00 CRISIL BBB+/Negative
NA Term Loan 16-Aug-2017 NA 20-Aug-2022 5.00 CRISIL BBB+/Negative
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  289  CRISIL BBB+/Negative    --  31-05-17  Withdrawal  07-09-16  CRISIL BBB+/Negative  17-07-15  CRISIL A-/Stable  CRISIL BBB+/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  70  CRISIL A2    --  31-05-17  Withdrawal  07-09-16  CRISIL A2  17-07-15  CRISIL A2+  CRISIL A2 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Cash Credit 125 CRISIL BBB+/Negative Bank Guarantee 45 Withdrawal
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 70 CRISIL A2 Cash Credit 85 Withdrawal
Term Loan 74 CRISIL BBB+/Negative Working Capital Demand Loan 55 Withdrawal
Working Capital Demand Loan 90 CRISIL BBB+/Negative -- 0 --
Total 359 -- Total 185 --
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 rating short term debt

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