Rating Rationale
June 29, 2018 | Mumbai
SNL Bearings Limited
Rating outlook revised to 'Positive'; ratings reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.14.1 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A/Positive (Outlook revised from 'Stable' and rating reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1 (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has revised its outlook on the long-term bank facilities of SNL Bearings Ltd (SNL) to 'Positive' from 'Stable' while reaffirming the 'CRISIL A' rating and has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A1' rating on the short-term bank facility.
 
The revision in outlook follows a similar revision in CRISIL's outlook on the rating of NRB Bearings Ltd (NRB; rated 'CRISIL AA-/Positive/CRISIL A1+'). It also reflects CRISIL's belief that SNL will sustain its business growth and profitability over the medium term led by improved demand and operating efficiency. Revenue is expected to increase 12-13% between fiscals 2018 and 2021, while operating profitability will remain close to 30%. Financial risk profile should remain healthy, given nil debt, steady accretion of reserves, and robust debt protection metrics.
 
The ratings continue to reflect the business, financial, and managerial support that SNL receives from its parent, NRB, healthy operating profitability and a strong financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by SNL's modest, albeit increasing, scale of operations, and large working capital requirement in the automotive components business.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has applied its parent notch-up framework to factor in the support available from the parent, NRB.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong business, financial, and managerial support from the parent: SNL benefits from strong business linkages with NRB. Post its acquisition in 2000, NRB has turned around SNL's performance, making it one of the most profitable bearing companies. SNL, along with NRB, commands about 70% share of the needle bearing market in India.
 
NRB has a well-entrenched dealer network, which will help SNL expand its reach in the aftermarket segment of automotive components. Financial support is reflected in preference shares extended by the parent, which were repaid in fiscal 2017, as well as guarantees provided for debt. Apart from this, both companies have a common management. CRISIL believes the business synergies will continue and NRB will extend financial support to SNL when needed.
 
* Healthy operating profitability: SNL, along with NRB, is one of the leading players in the needle bearings market in India. Strong market position, limited competition, and improving operating efficiency have led to healthy operating profitability of 30-32%
 
* Strong financial risk profile: SNL has no debt. Rising operating cash flow will enable the company to meet its funding requirement for capex and working capital over the medium term, thus restricting reliance on bank debt, even as company has considerable financial flexibility to raise debt.
 
Weakness
* Modest, albeit increasing, scale: Despite healthy revenue growth (11% between fiscals 2014 and 2018), scale remains modest, indicated by revenue of Rs 38 crore in fiscal 2018. The current capacity limits ability to substantially enhance revenue. The company is also susceptible to cyclicality in the end-user automotive bearings industry.
 
* Working capital-intensive operations: Like most automotive components players, and due to the extensive range of products, SNL has large working capital requirement, reflected in gross current assets of 150-175 days between fiscals 2015 and 2018. Demand from original equipment manufacturers for just-in-time delivery of components requires large inventory. The company had inventory of 4-6 months in the past five years, though it is gradually reducing. Furthermore, payment terms from automotive component manufacturers vary from 2-3 months.
Outlook: Positive

SNL's credit profile will continue to be linked to changes in NRB's credit profile. Further, CRISIL believes SNL will sustain its business and financial risk profiles over the medium term backed by steady revenue growth, healthy profitability, and absence of debt-funded capex.
 
Upside scenario
* Better-than-anticipated revenue growth, and sustenance of healthy operating profitability
* Lower gross current assets with improving working capital management
 
Downside scenario
* Sharp decline in operating profitability
* Weakening of financial risk profile due to larger-than-expected, debt-funded capex or stretch in working capital cycle

About the Company

SNL, formerly known as Shriram Needle Bearing Industries Ltd, was established in 1979 by the Shriram group in Ranchi, Jharkhand. It was promoted as a joint venture of the DCM Shriram group, which has business interests in sugar, alcohol, fine chemicals, and rayon tyre cord, and INA Germany, a leading manufacturer of bearings worldwide. The company got its present name after it was acquired by NRB Bearings in June 2000.
 
SNL manufactures cage-guided drawn cup needle bearings, connecting-rod needle cages for piston pins and crank pins, among other needle bearings. Over half its output is sold to NRB. 
 
About the parent
Founded by Mr Trilochan Singh Sahney in 1965, NRB manufactures needle, cylindrical, ball and taper-roller bearings. It also makes other friction solution components such as planetary shafts, crank pins, and king pins. The company has three subsidiaries: SNL Bearings Ltd, NRB Bearings (Thailand) Ltd, and NRB Bearings Europe GmbH. Plants are at Thane, Aurangabad, Jalna, and Waluj (Maharashtra); Hyderabad (Telangana); Pantnagar (Uttarakhand); and Ranchi (Jharkhand); and in Rayong in Thailand. The product engineering centre in Thane and process and advanced materials-based engineering centre at Waluj are government accredited.
 
Mr Sahney currently serves as NRB's executive chairman. His daughter, Ms Harshbeena S Zaveri, was appointed the company's president in January 2001. Currently, she is the vice chairman & managing director.

Key Financial Indicators (SNL)
Particulars Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs crore 38.31 33.06
Profit after tax Rs crore 8.25 6.59
PAT margin % 21.5 19.7
Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth Times 0.00 0.04
Interest coverage Times NA 79.48

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 crore) Rating assigned with outlook
NA Cash Credit* NA NA NA 5.0 CRISIL A/Positive
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 3.0 CRISIL A/Positive
NA Bill Discounting NA NA NA 1 CRISIL A1
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 5.10 CRISIL A/Positive
*Interchangeable with letter of credit to the extent of Rs 1 crore.
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2018 (History) 2017  2016  2015  Start of 2015
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  14.10  CRISIL A/Positive/ CRISIL A1      27-09-17  CRISIL A/Stable/ CRISIL A1  21-06-16  CRISIL BBB+/Stable/ CRISIL A2  28-04-15  CRISIL BBB+/Stable/ CRISIL A2  CRISIL BBB+/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
Bill Discounting 1 CRISIL A1 Bill Discounting 1 CRISIL A1
Cash Credit* 5 CRISIL A/Positive Cash Credit* 5 CRISIL A/Stable
Cash Credit 3 CRISIL A/Positive Cash Credit 3 CRISIL A/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 5.1 CRISIL A/Positive Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 5.1 CRISIL A/Stable
Total 14.1 -- Total 14.1 --
*Interchangeable with letter of credit to the extent of Rs 1 crore.
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 Auto Component Suppliers
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support

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