Rating Rationale
November 30, 2020 | Mumbai
Sheela Foam Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.163.27 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A+/Positive (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A+/Positive/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the bank facilities of Sheela Foam Limited (SFL; part of the SFL group).
 
SFL's operations in the first half of fiscal 2021 have been impacted on account of the nationwide lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic both in India and overseas. However, with gradual opening up of the economy from the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the operating performance of SFL has witnessed significant improvement. The consolidated revenue and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of SFL declined 13% in the first half of the current fiscal compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. With gradual improvement in economic activity and customer sentiment, the overall financial risk profile of SFL should remain robust, over the medium term, despite weaker operating performance in the first half of fiscal 2021.  
 
The ratings continue to reflect the SFL group's established market position, healthy revenue diversity and strong financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to volatile input prices and intense competition across product categories.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of SFL and its subsidiaries as all the entities, collectively referred to as the SFL group, are in the same business and SFL has managerial control over all the entities.
 
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
* Established market position in the polyurethane (PU) foam market
SFL is the largest producer of flexible slab stock PU foam and mattresses in India, with estimated market share of 25-30% in the organised market. Its brand, Sleepwell, is well established. Its wide range of products include mattresses, pillows, cushioning material and foams. A pan-India distribution network helps cater to both retail and business customers. Presence in the economy segment through Feather Foam and Starlite brands consolidate the market position. SFL's market share has improved over the recent years as a result of a shift in the market from the unorganised to the organised sector, supported by increasing consumer awareness about the health benefits of using good quality mattresses.
 
* Healthy revenue diversity
Although mattresses continue to contribute substantially to revenue, the SFL group has a significant presence in retail and industrial foam products as well. Furthermore, presence in Australia through Joyce Foam Pty Ltd (JFPL; largest foam player in Australia) and across the European Union through Interplasp, diversifies the group's geographical presence. Both the Australian and Spanish businesses contributed Rs 30-35 crore each to EBITDA in the first half of fiscal 2021. While the Australian unit was operating at full capacity even during the first half of fiscal 2021, the Spanish unit was running at 50-70%. Healthy geographical diversity in revenue is expected to benefit the operations over the medium term and protect the company from any regional disruptions.
 
* Strong financial risk profile
The financial risk profile is underpinned by comfortable debt protection metrics and healthy capital structure. Sustained profitability has ensured healthy gearing of 0.31 time as on September 30, 2020. Prudent funding of capital expenditure (capex) and acquisition has kept gearing below 1 time in the six fiscals through 2015. The financial metrics should remain strong over the medium term, supported by sustained accrual and limited debt. Any large, debt-funded capex or acquisition, which may adversely affect the capital structure and debt protection metrics, will remain key rating sensitivity factors.
 
Weaknesses
* Susceptibility to volatile input prices
Raw material cost forms a significant portion of the total manufacturing cost (about 70%). Polyol and toluene diisocyanate (TDI), the major raw materials, are manufactured from by-products of crude oil and their prices are linked to the price of crude oil, as well as to demand-supply conditions. While the price of polyol has largely been stable, there has been significant volatility in the price of TDI over the last few years. Steep decline in TDI prices since last quarter of fiscal 2019 has led to improvement in profitability for the SFL group. However, sharp upswing in TDI prices since September 2020, may lead to moderation in profitability for the company in the second half of fiscal 2021. While in the past, the group was able to pass on raw material price increases to consumers because of the premium position of its brand, continued ability to do so and maintain healthy profitability will be key monitorables.
 
* Intense competition across product categories
The SFL group faces intense competition from domestic players such as Kurlon Enterprises Ltd, Duroflex Pvt Ltd and Peps Industries Pvt Ltd, as well as from unorganised players, which form 60-65% of the market in India. Ability to maintain market share across a range of products in an intensely competitive market will remain a rating sensitivity factor.
Liquidity Strong

Liquidity is supported by cash balance and liquid investments of over Rs 400 crore as on September 30, 2020. The bank limit of Rs 85 crore was unutilised as on September 30, 2020. Annual cash accrual of Rs 180-200 crore should amply cover capex, incremental working capital requirement and debt obligation.

Outlook: Positive

CRISIL believes the SFL group's business risk profile may improve in the near term, supported by its established market position, geographical diversification and healthy operating efficiency. The financial risk profile will likely remain strong in the absence of any large, debt-funded capex or investment.
 
Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
*Revenue growth of over 15% on a sustained basis while maintaining healthy operating profitability
*Sustenance of robust financial risk profile with ample liquidity
 
Downward Factors
*Significant decline in operating profitability to below 10% on a sustained basis 
*Weakening of the capital structure because of large, debt-funded capex or acquisition.

About the Group

SFL, promoted by the late Ms Sheela Gautam, commenced commercial production of PU foam in 1971 at its factory in Sahibabad, Uttar Pradesh. It currently has 10 PU foam-manufacturing units, with combined capacity of 123,000 tonne per annum (tpa) across India. The company sells foam, coir and spring mattresses under the Sleepwell brand and other non-mattress foam products under the Feather Foam brand.
 
JFPL, acquired by SFL in 2005, is the largest player in the PU foam business in Australia. It manufactures polyester, and reticulated, viscoelastic and memory foam, which it sells to furniture and automobile seat manufacturers, and to the bedding industry.
 
In December 2016, SFL successfully completed its initial public offering (IPO) wherein promoters diluted 14.32% stake in the company. The shares on sale were offloaded by Polyflex Marketing Ltd, a company held by the promoters. Currently, the promoters hold 75%.
 
In July 2019, SFL announced the acquisition of Interplasp. Established in 1987, Interplasp specialises in the manufacture of flexible PU foams and mainly supplies to mattress and furniture manufacturers in Spain. It also markets to mattress manufacturers in Portugal and foam convertors in Morocco. It has a single facility with a capacity of 22,000 tpa.
 
For the six months ended September 30, 2020 SFL reported a net profit of Rs 82 crore on operating income of Rs 877 crore against a net profit of Rs 97 crore and revenue of Rs 1,012 crore for the same period of the previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators (Consolidated; CRISIL-adjusted figures)
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs.Crore 2,214 2,177
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs.Crore 194 134
PAT Margin % 8.8 6.1
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.31 0.04
Interest coverage Times 25.7 24.1

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 Complexity Level Issue size
(Rs.Crore)
Rating assigned with outlook
NA Cash Credit* NA NA NA NA 132 CRISIL A+/Positive
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA NA 26.27 CRISIL A+/Positive
NA Proposed Short Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA NA 5 CRISIL A1+
*Fully fungible with non-fund based facilities
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Name of entities Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
Joyce Foam Pty Ltd Full Strong managerial, operational and financial linkages
Divya Software Solutions Pvt Ltd Full Strong managerial, operational and financial linkages
Sleepwell Enterprises Pvt Ltd Full Strong managerial, operational and financial linkages
International Foam Technologies SL, Spain and subsidiaries Full Strong managerial, operational and financial linkages
Staqo World Pvt Ltd Full Strong managerial, operational and financial linkages
Sleep X US INC Full Strong managerial, operational and financial linkages
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  163.27  CRISIL A+/Positive/ CRISIL A1+      06-08-19  CRISIL A+/Positive  31-05-18  CRISIL A+/Positive  23-02-17  CRISIL A+/Stable  CRISIL A/Positive 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST          06-08-19  CRISIL A1+  31-05-18  CRISIL A1+  23-02-17  CRISIL A1  CRISIL A1 
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* 132 CRISIL A+/Positive Bank Guarantee 5 CRISIL A1+
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 26.27 CRISIL A+/Positive Cash Credit 85 CRISIL A+/Positive
Proposed Short Term Bank Loan Facility 5 CRISIL A1+ Letter of Credit 20 CRISIL A1+
-- 0 -- Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 53.27 CRISIL A+/Positive
Total 163.27 -- Total 163.27 --
*Fully fungible with non-fund based facilities
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
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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