Rating Rationale
September 24, 2024 | Mumbai
San Engineering and Locomotive Company Limited
Short-term rating downgraded to 'CRISIL A2+'; Long-term rating reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.82.5 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL A-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A2+ (Downgraded from 'CRISIL A1')
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 ‘CRISIL A-/Stable’ rating on the long-term bank facilities of San Engineering and Locomotive Company Ltd (SEL; part of the San group). The rating on the short-term rating has been downgraded to ‘CRISIL A2+’ from ‘CRISIL A1’.

 

The downgrade in the short-term rating reflects the continued stretch in receivables and higher-than-anticipated gross current assets, which could weaken liquidity in the near term.The ratings continue to reflect the dominant position of the San group in the shunting locomotives industry and its robust financial risk profile, marked by low gearing, strong debt protection metrics and adequate liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by the large working capital requirement and susceptibility to cyclicality in end-user industries

Analytical Approach

CRISIL Ratings has combined the business and financial risk profiles of SEL and its wholly owned subsidiaries, San Rolling Stocks Services Ltd and San Motors Ltd. The companies, collectively referred to as the San group, are owned and managed by the same family and have significant business and financial interlinkages

 

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:

  • Dominant position in the shunting locomotives industry: The San group caters to a reputed clientele. The decade-long association with its customers ensure a constant flow of repeat orders. CRISIL Ratings believes that the strong order book will help the company maintain its dominant position in the shunting locomotives industry.

 

  • Strong financial risk profile: Steady improvement in accretion to reserves and low reliance on external debt have kept the capital structure robust. Total outside liabilities to adjusted networth (TOLANW) ratio was low at 0.28 time as on March 31, 2024. Absence of any major debt-funded capital expenditure plans should support the financial risk profile. Debt protection metrics will remain comfortable, supported by recovery in profitability. Interest coverage ratio was over 34 times in fiscal 2024.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Working capital-intensive operations: Gross current assets (GCAs) are at 145 days as on March 31, 2024 (as against 95 days, a year before), driven by large receivables and inventory, given the inherent nature of the locomotives business. GCAs may remain high over the medium term, because of substantial receivables and inventory which needs to be held over a longer period of time.

 

  • Susceptibility to cyclicality in end-user industries: Demand for shunting locomotives follows the growth cycle of end-user industries such as cement, power, steel, mining, petrochemicals, ports and fertilisers. Any significant slowdown in end-user industries will have an adverse impact on revenue. This risk, however, is mitigated by the diversified revenue profile of the group.

Liquidity: Strong

Bank limit utilisation was negligible, averaging around 0.74% for the 12 months ended April 30, 2024.  Cash accrual is expected to be over Rs 23 crore, against nil term debt obligation over the medium term. Cash and bank balance was moderate around Rs 40 crore as on March 31, 2024

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes SEL will continue to benefit from its dominant position in the shunting locomotives industry and its above-average operating margin. The financial risk profile is expected to remain robust, driven by healthy cash accrual and presence of significant liquid investments in form of marketable securities

Rating sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Strong and sustained growth in revenue by over 20%, due to robust order execution
  • Improvement in operating profitability
  • Better working capital management, leading to lower GCAs

 

Downward factors:

  • Significant stretch in the working capital cycle, led by receivables of more than 200 days
  • Decline in operating margin below 6%, leading to lower-than-expected cash accrual
  • Stretch in the working capital cycle, weakening the financial risk profile and liquidity

About the Company

San Engineering, based in Bengaluru, was founded in 1969 by Mr. M M Suri and Mr. S K Nayar. The company was acquired by Mr. Subhash K Thakker in 1981, and is now managed by his son, Mr. Milind S Thakker. San Engineering manufactures locomotives for shunting operations in the infrastructure and heavy-engineering industries. It also manufactures gears and gear boxes in its engineering products division which caters to industrial applications.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

Unit

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs crore

199.88

135.90

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

18.80

7.82

PAT margin

%

9.34

6.02

Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth

Times

0.00

0.00

Interest coverage

Times

33.50

15.29

 

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 the
instrument
Date of
Allotment
Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue size
(Rs. Crore)
Complexity
Level
Rating assigned
with outlook
NA  Bank Guarantee  NA  NA  NA  48 NA  CRISIL A2+ 
NA  Cash Credit  NA  NA  NA  18 NA  CRISIL A-/Stable 
NA  Letter of Credit  NA  NA  NA  9 NA  CRISIL A2+ 
NA  Standby Letter of Credit  NA  NA  NA  7.5 NA  CRISIL A2+ 

Annexure - List of entities consolidated

Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation  Rationale for Consolidation 
San Engineering and Locomotive Company Limited Full Same promoters
San Motors Ltd Full Same promoters
San Rolling Stocks Services Ltd Full Same promoters
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2024 (History) 2023  2022  2021  Start of 2021
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 18.0 CRISIL A-/Stable   -- 28-06-23 CRISIL A-/Stable 06-05-22 CRISIL A-/Stable 29-01-21 CRISIL A-/Stable CRISIL A-/Stable
      --   --   -- 29-03-22 CRISIL A-/Stable   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 64.5 CRISIL A2+   -- 28-06-23 CRISIL A1 06-05-22 CRISIL A1 29-01-21 CRISIL A1 CRISIL A1
      --   --   -- 29-03-22 CRISIL A1   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 48 State Bank of India CRISIL A2+
Cash Credit 18 State Bank of India CRISIL A-/Stable
Letter of Credit 9 State Bank of India CRISIL A2+
Standby Letter of Credit 7.5 State Bank of India CRISIL A2+
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Rating Criteria for Auto Component Suppliers
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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