Rating Rationale
March 30, 2023 | Mumbai
Popular Vehicles and Services Limited
Ratings upgraded to 'CRISIL BBB+/Stable/CRISIL A2'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.360 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL BBB+/Stable (Upgraded from 'CRISIL BBB/Stable')
Short Term RatingCRISIL A2 (Upgraded from 'CRISIL A3+')
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 upgraded its ratings on the bank facilities of Popular Vehicles and Services Ltd (PVSL) to 'CRISIL BBB+/Stable/CRISIL A2' from 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+’.             

 

The upgrade reflects the improvement in the business and financial risk profiles of the company which is likely to be sustained over the medium term. Revenue is expected to grow over 30% on-year in fiscal 2023 driven by volume growth of 16% and increase in spares and services income. Growth in revenue and sustenance of operating margin at 4.5% will result in increase in net cash accrual to over Rs 70 crore in fiscal 2023 from Rs 54 crore in 2022. The financial risk profile will strengthen, with total outside liabilities to adjusted networth (TOLANW; adjusted for finance lease liability) ratio expected at 1.7 times in fiscal 2023, compared with over 2 times in the past two fiscals. The improved financial risk profile and liquidity will help sustain the credit risk profile.

 

The ratings reflect the company’s established market position as one of the largest dealers for Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL; CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+) vehicles in India and moderate financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to intense competition and susceptibility to cyclicality in the automobile (auto) industry.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Established market position: PVSL has been associated with MSIL for three decades. The company is one of the largest dealers for MSIL in India. It will maintain its market position in the auto dealership market in Kerala and remain an integral part of MSIL’s distribution network.

 

  • Moderate financial risk profile: Capital structure will remain comfortable with TOLANW ratio expected at 2.7 times (adjusting for finance lease liability at 1.7 times) as on March 31, 2023. Debt protection metrics will be adequate with interest coverage ratio of more than 4 times in fiscal 2023.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Exposure to intense competition: Operations are concentrated in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, exposing the company to geographical concentration as weakening in the regional economy may affect sales. Furthermore, the auto sector is highly fragmented and has a large number of players in the mini, compact, mid-size, executive, premium and luxury passenger car segments. The company faces intense competition from the unorganised used-car market and dealers of other car manufacturers.

 

  • Susceptibility to volatility in economic cycles and industry downturns: Auto sales are vulnerable to economic cycles. Downturns in economic activity, particularly, in the region in which the company operates, impacts the operating performance of the company. 

Liquidity: Adequate

Bank limit utilisation was moderate at 50% on average for the 12 months through February 2023. Cash accrual, expected over Rs 70 crore per annum, will sufficiently cover yearly term debt obligation of Rs 18-20 crore over the medium term and cushion liquidity. Current ratio was moderate at 1.2 times as on March 31, 2022. Cash and bank balance stood at Rs 14 crore as on December 31, 2022.

 

Extensive exposure to group companies: The company had invested Rs 92 crore in group companies by way of equity, loans and advances as on February 28, 2023, which is around 40% of its networth. Further exposure in the group companies, impinging its cash accrual, may weaken liquidity and will remain a rating sensitivity factor. 

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes PVSL will continue to benefit over the medium term from its established market position.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Steady increase in scale of operations and stable earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) margin over 4.5%
  • Improvement in the financial risk profile

 

Downward factors:

  • Decline in scale of operations or fall in Ebitda margin to less than 3%
  • Further exposure to group companies

About the Company

Incorporated in 1983 in Kerala, PVSL is the one of the largest authorised dealerships for MSIL vehicles in India. The company has eight dealerships in Kerala and is part of the Popular group, headed by Mr Francis K Paul and Mr John K Paul.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

 

2022

2021

Operating income

Rs crore

1,867

1,692

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

7

16

PAT margin

%

0.4

0.9

Adjusted debt / adjusted networth

Times

2.35

1.91

Interest coverage

Times

3.05

2.6

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

level

Rating assigned

with outlook

NA

Cash credit

NA

NA

NA

10

NA

CRISIL BBB+/Stable

NA

Inventory funding facility

NA

NA

NA

232.25

NA

CRISIL BBB+/Stable

NA

Long-term loan

NA

NA

Apr-28

95.75

NA

CRISIL BBB+/Stable

NA

Working capital demand loan

NA

NA

NA

10

NA

CRISIL BBB+/Stable

NA

Bank guarantee

NA

NA

NA

12

NA

CRISIL A2

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2023 (History) 2022  2021  2020  Start of 2020
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 348.0 CRISIL BBB+/Stable   -- 28-01-22 CRISIL A3+ / CRISIL BBB/Stable   -- 29-10-20 CRISIL A3+ / CRISIL BBB/Stable CRISIL BBB/Stable
      --   --   --   -- 29-09-20 CRISIL BBB/Stable --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 12.0 CRISIL A2   -- 28-01-22 CRISIL A3+   -- 29-10-20 CRISIL A3+ --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 12 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL A2
Cash Credit 10 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 7 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 65 ICICI Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 9 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 7.75 IndusInd Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 5 Cholamandalam Financial Holdings Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 0.5 TVS Credit Services Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 60 State Bank of India CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 15 IndusInd Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 20 YES Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 41 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 2 Kotak Mahindra Prime Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Long Term Loan 17.91 State Bank of India CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Long Term Loan 17.95 IndusInd Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Long Term Loan 8.89 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Long Term Loan 51 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Working Capital Demand Loan 10 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Stable

This Annexure has been updated on 30-Mar-2023 in line with the lender-wise facility details as on 14-Dec-2021 received from the rated entity

Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Criteria for rating trading companies
CRISILs Approach to Recognising Default
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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