Rating Rationale
June 24, 2022 | Mumbai
Pudumjee Paper Products Limited
Migration of ratings outstanding on Fixed Deposits (FD) programme to Long term rating scale; FD migrated to ‘CRISIL A-/Positive and simultaneously upgraded to ‘CRISIL A/Stable’; Bank Loan Ratings upgraded to ‘CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1’
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.250 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL A/Stable (Upgraded from ‘CRISIL A-/Positive’)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1 (Upgraded from ‘CRISIL A2+’)
 
Rs.50 Crore Fixed DepositsCRISIL A/Stable (Migrated from ‘FA/Positive’ to ‘CRISIL A-/Positive’ and simultaneously upgraded from ‘CRISIL A-/Positive’)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detailed Rationale

CRISIL Ratings has upgraded its ratings on the bank loan facilities of Pudumjee Paper Products Limited (PPPL) to ‘CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1’ from ‘CRISIL A-/Positive/CRISIL A2+’.

 

CRISIL Ratings has also migrated its rating on the fixed deposit programme of PPPL from ‘FA/Positive’ to ‘CRISIL A-/Positive’ and then simultaneously upgraded to 'CRISIL A/Stable' from ‘CRISIL A-/Positive’.

 

The upgrade reflects sustained improvement in business risk profile supported by recovery in demand and increased realizations during FY22 and continuation of enhanced operating margin during FY22. Revenue improved to Rs 555.4 crore during FY22 as against revenue of Rs 436.9 crore during FY21 and this is backed by steady demand (~7% y-o-y growth) and improved realization (~17% y-o-y growth). Operating margin has continued to remain comfortable at 12.7% during FY22, despite increase in raw material prices, driven by higher sales from better margin products such as print base, opaque laminating base, glassine tissue and other miscellaneous paper, and also by company’s focus on tailor-made products. Going ahead, the volumetric sales are expected to improve driven by steady demand for the products. Realization is expected to remain at comfortable level going ahead and this is expected to support the overall revenue growth over the medium term. Supported by comfortable margins, healthy accretion to reserves and limited reliance on external debt, the financial risk profile metrics are expected to remain at healthy level.

 

The rating migration on the FD programme follows the revision in CRISIL Ratings’ rating scale for fixed deposit (FD) programmes, which is now aligned with the SEBI-standardised 20-point long term scale. Previously, CRISIL Ratings used a 14-point scale for assigning ratings to the FD programmes of issuers. This alignment is in compliance with the regulatory guidelines as per circular issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on July 16, 2021 and the subsequent SEBI circular dated April 1, 2022, for standardizing the rating scales used by the Credit Rating Agencies.  

 

This migration represents only a recalibration of the rating from one scale to another and does not reflect any change in the credit risk profile of the fixed deposit programme. It is neither an upgrade nor a downgrade of the underlying credit risk profile of the FD programme.  (Please refer to CRISIL’s criteria for rating fixed deposit programmes for further details).

 

The ratings reflect PPPL’s established market position in the specialty paper segment supported by extensive experience of the promoters and its wide product portfolio. The rating also factors in its healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to intense competition in the paper industry, and susceptibility of profitability to volatility in raw material prices.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

Established market position: The promoters have been in the industry for over 50 years and over their tenure have developed a strong understanding of the market dynamics. Company has a healthy market position, with a share of around 30-40% in the various sub-segments of the domestic specialty paper segment. Its product mix is diverse, and comprises several grades of glassine, opaque laminating base, kraft, tissue, greaseproof, crepe tissue, MG poster, etc. The large clientele requires a high degree of customization.

 

Healthy financial risk profile: Company has a robust networth and low gearing of Rs 278.02 crore and 0.25 time, respectively, estimated, as on March 31, 2022. Interest coverage and net cash accruals to adjusted debt ratios are healthy at around 15.1 times and 0.82 time for fiscal 2022. Financial risk profile is expected to remain comfortable with no major debt funded capex plans over the medium term.

 

Weaknesses:

Exposure to intense competition: Imports cater to about 50-60% of the domestic demand for specialty paper. The company also faces competition from other large domestic players in segments such as writing and printing paper, and hygiene and tissue paper. The number of small mills has also seen a rapid growth because of low entry barriers and government policies supporting smaller players. Intense competition in the highly fragmented industrial paper industry constrains scalability, pricing power, and product differentiation.

 

Susceptibility to volatile raw material prices: Raw material prices account for around 60% of the cost of sales. The company manufactures paper from imported wood pulp as well as wastepaper, the prices of which are highly volatile. This risk is partially mitigated by moderate inventory. Operating margin is expected to be around 12.5% over the medium term.

Liquidity: Strong

Liquidity continued to remain strong. Company is expected to generate net cash accruals of Rs 50-60 crore which will be more than adequate against repayments of around Rs 21 crore in fiscal 2023 and around Rs 7-11 crore per fiscal thereafter. Bank limit utilization on cash credit limits of Rs 40 crore was low—averaging at 3% over the last 12 months ended Mar-2022. Liquidity, in the form of unencumbered cash & bank balance and liquid mutual fund investments, of Rs 72.2 crore as on Mar 31, 2022, also underpins strong liquidity.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes PPPL will continue to benefit from its established market position in the specialty paper segment and established relationships with customers.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Healthy and sustained growth in revenue driven by higher volumes and higher margin products with an operating margin of over 14.5% on a sustained basis
  • Sustained improvement in working capital cycle and sustained financial risk profile

 

Downward factors:

  • Decline in revenue and/or sharp drop in operating margin resulting in net cash accruals to below Rs 40 crore
  • Increase in working capital requirement, larger-than-expected, debt-funded capex or acquisition, or more-than-expected dividend pay-out, weakening the financial risk profile

About the Company

PPPL was set up in January 2015 to take over the paper manufacturing division of Pudumjee Pulp & Paper Mills Ltd, Pudumjee Industries Ltd, and Pudumjee Hygiene Products Ltd. The company manufactures a variety of specialty, writing and printing, and tissue paper. Its plant at Pune has a capacity of 72,000 tonne per annum.

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit

2022

2021

Operating income

Rs.Crore

555.43

436.96

Reported profit after tax

Rs.Crore

34.53

30.03

PAT margins

%

6.22

6.87

Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth

Times

0.25

0.21

Interest coverage

Times

15.07

11.80

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. The CRISIL Ratings' complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL Ratings' 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)

Complexity levels

Rating Assigned

with Outlook

NA

Cash Credit

NA

NA

NA

40

NA

CRISIL A/Stable

NA

Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee

NA

NA

NA

160

NA

CRISIL A1

NA

Term Loan

NA

NA

Mar-28

47

NA

CRISIL A/Stable

NA

Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits

NA

NA

NA

3

NA

CRISIL A/Stable

NA

Fixed Deposit Programme

NA

NA

Mar-24

50

Simple

CRISIL A/Stable

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2022 (History) 2021  2020  2019  Start of 2019
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 90.0 CRISIL A/Stable 22-02-22 CRISIL A-/Positive 31-05-21 CRISIL A-/Stable 18-05-20 CRISIL A-/Stable 28-06-19 CRISIL A-/Stable CRISIL A-/Stable
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 160.0 CRISIL A1 22-02-22 CRISIL A2+ 31-05-21 CRISIL A2+ 18-05-20 CRISIL A2+ 28-06-19 CRISIL A2+ CRISIL A2+
Fixed Deposits LT 50.0 CRISIL A/Stable 22-02-22 F A/Positive 31-05-21 F A/Stable 18-05-20 F A/Stable 28-06-19 F A/Stable F A/Stable
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Cash Credit 20 YES Bank Limited CRISIL A/Stable
Cash Credit 15 State Bank of India CRISIL A/Stable
Cash Credit 5 IDBI Bank Limited CRISIL A/Stable
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 20 IDBI Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 70 State Bank of India CRISIL A1
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 70 YES Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 3 Not Applicable CRISIL A/Stable
Term Loan 47 The Saraswat Co-Operative Bank Limited CRISIL A/Stable

This Annexure has been updated on 24-Jun-2022 in line with the lender-wise facility details as on 09-Aug-2021 received from the rated entity.

Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Paper Industry
CRISILs criteria for rating fixed deposit programmes
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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