Rating Rationale
April 29, 2025 | Mumbai
Pioneer Foundation Engineers Private Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'Crisil BBB/Stable/Crisil A3+'; Rated amount enhanced for Bank Debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.116.5 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.78.61 Crore)
Long Term RatingCrisil BBB/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCrisil A3+ (Reaffirmed)
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 reaffirmed its 'Crisil BBB/Stable/Crisil A3+' ratings on the bank loan facilities of Pioneer Foundation Engineers Private Limited (PFEPL).

 

The ratings continue to reflect the extensive industry experience of the promoters, healthy operating margin due to a niche product basket and comfortable financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by modest scale of operations, susceptibility to risks related to tender-based nature of operations, geographical concentration in the order book and moderate working capital cycle.

Analytical Approach

Crisil Ratings has evaluated the standalone business and financial risk profile of PFEPL.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Extensive experience of the promoters: The extensive experience of the promoters of over three decades in executing specialised and complex projects  in geohazard mitigation, geohazard engineering solutions, structural rehabilitation, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects, geographic information system (GIS) mapping and enterprise solutions across India and long-time association with Geobrugg has enabled the promoters to establish a strong market position in niche segments and develop the required technical and project management capabilities to execute mid-sized to large projects. Order book of Rs 301.2 crore, as of February 2025, to be executed in the next 6–18-months provides adequate revenue visibility over the medium term.

 

  • Healthy operating margin due to niche product basket: The operating margin is supported by the execution of niche and complex projects such as rockfall and geohazard protection. Furthermore, the company has taken up high-margin projects such as GIS tagging and GIS mapping, resulting in operating margin improving to 18% in fiscal 2024 from 14% in fiscal 2022. The sustenance of healthy operating margin at 17-18% should continue to support the business risk profile of the company over the medium term.

 

  • Comfortable financial risk profile: Networth was moderate at Rs 57.4 crore as on March 31, 2024 (estimated at Rs 70-75 crore as on March 31, 2025) an increase from Rs 45.98 crore a year ago due to steady accretion to reserves. The capital structure is healthy as reflected in total outside liabilities to adjusted networth (TOLANW) ratio and gearing of 0.88 time and 0.71 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2024 (estimated at 0.6-0.65 time and 0.4-0.45 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2025) due to controlled reliance on external debt to fund the working capital and capital expenditure (capex) requirements. The financial risk profile is expected to remain strong in the absence of any major debt-funded capex and continuing stable profitability.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Modest scale of operations and exposure to risks related to the tender-driven nature of business: Though revenue has increased from Rs 61 crore in fiscal 2020 to Rs 152.4 crore in fiscal 2024 and is estimated at Rs 190-200 crore in fiscal 2025 due to newer business segments, the scale of operations remain modest. The company typically generates majority of its revenue in the last quarter which is likely to continue over the medium term. The niche nature of the market segment has resulted in a moderate and developing market size, with scale expected to continue to remain modest over the medium term. Subdued scale constrains flexibility and operating efficiencies. Significant ramp up in the scale through incremental revenue from new as well as existing business segments remains a key monitorable over the medium term. Furthermore, the industry is moderately competitive due to high entry barriers on account of technical expertise. Since the majority of the revenue is tender based, the ability to bid for tenders determines revenue and profitability. Furthermore, designing capabilities of a contractor can play a crucial role in saving costs

 

  • Geographical concentration in the order book: With Maharashtra accounting for over 80% of the total revenue in hand, and balance from states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka among others, there is significant revenue concentration. This exposes the company to risks caused by changes in the regulatory and political environment of the state.

 

  • Moderate working capital cycle: Operations are expected to remain working capital intensive as reflected by gross current assets of 150-160 days for the past two fiscals in fiscal 2024 and is estimated to remain around similar range in fiscal 2025 as well. While debtors have remained rangebound at around 40 to 50 days, fiscal 2025 witnessed delayed billing with increase in WIP work leading to high dependence on working capital limits. However, with majority of the billing and collections expected in Q4 of fiscal 2025, working capital cycle should improve with inventory levels sustaining around 80-90 days and hence remains a key rating sensitivity factor.

Liquidity: Adequate

Bank limit utilisation was high at 88.5% on average over the 12 months through January 2025. Net cash accrual is expected to be Rs 20-22 crore each in fiscals 2025 and 2026 against debt obligation of around Rs 7.5 crore each. Cash and cash equivalent were moderate and stood at Rs 0.75 crore as on March 31, 2024, while the current ratio stood at 1.66 times as on March 31, 2024. Sustained improvement in working capital management leading sufficient liquidity cushion remains a key monitorable.

Outlook: Stable

Crisil Ratings believes that PFEPL’s business risk profile will be supported by the extensive experience of the promoters and moderate order book.

Rating sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Significant growth in revenue by 20 to 30% while maintaining operating margin resulting in higher than expected net cash accruals.
  • Sustenance of the financial risk profile or improvement in the working capital cycle aiding liquidity

 

Downward factors:

  • Sharp decline in revenue or profitability resulting in lower-than-expected net cash accruals
  • Stretch in working capital cycle, resulting in average bank limit utilization of more than 90%

About the Company

Incorporated in 2013, PFEPL is promoted by Mr Asif Gani Kazi and Mrs Sitarabegum Asif Kazi and is based in Mumbai. It is an engineering solutions provider for highly specialised and complex projects in geohazard mitigation, geohazard engineering solutions, structural rehabilitation and EPC, GIS mapping and enterprise solutions.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

Unit

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs crore

152.4

130.3

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

11.2

9.23

PAT margin

%

7.39

7.08

Adjusted debt / adjusted networth

Times

0.71

0.62

Interest coverage

Times

3.82

6.41

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 Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 60.00 NA Crisil A3+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 56.50 NA Crisil BBB/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 56.5 Crisil BBB/Stable 04-04-25 Crisil BBB/Stable 09-01-24 Crisil BBB/Stable 29-12-23 Crisil BBB/Stable 26-10-22 Crisil BBB/Stable Crisil BBB/Stable
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 60.0 Crisil A3+ 04-04-25 Crisil A3+ 09-01-24 Crisil A3+ 29-12-23 Crisil A3+ 26-10-22 Crisil A3+ Crisil A3+
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 38.61 State Bank of India Crisil A3+
Bank Guarantee 21.39 State Bank of India Crisil A3+
Cash Credit 40 State Bank of India Crisil BBB/Stable
Cash Credit 16.5 Bank of Maharashtra Crisil BBB/Stable
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
Basics of Ratings (including default recognition, assessing information adequacy)
Criteria for manufacturing, trading and corporate services sector (including approach for financial ratios)

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