Rating Rationale
September 29, 2020 | Mumbai
Sanstar Biopolymers Limited
'CRISIL BB+/Stable' assigned to bank debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.20 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BB+/Stable (Assigned)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has assigned its 'CRISIL BB+/Stable' rating to the bank facilities of Sanstar Biopolymers Limited (SBL; part of the Sanstar group).

The rating reflects the extensive experience of the promoters in the agriculture 'maize and starch products industry and Sanstar group's established market position, and comfortable capital structure. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to climatic conditions, volatility in raw material prices and average debt protection metrics.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of SL and Sanstar Biopolymers Ltd (SBL). This is because both these entities, together referred as the Sanstar group, operate in the same industry, managed by same management and have operational and financial linkages.

Unsecured loans from promoters have also been treated as neither debt nor equity as these loans are expected to be retained in business over medium term.

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:
* Extensive experience of the promoters and established market position
The four-decade-long experience of the promoters has led to their strong understanding of the market dynamics. The group has established healthy relationships with maize suppliers across the country, with diversification of area and access to large quantities of maize resulting in uninterrupted operations. Also, the group has an established market position, with well-established clients from the food and pharma segments as well as the textile and paper industries and diversification vis-a-vis both domestic and overseas markets.
 
The group also has prudent working capital management. It maintains inventory of around 45 days. It generally extends credit period of around 30-45 days to its customers. Further majority of the exports are backed by LCs.
 
* Comfortable capital structure
The group's  capital structure is moderate, as reflected in networth of more than Rs 100 crore, gearing of 1.43 times and total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratio of 1.82 times as on March 31, 2020. Despite debt funded capex in SL, the capital structure has remained comfortable because of healthy networth and steady accretions.
 
Weaknesses:
* Susceptibility to climatic conditions and volatility in raw material prices
The crop yield of agricultural commodities is dependent on adequate and favourable climatic conditions, exposing the group to the risk of limited availability of its key raw material under unfavourable climatic conditions. In 2019, due to shortage of maize, prices of maize were increased by 30-40% and the group had to import maize from Ukraine for the year. The fluctuations in the raw material prices also affect the profitability. Group's operating profitability had fluctuated between 4% - 7% in last three fiscals through 2020. Improved and sustained operating profitability remains a key monitorable.
 
* Average debt protection metrics
The group's debt protection metrics have been average because of moderate cash accrual and high debt. Interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios stood at 1.88 times and 0.08 time, respectively, in fiscal 2020. The metrics are expected to remain at similar levels over the medium term.
Liquidity Stretched

Liquidity is constrained by large debt repayment obligations but cushioned by moderate bank limit utilisation. Bank limit utilisation averaged 50% over the 12 months through August 2020. Cash accrual, expected at Rs 15-19 crore per annum (Rs 15.53 crore in fiscal 2020), should cover yearly debt obligation of Rs 12-13 crore over the medium term. Any drop in operating profitability can diminish the cushion between cash accruals and debt repayments. Current ratio was average at 1.04 times on March 31, 2020. Liquidity is supported by promoters' fund support in the form of unsecured loans.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the group will continue to benefit from the promoters' extensive experience and healthy relationships with clients. 

Rating Sensitivity factors
 Upward factors
* Improvement in revenue and operating margins, leading to cash accruals of over Rs.20 crore on sustained basis.
 * Maintenance of comfortable capital structure and improvement in debt protection metrics
 
Downward factors
* Decline in operating profitability leading to cash accruals below Rs. 14 crore
* Large debt-funded capital expenditure or stretched working capital cycle weaken financial risk profile
About the Group

Incorporated on February 26, 1982, by Mr Sohanlal Chowdhary, SL manufactures maize-based starches and its by-products. The company set up new plant at Dhule (Maharashtra) under mega project scheme of GoM and started commercial operations from Feb 2018.

SBL, incorporated in 1983, is based in Ahmedabad. It is owned and managed by Mr Gautam Chowdhary and his family members. The company manufactures maize-based starches and its value-added derivatives, liquid glucose and by-products, such as dextrin, maltose corn syrup, pasting gum powder and maize gluten.

 

Key Financial Indicators - Combined
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 368.37 313.25
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 1.71 (4.65)
PAT margin % 0.46 (1.48)
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 1.43 1.70
Interest coverage Times 1.91 1.89
 
 
Key Financial Indicators - Standalone- SL
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 261.38 195.70
PAT Rs crore 0.46 0.70
PAT margin % 0.18 -2.54
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 1.95 1.94
Interest coverage Times 1.66 1.67
 
 
Key Financial Indicators - Standalone- SBL
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 177.00 175.07
PAT Rs crore 1.25 0.47
PAT margin % 0.71 0.19
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 1.16 1.70
Interest coverage Times 1.57 0.86

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL 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. For more details on the CRISIL complexity levels, please visit www.crisil.com/complexity-levels.
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 20.00 NA A CRISIL BB+/Stable
 
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Name of the company Extent of consolidation
 
Sanstar Biopolymers Limited
combined the business and financial risk profiles of both the companies
Sanstar Limited combined the business and financial risk profiles of both the companies
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
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  20.00  CRISIL BB+/Stable              05-10-17  Withdrawn (Issuer Not Cooperating)*  CRISIL BBB-/Stable 
                    28-07-17  CRISIL B+/Stable (Issuer Not Cooperating)*   
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
*Issuer did not cooperate; based on best-available information
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Cash Credit 20 CRISIL BB+/Stable Cash Credit 25 Withdrawn
Total 20 -- Total 25 --
Links to related criteria
Assessing Information Adequacy Risk
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 Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
Criteria for rating entities belonging to homogenous groups

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