Rating Rationale
July 13, 2017 | Mumbai
Sonata Software Limited
Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.50 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A/Positive (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its rating on the long-term bank facilities of Sonata Software Limited (SSL; part of the Sonata group) at 'CRISIL A/Positive'
 
The rating continues to reflect the group's comfortable business risk profile because of its established position in the IT services sector and in the software distribution business, and its improving revenue diversity. The rating also factors in its strong financial risk profile backed by healthy capital structure and liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by geographical and customer concentration in its revenue profile; susceptibility to changes in regulations such as restrictions on H1B visas and intense competition in the areas of its business especially the software distribution business.

Analytical Approach

* For arriving at its rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of SSL, its domestic subsidiary Sonata Information Technology Ltd (SITL; 'CRISIL A/Positive'), and its overseas subsidiaries, Sonata Europe Ltd, Sonata Software GmbH, Sonata Software FZ LLC, Sonata Software North America Inc, and Sonata Software Qatar LLC. This is because all the entities, collectively referred to as the Sonata group, operate under a common management and have significant business and financial linkages.
* Goodwill arising out of consolidation of SSL's subsidiary has been amortised over a period of five years.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Comfortable business risk profile marked by established market position: SSL has an established market position in the IT services sector and is among the leading players catering to the travel, tourism and logistics (TTL) vertical. SSL also provides services to the manufacturing, retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) verticals. In addition, the company provides outsourced research and development (R&D) services to independent software vendors (ISVs). SSL is also building capabilities to cater to the fast-growing social, mobility, analytics and cloud solutions (SMAC) space. The group also operates a software distribution business for companies which include Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM. The company enjoys long standing relationships with its customers and has strong client addition capabilities which further benefits the business risk profile. CRISIL believes SSL will continue to benefit from its established market position, both in the international IT services business as well as domestic software distribution business over the medium term driven by a strong set of service offerings, alliances with leading software vendors, and longstanding customer relationships.
 
* Strong financial risk profile: SSL's financial risk profile is marked by healthy capital structure and debt protection metrics. The company's gearing remained low at 0.10 time as on March 31, 2017 (0.39 time as on March 31, 2016). Gearing improved due to lower short term borrowings. Gearing is also supported by healthy networth of Rs.549 crore as on March 31, 2017. Further, debt protection metrics also remained healthy, with net cash accrual to total debt ratio of 94% and interest coverage ratio of 27 times for fiscal 2017. The financial risk profile is also supported by strong liquidity of Rs 366 crore as on March 31, 2017. Besides organic growth, the Sonata group intends to expand through acquisitions in complementary service lines. CRISIL believes that the acquisitions will be largely funded through internal accruals thereby by maintaining its strong financial risk profile.
 
Weakness
* Geographical and customer concentration in revenue: The business risk profile is constrained by geographical concentration at SSL. In line with the Indian IT services industry, SSL registered most of its revenue from the US (60%) and Europe (24%) in fiscal 2017. This exposes SSL to risks relating to economic slowdown in the region, regulatory changes like restriction on H1B visas etc. Furthermore, SSL is exposed to risks related to client concentration in revenue. For fiscal 2017, top 10 customers accounted for 70% of its overall revenue (77% in fiscal 2016). Given a moderate scale of operations (compared to larger peers), business risk profile is vulnerable to client concentration risks.
 
* Intense industry competition to acquire customers especially in the software distribution business: With rapid evolution of the Indian ITeS sector, competition is becoming increasingly intense as companies compete for a share of the outsourcing pie. The company has to compete with multiple players in most of the verticals they operate in within the IT services business. Further, a large portion of its revenues are derived from the software distribution business which is essentially a segment where price competition is very high. CRISIL believes that SSL's profitability would remain constrained over the medium term as competition limits increases in realisation while availability of low-cost skilled talent remains a concern.
Outlook: Positive

CRISIL believes Sonata group's credit risk profile will continue to benefit from its comfortable business risk profile, supported by healthy client additions and strong financial risk profile. 
 
Upside Scenario
* Substantial growth in the group's revenue and profitability
* Improvement in its business risk profile with increase in share of high margin IT services business
 
Downside Scenario
* Slowdown in its key markets or impact of proposed reduction in H1B visas leading to significant pressure on its revenue and profitability
* If the group undertakes large debt-funded acquisition.
* Negative outcome on the group's large contingent liabilities

About the Company

SSL, incorporated in 1986, provides IT consulting, product engineering services, application development, application management, managed testing, business intelligence, infrastructure management, packaged applications, and travel solutions. The company derives most of its revenue from export markets, with the US and Europe accounting for over 84% of its revenue. SITL primarily distributes software products and is currently focused on the Indian market.
 
SSL on a consolidated basis, reported a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 154 crore on net sales of Rs 2,518 crore in fiscal 2017, vis-a-vis Rs 159 crore and Rs 1,939 crore respectively in fiscal 2016.
 
SSL on a standalone basis, reported a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 137 crore on net sales of Rs.591 crore in fiscal 2017, vis-a-vis Rs 117 crore and Rs.504 crore respectively in fiscal 2016.

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 Cr) Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Working Capital Facility* NA NA NA 50.00 CRISIL A/Positive
*Fully interchangeable between fund- and non-fund-based limits
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2017 (History) 2016  2015  2014  Start of 2014
Instrument Type Quantum Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  50  CRISIL A/Positive    No Rating Change    No Rating Change  13-03-15  CRISIL A/Positive  19-09-14  CRISIL A/Stable  -- 
Table reflects instances where rating is changed or freshly assigned. 'No Rating Change' implies that there was no rating change under the release.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Working Capital Facility* 50 CRISIL A/Positive Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 26 CRISIL A/Positive
-- 0 -- Working Capital Facility* 24 CRISIL A/Positive
Total 50 -- Total 50 --
*Fully interchangeable between fund- and non-fund-based limits
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Software Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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