Rating Rationale
April 05, 2018 | Mumbai
Riata Life Sciences Private Limited
Long-term rating upgraded to 'CRISIL BB+/Stable' ; short-term rating reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.10 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BB+/Stable (Upgraded from 'CRISIL BB/Stable')
Short Term Rating CRISIL A4+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has upgraded its rating on the long term bank facilities of Riata Life Sciences Private Limited (RLSPL; part of the Viridis Group) to 'CRISIL BB+/Stable' from 'CRISIL BB/Stable' and reaffirmed short term bank facility at 'CRISIL A4+'  

The upgrade reflects steady improvement in Viridis' business risk profile marked by continuous revenue growth and sustenance of healthy operating margins. The group continues to maintain healthy financial risk profile and liquidity. Group's revenue doubled to estimated revenue of Rs.95 crore in current fiscal 2018 from Rs.46 crore in fiscal 2015; while sustaining healthy operating margin at over 40%. Increasing demand for patented product Vitamin K2-7 branded under MenaquinGold has led to continued revenue growth and healthy margins. Moderate revenue growth is expected over medium term backed by capacity expansion, addition of few new products while the margin should be sustained. The upgrade also reflects commencement of commercial operations in RLSPL and expected steady ramp-up in sales on the back of healthy demand for probiotics and Vitamin K2-7.

Financial risk profile remains healthy, with estimated networth of Rs 101 crore and low gearing of 0.11 times for fiscal 2018. Liquidity is ample marked by healthy cash accruals, surplus liquid investments and low utilisation of bank lines.

The ratings continue to reflect the Viridis group's healthy financial risk profile, because of strong net worth, limited reliance on external debt, robust debt protection metrics, and ample liquidity. The rating also factors in the group's improving business risk profile, because of, its presence in the niche bio-pharma and nutraceutical segments, patented processes, and established customer relationships developed under its technically qualified and experienced management. These strengths are partially offset by the group's growing yet average scale of operations, product concentration in its revenue profile, working capital-intensive operations, and exposure to volatile foreign exchange rates.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of RLSPL, Viridis Biopharma Pvt Ltd(VBPL) and Synergia Life Sciences Pvt Ltd (SLSPL). This is because these three companies, together referred to herein as the Viridis group, are in the same line of business and under the same management team, and have operational and financial fungibility.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Presence in the niche bio-pharma and nutraceutical segments and patented processes: The group's business risk profile remains supported by improving topline and strong profitability, given the presence in the niche bio-pharma and nutraceutical segments, coupled with patented processes. The group derives revenue primarily from two segments: nutraceutical, and burn and wound. In the nutraceutical segment, the group has developed its own patented process for manufacturing Vitamin K2-7, branded MenaquinGold, using a proprietary 'fermentation technology' which contributes around 60% of the total revenue. The Viridis group's business risk profile will continue to be supported by its presence in the niche bio-pharma and nutraceutical segments, and the patented processes over the medium term.
 
* Technically qualified and experienced management: The Viridis group is mainly promoted by Dr. Dilip Mehta, Mr. Harshad Vora, and Dr. Anselm Desouza. The promoters have strong domain knowledge and technical capabilities to develop new products, and have continuously invested in R&D initiatives. The group has benefited from experience and technical expertise of its management.
 
* Healthy financial profile and ample liquidity: Financial risk profile is above-average marked by strong networth of Rs 101 crores as on March 31st 2017. The company's capital structure remains adequate marked by gearing and total outside liabilities to tangible networth of 0.15 time and 0.26 times resp. as on March 31st 2017. The company's debt protection metrics are healthy marked by interest coverage ratio of 14.41 times and net cash accrual to adjusted debt of 1.63 times for fiscal 2017. Backed by healthy cash accruals, the financial metrics are estimated to remain healthy over medium term.
 
The group follows a policy of investing surplus funds in liquid instruments such as mutual funds. As on March 31, 2017, it had around Rs.16.45 cr invested in mutual funds. Further the bank limits are utilised sparsely.
 
Weakness 
* Average scale of operations and product concentration: In 2016-17 (refers to financial year, April 1 to March 31), the group booked revenue of Rs.70 cr, a year-on-year growth of 13 per cent. Group's revenue is estimated at about Rs.95 crore in current fiscal 2018. Despite the growth, the scale of operations remains average, further about 60% of revenue is generated from single product which partly constrains business risk profile.
 
* Working capital intensity in operations: Company's operations have working capital intensity marked by moderate inventory and elongated debtors. Company typically maintains an inventory of 30-45 days; however its receivables are in the range of 60-90 days in the past 5 years. With company expected to grow at a rate of 20-25% over next 2 years, CRISIL expects that company's incremental working capital requirements will continue to remain high over the medium term.
 
* Exposure to volatility in forex rates: The group exports a significant part of its production; however, it has no specific hedging policy, rendering it vulnerable to forex rate fluctuations.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Viridis group will benefit over the medium term from the promoters' strong technical expertise and stable product demand. The group's financial risk profile is expected to remain healthy over the medium term, backed by strong cash accruals. The outlook may be revised to 'Positive' if RLSPL demonstrates higher-than-expected ramp-up in operations leading to higher cash accruals and better financial risk profile, notwithstanding any weakness in the group's overall performance. Conversely, the outlook may be revised to 'Negative' if revenues or profitability are lower-than-expected or a large, unanticipated debt-funded capex programme or acquisition, weakens the group's financial risk profile.

About the Group

VBPL, incorporated in 2000, manufactures medicated dressings and trades in formulations. SLSPL, incorporated in 2004, manufactures nutraceuticals such as Vitamin K2-7. Both these companies have their manufacturing facilities in Wada (Maharashtra).
 
ROPL, incorporated in 2013, is an 99.99 per cent subsidiary of SLSPL; it has set up a manufacturing unit in Vadodara (Gujarat) which commenced commercial operations recently.
 
The group is promoted by Dr. Dilip Mehta, Mr. Harshad Vora and Dr. Anselm Desouza. In fiscal 2016, private equity fund, India Life Sciences Fund II, acquired 30% stake in SFSPL.
 
The group also has a 51 per cent stake in Eburon Organics International II, LLC, USA, which manufactures customised fine chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2017 2016
Revenue Rs. Cr. 70.17 63.20
Profit After Tax Rs. Cr. 22.04 21.28
PAT Margins % 30.8 33.5
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth Times 0.15 0.19
Interest coverage Times 14.41 17.36

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 1 CRISIL BB+/Stable
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 1 CRISIL A4+
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 7 CRISIL BB+/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA Dec-2019 1 CRISIL BB+/Stable
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  CRISIL BB+/Stable    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL BB/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  CRISIL A4+    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  CRISIL A4+ 
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 1 CRISIL BB+/Stable Cash Credit 1 CRISIL BB/Stable
Letter of Credit 1 CRISIL A4+ Letter of Credit 1 CRISIL A4+
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 7 CRISIL BB+/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 4.5 CRISIL BB/Stable
Term Loan 1 CRISIL BB+/Stable Term Loan 3.5 CRISIL BB/Stable
Total 10 -- Total 10 --
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 the Pharmaceutical Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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