Rating Rationale
August 22, 2023 | Mumbai
Rupa & Company Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.308 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL AA-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.180 Crore Commercial PaperCRISIL A1+ (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 ratings on the bank loan facilities and commercial paper of Rupa & Company Limited (Rupa; part of the Rupa group) at ‘CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+’.

 

The ratings continue to reflect strong market presence and extensive industry experience of the promoter along with above-average financial risk profile. These rating strengths are partially offset by large working capital requirement and exposure to intensifying competition in the innerwear industry.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL Ratings has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Rupa and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Euro Fashion Inners International Pvt Ltd (Euro), Imoogi Fashions Pvt Ltd (Imoogi), Rupa Bangaldesh Private Limited, Rupa Fashions Private Limited and Oban Fashions Pvt Ltd (Oban). This is because all these entities, together referred to as the Rupa group, have significant operational and financial linkages.

 

Please refer Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

Strong market presence and extensive industry experience of the promoter: The group has established its position in the intensely competitive domestic hosiery industry. The promoter have extensive industry experience of more than five decades. Rupa benefits from strong brand recall in the premium and economy segments and has over 18 sub-brands that cater to the economy, medium, premium and super-premium segments. Acquisition of licence rights for certain products of French Connection Group PLC (FCUK brand) and Fruit of the Loom is expected to further support business risk profile.

 

Above-average financial risk profile: Capital structure continues to remain healthy marked by net worth of Rs.906 crore and gearing of less than 0.3 times in FY23. In the absence of any major debt funded capex plans along with moderate accretion to reserves, capital structure is expected to remain healthy over the medium term. Debt protection metrics continues to remain comfortable marked by interest coverage and net cash accruals to total debt (NCATD) of 3.94 times and 17% respectively as on 31st March, 2023.

 

Weaknesses:

Large working capital requirement: Intense competition in the hosiery industry necessitates offering substantial credit to distributors and maintaining large inventory to minimise delays in delivery. Though, inventory management has improved considerably with focus on optimising production in line with sales patterns. However, the same remained high at around 169 days as on 31st March, 2023. Going forward, improvement in working capital management while sustaining moderate business risk profile will remain key rating sensitivity factor.

 

Exposure to intensifying competition in the innerwear industry and profitability exposed to volatile raw material prices: The innerwear market in India is dominated by the unorganised sector, despite the robust market potential for branded innerwear, leading to intense competition. Competition could also increase with the advent of other established foreign brands through the franchisee route, large domestic readymade garment manufacturers venturing into innerwear segments, and other players spending heavily on brand-building and product-positioning.

 

In FY23, increased yarn prices and revision in pricing along with steep competition in the industry has led to decline in revenue to Rs.1143 crore against Rs.1474 crore in FY22. Despite no major increment in fixed cost, EBITDA margin reduced to around 8% for full year FY23 from 18.3% a year back primarily due to reduced scale of operations and unfavorable raw material price movement. With expected resumption in scale of operations in the current year along with revised pricing and steady yarn prices, scale and margin are expected to resume to pre-covid levels, over the medium term. The same will remain key rating monitorable.

Liquidity: Strong

Bank limit utilisation is moderate at around 71.33 percent for the past eleven months ended June 2023. Cash accrual are expected to be over Rs 80 crore which are sufficient against term debt obligation of less than Rs.7 crore over the medium term. Current ratio are healthy at 2.53 times as on 31st March, 2023. Unencumbered liquid funds of more than Rs.180 crore as on 31st June, 2023 provides additional cushion to liquidity and sustenance of the same will remain key monitorable, over the medium term.

Outlook: Stable

The strong market position of the group and its established distribution network will continue to support business risk profile over the medium term.

Rating Sensitivity Factors

Upward factors

  • Strong revenue growth with improved operating margin of more than 15%
  • Improvement in working capital cycle and no major debt funded capex plans

 

Downward factors

  • Further decline in revenue or margin remaining below 8% leading to continued dip in accrual below Rs 50 crore
  • Further stretch in working capital cycle or large debt funded capex plans adversely impacting capital structure

About the Group

Incorporated in 1985, Rupa is promoted by Kolkata-based Agarwala brothers. The company manufactures knitted innerwear, casual wear and thermal wear for men, women and children. The Agarwala family has been in this business since 1968 through proprietorship and partnership firms. After incorporation, Rupa took over the business of Binod Hosiery, a partnership firm of the Agarwala brothers.

 

Euro, incorporated in 2005 in Mumbai, owns the Euro brand while Imoogi (set up in 2010 in Kolkata) owns the Femmora brand. Oban, incorporated in 2015, acquired the exclusive licence from FCUK to develop, manufacture and sell innerwear, socks, leggings and sleepwear under the FCUK brand in India, effective April 2016.

 

On January 5, 2022, all assets and liabilities pertaining to the super premium segment (FCUK and Fruits of the Loom) of OFPL has got transferred to Rupa along with all licences, approvals, contracts, deeds, statutory obligations and employees. OFPL will remain a subsidiary of Rupa and is currently engaged in trading of Yarn.

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit

2023

2022

Operating income

Rs crore

1,142.9

1,473.9

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

53.5

191.6

PAT margins

%

4.68

13.00

Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth

Times

0.27

0.41

Interest coverage

Times

3.94

15.49

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.Cr)

Complexity Level

Rating Assigned with Outlook

NA

Cash Credit

NA

NA

NA

290.4

NA

CRISIL AA-/Stable

NA

Non-Fund Based Limit

NA

NA

NA

5

NA

CRISIL A1+

NA

Term Loan

NA

NA

Mar-2027

12.6

NA

CRISIL AA-/Stable

NA

Commercial Paper

NA

NA

7 to 365 days

180

Simple

CRISIL A1+

Annexure – List of Entities Consolidated

Names of Entities Consolidated

Extent of Consolidation

Rationale for Consolidation

Oban Fashions Private Limited

Full

Common management and same business

Rupa & Company Limited

Full

Common management and same business

Euro Fashion Inners International Private Limited

Full

Common management and same business

Imoogi Fashions Private Limited

Full

Common management and same business

Rupa Bangaldesh Private Limited

Full

Common management and same business

Rupa Fashions Private Limited

Full

Common management and same business

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 303.0 CRISIL AA-/Stable   -- 22-08-22 CRISIL AA-/Stable 29-09-21 CRISIL AA-/Stable 31-07-20 CRISIL AA-/Stable CRISIL AA-/Stable
      --   --   -- 06-04-21 CRISIL AA-/Stable   -- --
      --   --   -- 06-01-21 CRISIL AA-/Stable   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 5.0 CRISIL A1+   -- 22-08-22 CRISIL A1+ 29-09-21 CRISIL A1+ 31-07-20 CRISIL A1+ CRISIL A1+
      --   --   -- 06-04-21 CRISIL A1+   -- --
      --   --   -- 06-01-21 CRISIL A1+   -- --
Commercial Paper ST 180.0 CRISIL A1+   -- 22-08-22 CRISIL A1+ 29-09-21 CRISIL A1+ 31-07-20 CRISIL A1+ CRISIL A1+
      --   --   -- 06-04-21 CRISIL A1+   -- --
      --   --   -- 06-01-21 CRISIL A1+   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Cash Credit 95 IndusInd Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
Cash Credit 25 State Bank of India CRISIL AA-/Stable
Cash Credit 35 Citi Bank CRISIL AA-/Stable
Cash Credit 80 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
Cash Credit 30 Standard Chartered Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
Cash Credit 10 Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
Cash Credit 10 YES Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
Cash Credit 5.4 ICICI Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
Non-Fund Based Limit 5 State Bank of India CRISIL A1+
Term Loan 6.1 Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
Term Loan 6.5 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL AA-/Stable
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
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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