Rating Rationale
August 14, 2019 | Mumbai
Solara Active Pharma Sciences Limited
Rating outlook revised to 'Positive'; ratings reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1165 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB+/Positive (Outlook revised from 'Stable' and rating reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A2 (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has revised its rating outlook on the long-term bank facilities of Solara Active Pharma Sciences Limited (Solara) to 'Positive' from 'Stable' and reaffirmed the rating at 'CRISIL BBB+'. The rating on the short-term bank facility has been reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A2'.
 
The outlook revision reflects CRISIL's belief that Solara shall continue to sustain the improvement over the medium term. Aided by its established market position in the key active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) segment, the turnover has grown by around 35 percent Rs.1386 crore for fiscal 2019. Revenue is expected to grow, supported by steady demand for its existing product and scaling up of new product volumes over the medium term. The company reported margins of 15.5% for fiscal 2019 which is expected to remain at about 16-17% over the medium term. Operating profitability remains supported by economies of scale in its key products and is expected to improve as the high margin, niche products scale up.
 
The company has planned capital expenditure (capex) outlay of Rs.250 crore, to be completed in the next 2 fiscals. The company is expected to partially fund its capacity expansion with improving cash accruals. Ability to complete the capex in a timely manner, and further ramp up will be rating sensitivity factors. Financial risk profile has improved with comfortable capital structure and moderate debt protection metrics. Total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratio (TOLTNW) improved to 1.99 times as on 31 March, 2019 (from 3.46 times as on 31 March, 2018) supported by capital infusion from TPG Growth and promoters. Further improvement in capital structure and interest coverage would remain rating sensitivity factors.
 
The ratings reflect Solara's established market position in the key API segment, such as Ibuprofen, Praziquantel among others, with a strong relationship with its customers and suppliers. The ratings also factor in the company's comfortable financial risk profile marked by an improved capital structure. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility of operations to regulatory changes, working capital intensive operations and exposure to risks related to successful implantation, stabilisation and ramp up of its upcoming capital expansion project at Vizag.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Established market position in key APIs, along with strong customer & supplier relationships: Solara has a strong portfolio of APIs in key therapeutic segments, with expertise in anthelmintic, anti-malaria, anti-infective and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory segments. Furthermore, it has been increasing its focus on the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory segment by adding new product capacities, and working on other therapeutic segments. Solara has a diversified customer basis, with higher exposure towards regulated markets. With its long-standing presence in the industry, Solara has built strong and established relationships with its customers and suppliers. CRISIL believes that Solara shall continue to benefit from its established market position over the medium term.

*Comfortable financial risk profile: Solara's networth has improved to around Rs.499 crore as on March 31, 2019 from around Rs.305 crore as on March 31, 2018, aided by infusion of equity of around Rs.148 crore from the promoters and TPG Capital in fiscal 2019, as the first tranche of Rs.460 crore infusion to be infused in a phased manner till fiscal 2020. Supported by the improvement of networth, TOLTNW has posted a sharp improvement to 1.99 times. Interest coverage improved to 2.96 times in fiscal 2019 .However, further improvement in this shall remain a key monitorable over the medium term.
 
Weaknesses
* Exposure to risks related to successful implantation, stabilisation and ramp up of its upcoming capital expansion project at Vizag:  Solara is undertaking a greenfield expansion project at Vizag, at a project cost of around Rs.250 crore, to be funded by debt and the proceeds of the equity infusion. Validation for the project is expected to commence from the end of fiscal 2020. Any time or cost over runs during the course of the project can impact the financial risk profile adversely.
 
* Exposure to risks relating to strict regulations: Most of the products manufactured by Solara face challenges from increase in inspections and regulatory actions by authorities, such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although the company has not faced any regulatory warnings or observations as yet, it needs to continuously invest and upgrade its facilities to remain compliant with the strict regulations.
 
* Large working capital requirement: Solara has large working capital requirement, as reflected in its gross current assets of 171 days as on March 31, 2019, driven by large inventory and debtors at around 69 days and 80 days respectively.
Liquidity

Solara has adequate liquidity marked by moderate utilisation of bank limit and adequate cash accruals to meet repayment obligations. The fund based working capital limits of Rs.373 crore, have been utilised at an average of 84 percent, over the ten month period ended June 2019. Solara is expected to generate cash accrual of around Rs.160 to 200 crore over the medium term that shall be adequate to meet repayment obligations of around Rs.98 to 113 crore during the corresponding period. Unencumbered cash and bank balances of around Rs.75 crore as on March 31, 2019, is likely to be utilised to support business expansions.

Outlook: Positive

CRISIL believes that Solara will continue to benefit from the established market position in key products operating in the niche therapeutic segments. The rating may be upgraded if healthy revenue growth along with stable operating profitability leads to improvement in cash accrual and debt protection metrics. The outlook may be revised to 'Stable' if the financial risk profile weakens, due to decline in cash accrual, stretch in working capital cycle or in case of any time or cost over runs in the upcoming capital expansion, adversely impacting the financial risk profile, particularly liquidity.

About the Group

Solara Active Pharma Sciences Ltd, came into effect from October 1, 2017. The company was formed through demerger of API business from Strides Shasun Ltd (currently named as Strides Pharma Sciences Ltd). Subsequently, Solara acquired the human API business from Sequent Scientific Ltd during the same time, which resulted in a pure play API company. The company is listed on Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs. Cr. 1387 540.6
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs. Cr. 54 0.34
PAT Margin % 3.9 0.1
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth Times 1.08 2.08
Interest coverage Times 2.96 2.37

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 Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 75 CRISIL A2
NA Long Term Loan NA NA Mar-2023 170 CRISIL BBB+/Positive
NA Cash Term Loan NA NA Jun-2023 272 CRISIL BBB+/Positive
NA Export Packing Credit & Export Bills Negotiation/Foreign Bill discounting NA NA NA 373 CRISIL A2
NA Import Letter of Credit NA NA NA 142 CRISIL A2
NA Proposed Cash Credit Limit NA NA NA 133 CRISIL BBB+/Positive
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  948.00  CRISIL BBB+/Positive/ CRISIL A2  01-02-19  CRISIL BBB+/Stable/ CRISIL A2  29-09-18  CRISIL BBB+/Stable/ CRISIL A2    --    --  -- 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  217.00  CRISIL A2  01-02-19  CRISIL A2  29-09-18  CRISIL A2    --    --  -- 
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
Bank Guarantee 75 CRISIL A2 Bank Guarantee 75 CRISIL A2
Cash Term Loan 272 CRISIL BBB+/Positive Cash Credit 25 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Export Packing Credit & Export Bills Negotiation/Foreign Bill discounting 373 CRISIL A2 Cash Term Loan 367.19 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Import Letter of Credit Limit 142 CRISIL A2 Export Packing Credit & Export Bills Negotiation/Foreign Bill discounting 321 CRISIL A2
Long Term Loan 170 CRISIL BBB+/Positive Import Letter of Credit Limit 50 CRISIL A2
Proposed Cash Credit Limit 133 CRISIL BBB+/Positive Inland/Import Letter of Credit 119 CRISIL A2
-- 0 -- Long Term Loan 170 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
-- 0 -- Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 37.81 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Total 1165 -- Total 1165 --
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 the Pharmaceutical Industry
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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