Rating Rationale
February 14, 2020 | Mumbai
SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited
'CRISIL AAA/Stable' assigned to debt instruments
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.19000 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.16500 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.250 Crore Lower Tier II Bonds CRISIL AAA/Stable (Assigned)
Rs.500 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AAA/Stable (Assigned)
Non-Convertible Debentures Aggregating Rs.4000 Crore CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Lower Tier II Bonds Aggregating Rs.1500.2 Crore  CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Rs.19000 Crore Commercial Paper (Enhanced from Rs.16500 Crore)  CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has assigned its 'CRISIL AAA/Stable' rating to Rs 500 crore of non-convertible debentures (NCD) and Rs 250 crore of lower tier II bonds of SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited (SBI Cards) while reaffirmed its ratings on the existing debt instruments and bank facilities at 'CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+'.
 
CRISIL's ratings SBI Cards continue to reflect CRISIL's belief that SBI Cards will continue to receive strong support from its majority shareholder, State Bank of India (SBI; rated 'CRISIL AAA/CRISIL AA+1/FAAA2/Stable/CRISIL A1+'), on an ongoing basis as well as in the event of distress. Ownership pattern and shared brand imply a strong moral obligation on SBI to continue supporting SBI Cards in meeting debt obligation in a timely manner.
    
SBI Cards' standalone credit risk profile is supported by its improving market position. The company is the second largest player in the credit card industry, with around 98 lakh cards in circulation and market share of around 18.1% as of December 31, 2019. Profitability is also above average, with return on assets of 4.8% during fiscal 2019. However, given the unsecured and inherently risky nature of the business, the company remains susceptible to asset quality challenges.
 
In June 2019, NCLT approved the joint merger petition which was filed by SBI Cards and SBI Business Process and Management Services Pvt Ltd (SBI BPMSL). The new entity will now be known by the former's name. SBI Cards and SBI BPMSL have been the front end and back end entities for SBI's credit cards business wherein SBI and Carlyle held 74% and 26% stake respectively in each of these entities. This merger is effective from April 1, 2018.
 
SBI Cards intends to tap capital markets via IPO through Offer for Sale by dilution of up to 14% of the paid up capital (out of which ~4% would be from SBI and rest ~10% would be from Carlyle) and another primary issuance of up to Rs. 500 crores by the end of March 31, 2020. Post the IPO, SBI will continue to hold majority stake and provide funding and managerial support both on an ongoing basis and in the event of distress.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has considered the standalone business and financial risk profiles of SBI Cards and notched up the ratings to those of its parent, SBI. This is because of the strategic importance of SBI Cards to SBI as well as the majority ownership and brand sharing, which enhance the moral obligation to support the entity.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Strong support from majority parent
The credit card business is integral to a bank's product offerings for retail customers. SBI Cards houses the entire credit card business for SBI and is, therefore, strategically important to parent. The company receives strong financial, branding, and managerial support from SBI on an ongoing basis. Also, parent has infused its share of equity capital in SBI Cards as and when needed. The company benefits from the strong franchise of SBI and commands a premium in co-branded cards. Senior employees from SBI have been deputed at senior positions in SBI Cards and are involved in its strategic decision making as well as monitoring the operations on a regular basis. SBI will continue to hold majority stake over the medium term and will continue to provide strong support to SBI Cards both on an ongoing basis and in the event of distress.
  
*Improving market position
The company has grown higher than industry average during the past few years and increased its market share in terms of total cards in force to 18.1% as of December 31, 2019 from around 13.2% at the end of fiscal 2013. Hence, SBI Cards has become the second-largest player in the credit card industry in terms of cards in force and had around Rs 23,933 crore in net card receivables, as of December 31, 2019. The company is expected to continue to benefit from its strong distribution network and SBI's large clientele, and further improve its market share over the medium term.
 
*Above-average profitability
SBI Cards has maintained its return on assets at above 4% for more than past 5 years, supported by healthy interest as well as fee income. Cost of funds has also been maintained at a competitive level, supported by regular funding from SBI. Expenses on sales promotion and advertising have, however, gone up in the past few years because of intensifying competition.
 
Weaknesses:
*Asset quality susceptible to unsecured nature of business
SBI Cards is involved in a business that is unsecured in nature. This makes the portfolio inherently risky. The company faced asset quality challenges in the middle of the previous decade. In fiscal 2009, SBI Cards revamped its entire business model and wrote off all its historical delinquencies. The company also tightened its risk management practices over the years and has maintained strong portfolio quality since then. Ability to maintain strong risk management practices, however, remains critical to sustaining asset quality at current levels, especially with sizable increase in cards in force following contiguous years of high growth.
Liquidity Superior

Given the shorter tenure of assets, SBI Cards' asset-liability management (ALM) profile has cumulative positive mismatches in all the buckets of up to one year as on December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2019, company had Rs 12,470 crores of scheduled repayments over the next 3 months against expected collections of Rs 14,128 crores over the same period. Moreover, company has Rs 6,351 crore of unutilized bank lines as of Dec-19. The company's commercial paper borrowings are also backed by unutilized bank lines.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes SBI Cards will continue to benefit from parent's strong financial, branding, and managerial support, and will continue to improve its market share while maintaining profitability over the medium term.

Rating Sensitivity factors
Downward factors
* Any significant reduction in support to SBI Cards or any downward rating action on SBI may result in a corresponding rating action on SBI Cards; and/or
* Deterioration in asset quality (with credit cost crossing 10%) leading to significant increase in provisioning cost on a continuous basis
About the Company

SBI Cards is the second-largest player in the credit card business with about 83 lakh cards in force out of a total market size of over 471 lakh cards, enjoying a healthy market share of 17.6% as of March 31, 2019. As per IND AS, net profit was Rs 865 crore on a total income of Rs 7286 crore during fiscal 2019, against a net profit of Rs 604 crore on a total income of Rs 5370 crore in the previous fiscal. Return on assets stood at 4.8% in fiscal 2019. Gross stage 3 assets stood at 2.4% at the end of fiscal 2019 compared to 2.8% at the end of previous fiscal, however, credit cost witnessed some spike in fiscal 2019.

1The ratings pertain to Tier-I bonds (under Basel III)
2The rating pertains only to State Bank of Indore's (SBoI's) fixed deposit programme, rated by CRISIL, which has been transferred to SBI following the merger of SBoI with SBI

Key Financial Indicators - (As per IND AS)
As On/For The Period Ended March 31 Unit 2019 2018
Total assets Rs cr 20146 15583
Total income Rs cr 7286 5370
Profit after tax Rs cr 865 604
Gross stage 3 assets % 2.4 2.8
Gearing Times 3.8 4.8
Return on assets % 4.8 4.6
*Base for Fiscal 2017 is as per I-GAAP.
Note: Above financials are for the merged entity (SBI Cards and SBI BPMSL).

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
INE018E08045 Lower Tier II Bonds 28-Sep-12 9.50% 28-Sep-19 50 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08052 Lower Tier II Bonds 26-Nov-14 9.00% 26-Nov-21 100 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08060 Lower Tier II Bonds 25-Feb-16 9.65% 25-Apr-22 100 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08078 Lower Tier II Bonds 17-Oct-16 8.10% 17-Oct-23 200 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08086 Lower Tier II Bonds 17-Jul-17 8.30% 17-May-23 500 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08144 Lower Tier II Bonds 29-Jan-19 9.55% 29-Jan-29 250 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08169 Lower Tier II Bonds 12-Jun-19 8.99% 12-Jun-29 100 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08094 Non-Convertible
Debentures
09-Aug-17 7.55% 07-Aug-20 500 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08102 Non-Convertible
Debentures
18-Jan-18 8.10% 10-May-21 110 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08110 Non-Convertible
Debentures
18-May-18 8.90% 18-Nov-21 400 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08136 Non-Convertible
Debentures
18-Dec-18 9.15% 17-Jun-22 450 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08151 Non-Convertible
Debentures
13-May-19 8.55% 12-Aug-22 175 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08128 Non-Convertible
Debentures
17-Oct-18 9.50% 16-Oct-20 500 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08177 Non-Convertible
Debentures
14-Nov-19 7.60% 14-Feb-23 410 CRISIL AAA/Stable
INE018E08185 Non-Convertible
Debentures
16-Dec-19 7.50% 09-Mar-23 300 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Lower Tier II Bonds* NA NA NA 450.2 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Non-Convertible Debentures* NA NA NA 1,655 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Commercial Paper NA NA 7 to 365 Days 19,000 CRISIL A1+
NA Cash Credit & Working Capital demand loan NA NA NA 16,500 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility** NA NA NA 2,500 CRISIL AAA/Stable
*Yet to be issued
**Cash credit/working capital demand loan
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2020 (History) 2019  2018  2017  Start of 2017
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST  19000.00  CRISIL A1+      12-09-19  CRISIL A1+  05-07-18  CRISIL A1+  18-10-17  CRISIL A1+  -- 
            12-07-19  CRISIL A1+  16-04-18  CRISIL A1+       
Lower Tier II Bonds  LT  2845.00
14-02-20 
CRISIL AAA/Stable      12-09-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable  05-07-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  18-10-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
            12-07-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable  16-04-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  12-05-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable   
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  1300.00
14-02-20 
CRISIL AAA/Stable      12-09-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable  05-07-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  18-10-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable  -- 
            12-07-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable  16-04-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  12-05-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable   
Short Term Debt (Including Commercial Paper)  ST                  12-05-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  19000.00  CRISIL AAA/Stable      12-09-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable  05-07-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  18-10-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
            12-07-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable  16-04-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  12-05-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable   
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
Cash Credit & Working Capital demand loan 16500 CRISIL AAA/Stable Long Term Bank Facility** 14000 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility** 2500 CRISIL AAA/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility** 2500 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Total 19000 -- Total 16500 --
*Cash credit/working capital demand loan
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Finance Companies
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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