Rating Rationale
December 26, 2018 | Mumbai
Solar Industries India Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.750 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA/Positive (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.50 Crore Commercial Paper CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AA/Positive/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the bank facilities and commercial paper of Solar Industries India Limited (SIIL; a part of the Solar group).
 
The ratings continue to reflect the Solar group's market leadership in the domestic and export markets in the explosives and detonators industry, strong operating efficiency, healthy financial risk profile and improving diversity in customer profile. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to regulatory risks.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has combined the financial and business risk profiles of SIIL, its subsidiary, Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL; rated ‘CRISIL AA/Positive/CRISIL A1+’), and other operational subsidiaries, collectively referred to as the Solar group. This is because these companies are in the same line of business and share a common management.

Please refer Annexure - Details of Consolidation, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Robust market position
With a market share of 23% in the explosives segment, the group is the largest manufacturer and exporter of explosives in India. It is also the largest supplier of explosives to Coal India Ltd (CIL) and its subsidiaries. It is one of the few players with a complete product range and capability to develop and supply customised products on demand. Company has a healthy presence in the overseas market. This segment reported strong growth of 53% in fiscal 2018.
 
SIIL also forayed into defence business and has secured the technical knowhow from ministry of defence. Limited shelf life of the explosives, regular consumption requirement of the armed forces, make in India focus and typical long term tenure of defence supply contracts provide reliable revenue visibility over medium term. The order book of defence applications stood at Rs 471 crore as on September 30, 2018. With expected revenue contribution of 10% from defence business over the medium term, revenue diversity is expected to improve further.
 
* Strong operating efficiencies with significant backward integration
Majority of raw materials (apart from ammonium nitrate) such as detonator components, emulsifiers, sodium nitrate, and calcium nitrate are manufactured internally, leading to cost savings and a stable operating margin of 20% over the five fiscals through fiscal 2018. Also, all of the group's bulk explosive manufacturing units are located in a 50-60 kilometre radius from major mining regions. SIIL is able to pass on the variations in raw material prices to customer which allows the company to maintain margins even in volatile raw material price movements
 
* Healthy financial risk profile
Gearing is moderate at about 0.4 time as on March 31, 2018. Furthermore, cash accrual is expected to remain healthy, backed by strong growth in revenue and profitability, and will be sufficient to meet annual capital expenditure (capex) of about Rs 250-300 crore over the medium term. Hence, incremental borrowing would be modest. Interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios stayed at 11 times and 0.4 time, respectively, in fiscal 2018.
 
* Improving diversity in customer profile
CIL accounts for around 17% of its consolidated sales in fiscal 2018, however, this dependence has come down from 58% of overall sales in fiscal 2007. Over the past six years, the group has diversified sales mix by increasing exports and share of infrastructure and non-CIL related orders. Entry into the defence sector is expected to enhance revenue diversity further. The government's drive to indigenise defence manufacturing will benefit the group, especially as it is one of the two manufacturers for propellants and exclusive manufacturer for high energy explosives. Share of exports and defence in the overall revenue will be key monitorable.
 
Weakness
* Exposure to regulatory risks
The explosives industry has high entry barrier as it requires industrial licensing, and clearances from government, chief controller of explosives, and directorate general of mines safety. Furthermore, as per the Ammonium Nitrate Rules 2012, ammonium nitrate, key raw material (comprises 70% of the group's total raw material cost), has been classified as an explosive. Hence, its production, distribution, sale, and stocking require a licence. Sale of explosives is regulated by Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation to prevent misuse of end products. Though the Solar group takes precautions at all stages of the manufacturing process, and is also a member of SAFEX (an international apex body that promotes global best practices on safety standards in the explosives industry), it will remain susceptible to regulatory risks.
Outlook: Positive

CRISIL believes the Solar group will maintain its robust position in the domestic explosives industry and report healthy revenue growth in the overseas and defence businesses, over the medium term.
 
Upside scenario
* Better than expected revenue growth while sustaining healthy profitability
* Healthy growth in exports and defence revenues leading to sustenance of revenue diversity
* Sustenance of strong financial profile
 
Downside scenario
* Significant moderation of debt protection metrics due to weaker-than-expected operating performance or sizeable, debt-funded capex
* Lower-than-expected contribution in revenue from the defense manufacturing business
* Disruption in business due to untoward incident
 
Liquidity: Healthy
Solar group enjoys healthy liquidity driven by expected cash accruals of more than Rs. 250-300 crore per annum in FY19 and FY20 and cash and cash equivalents of Rs.57 crore as on March 31, 2018.  Solar group also has access to fund based limits of approx Rs. 450 crore which in marginally utilised. The company has long term repayment obligations around Rs. 90-100 crore each in FY19 and FY20 with capex of around Rs.250-300 crore per annum. The company can partly fund its repayment obligations and capex requirements through internal accruals. It is expected to refinance balance debt obligations. Its bank lines are expected to be sufficient to meet its incremental working capital requirements, which are assessed to be minimal.

About the Group

Solar Group is one of the largest domestic manufacturers and suppliers of industrial & defence explosives, and initiating systems. The group has manufacturing facilities at 25 locations in India, in addition to plants in Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, and Turkey. In fiscal 2011, the group entered the defence sector to manufacture high energy explosives, delivery system, ammunition filling and pyros fuses. It currently has bulk explosives, packaged explosives, detonators, detonating fuse, and cast boosters capacity of 301,323 tonne per annum (tpa), 125,000 tpa, 190 million units, 75 million units, and 1,500 tonne, respectively.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs crore 1917 1580
Profit after tax Rs crore 234 195
PAT margins % 12.2 12.3
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.44 0.53
Interest coverage Times 13.3 12.49

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 Commercial Paper NA NA 7-365 Days 50 CRISIL A1+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 77 CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Cash Credit* NA NA NA 101 CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 263 CRISIL A1+
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee** NA NA NA 159 CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Term Loan NA NA Sept-19 50 CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Term Loan NA NA Aug-21 50 CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Term Loan NA NA Jan-20 50 CRISIL AA/Positive
*Interchangeable with Non Fund Based Facilities
** Interchangeable with Fund Based Facilities
 
Annexure - Details of Consolidation
Entities consolidated  
Economic Explosives Limited Full consolidation
Blastec (India) Private Limited Full consolidation
Emul Tek Private Limited Full consolidation
Solar Defence Limited Full consolidation
Solar Defence Systems Limited Full consolidation
Solar Overseas Mauritius Limited Full consolidation
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
Commercial Paper  ST  50.00  CRISIL A1+  30-04-18  CRISIL A1+  28-04-17  CRISIL A1+  30-11-16  CRISIL A1+  11-05-15  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
                20-06-16  CRISIL A1+       
                20-04-16  CRISIL A1+       
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  328.00  CRISIL AA/Positive  30-04-18  CRISIL AA/Positive  28-04-17  CRISIL AA/Positive  30-11-16  CRISIL AA/Stable  11-05-15  CRISIL AA/Stable  CRISIL AA-/Positive 
                20-06-16  CRISIL AA/Stable       
                20-04-16  CRISIL AA/Stable       
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  422.00  CRISIL AA/Positive/ CRISIL A1+  30-04-18  CRISIL AA/Positive/ CRISIL A1+  28-04-17  CRISIL AA/Positive/ CRISIL A1+  30-11-16  CRISIL A1+  11-05-15  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
                20-06-16  CRISIL A1+       
                20-04-16  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 77 CRISIL AA/Positive Cash Credit 65 CRISIL AA/Positive
Cash Credit* 101 CRISIL AA/Positive Cash Credit* 85 CRISIL AA/Positive
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 263 CRISIL A1+ Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 320 CRISIL A1+
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee** 159 CRISIL AA/Positive Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee** 170 CRISIL AA/Positive
Term Loan 150 CRISIL AA/Positive Term Loan 110 CRISIL AA/Positive
Total 750 -- Total 750 --
*Interchangeable with Non Fund Based Facilities
** Interchangeable with 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
Rating Criteria for Chemical Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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