Rating Rationale
February 27, 2019 | Mumbai
Rama Phosphates Limited
'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3' assigned to bank debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.72 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB-/Stable (Assigned)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3 (Assigned)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has assigned its 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3' ratings to the bank facilities of Rama Phosphates Limited (RPL).

The company's ratings are driven by its strong capital structure. This rating strength is partially offset by RPL's vulnerability to changes in government regulations in the fertilizer industry, its exposure to foreign exchange (forex) fluctuations, and the working capital intensity of its operations.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Strong capital structure:
RPL's financial risk profile continues to be supported primarily by the company's conservatively levered capital structure. The company's capital structure remained above average with gearing of 0.35 time as on March 31, 2018. The company's net worth remains healthy at Rs 134.15 crores as on March 31, 2019. CRISIL expects that net worth will increase over the medium term to Rs. 180 crores in the medium term on the back of improved performance of the company going forward, resulting in healthy accretion to reserves. The absence of major debt funded capital expenditure is expected to improve the gearing over the medium term. CRISIL expects that healthy accretion tor reserves and controlled reliance on debt will help maintain the strong financial risk profile over the medium term.
 
Weakness:
* Susceptibility to changes in government regulations, forex and intense competition:
The fertiliser industry, being politically sensitive, has been controlled strictly by the government of India (GoI) in the past, with even farm-gate prices determined by it. While with the implementation of nutrient based subsidy (NBS) the pricing of all fertilisers, except urea, is beyond the government's control, the subsidy rates determined by GoI from time to time continue to have a bearing on the fertiliser companies' credit risk profiles. The nutrient based subsidy rates continue to have a bearing on operating margins.
 
Apart from subsidy rates, changes in government policies on licensing for production, sales, and export/import, too, have a bearing on the fertiliser companies' business and financial risk profiles. Also, as about 60 per cent of the fertiliser revenues are realised in the form of subsidy any inordinate delay in release of payment by the GOI is a major risk that the industry poses. Though, subsidy disbursement through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mitigates this risk to some extent.
 
Also, rock phosphate, a raw material for fertilizer manufacturing is imported by RPL and hence remain prone to exchange rate fluctuations.
 
* Working capital intensity of operations:
RPL has a working capital intensive business, with inventory and receivables driving its requirements. The company typically has receivables due from a) co-operative societies, who pay in about 30 days and b) state and central governments, which settle subsidy bills in varying time periods. The subsidy receivable (included in the other current assets on the balance sheet) constitutes the larger share of receivables, and is more unpredictable in nature.
 
About 45 per cent of RPL's revenues is in the form of subsidies received from the government; about 85 per cent of the claims are settled within a short period. The remaining is cleared after audit and other formalities are completed by the Government of India authorities, and takes about 8-10 months for recovery. As the subsidy component comprises a large portion of revenue, CRISIL believes the size of the receipts impacts the company's liquidity profile. The timeliness of subsidy payment will continue to remain a key rating sensitivity factor affecting the liquidity profile over the medium term.
Liquidity

* Moderate bank limit utilisation
Bank limit utilisation is moderate around 83 percent for the past twelve months ended December 31, 2018 in the cash credit limit of Rs 50 crores. CRISIL believes that bank limit utilization is expected to remain moderate on account of large working capital requirement.
 
* Cash accrual sufficient to meet debt obligation
Cash accrual are expected to be over Rs 20-27 crores which are sufficient against term debt obligation of Rs 1 crore over the medium term. In addition, it will be act as cushion to the liquidity of the company.

* Moderate current ratio
Current ratio is moderate at 1.7 time as on March 31, 2018.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes that RPL will benefit from the extensive experience of promoters in the industry. The outlook may be revised to 'Positive' if there is a sustained recovery in RPL's profitability, leading to healthy generation of cash accruals and further improvement in liquidity. Conversely, the outlook may be revised to 'Negative' if RPL's profitability declines on account of deterioration of its business profile, or if the company undertakes debt-funded capital expenditure thereby affecting its financial profile.

About the Company

RPL, incorporated in 1984, is promoted by the Ramsinghani family. The company manufactures SSP, sulphuric acid, and soya oil. It has three manufacturing facilities based in Pune (Maharashtra), Indore (Madhya Pradesh), and Udaipur (Rajasthan).

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31   2018 2017
Operating income Rs crore 372.87 373.88
Reported profit after tax Rs crore 5.39 8.50
PAT margins % 1.45 2.27
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth Times 0.35 0.40
Interest coverage Times 2.29 2.75
 

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. Cr) Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 50 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 3.13 CRISIL A3
NA Inland/Import Letter of Credit NA NA NA 6.77 CRISIL A3
NA Letter of Credit NA NA Mar-20 12.1 CRISIL A3
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  50.00  CRISIL BBB-/Stable    --  29-06-18  Withdrawn  07-03-17  CRISIL BB+/Stable  13-01-16  CRISIL BB/Stable  CRISIL BB/Negative 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  22.00  CRISIL A3    --  29-06-18  Withdrawn  07-03-17  CRISIL A4+  13-01-16  CRISIL A4+  CRISIL A4+ 
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Bank Guarantee 3.13 CRISIL A3 Cash Credit 70 Withdrawn
Cash Credit 50 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 45 Withdrawn
Inland/Import Letter of Credit 6.77 CRISIL A3 Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 1.2 Withdrawn
Letter of Credit 12.1 CRISIL A3 Term Loan 3.8 Withdrawn
Total 72 -- Total 120 --
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
Rating Criteria for Fertiliser Industry
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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