Rating Rationale
November 26, 2019 | Mumbai
Sonic Biochem Extractions Private Limited
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.179.27 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Short Term Rating CRISIL A2
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL ratings on the bank facilities of Sonic Biochem Extractions Private Limited (SBEPL) continue to reflect healthy business risk profile, marked by its established market position, diverse clientele and product profile, and wide geographic reach. The company also benefits from its promoters' extensive experience in the soya business and their continued and committed funding support. These rating strengths are partially offset by exposure to risks inherent in the agricultural commodity-related businesses and presence in highly competitive soya industry.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established track record of operations
SBEL is an established player in its area of operations supplying to all large fast-moving consumer goods and pharmaceutical companies. SBEPL is among the few players with the ability to manufacture and consistently meet the demand for high-quality liquid lecithin and powdered lecithin. Establish position of the company is expected to further help SBEPL in better market penetration.
 
* Diversified product and customer base
SEBL have large customer base which reduces its reliance on any single customer for generation of business. SBEPL produces more than 10 varieties of soya products, including lecithin, choline, and other texturized protein soya products, which have varied applications. CRISIL believes that SBEPL's diverse range of soya derivatives will help company to improve its profitability and grow its revenue.
 
* Promoters' extensive experience in soya business
SBEL promoters have extensive experience in the soya business with SBEPL being incorporated in 1995 by the family which has helped SBEPL to weathered many ups and down in the industry. CRISIL believes that the company shall continue to benefit from its promoters' extensive experience and large funding support.
 
Weaknesses
* Exposure to risks inherent in agro-commodity-related businesses
Soya seeds is a major raw material for SBEPL, whose prices are dependent on the domestic production of soya seed which in turn depend on the area under cultivation, monsoon, prices of other crops, and minimum support price and other incentives offered by the Government of India; all these factors also determine the final soy seed price. SPEPL also manufactures lecithin liquid, lecithin powder and choline from crude lecithin. Prices of crude lecithin are also volatile. CRISIL believes that given the business of SBEPL, the company will remain exposed to the risks inherent in the agro-commodity-related businesses.
 
* Presence in highly competitive and fragmented soya industry
The soya bean industry is highly fragmented and competitive industry due to the presence of small and medium size players. Being part of a highly fragmented industry, the company is faced with fierce pricing competition in soya flour products segments, and hence, cannot fully pass on the price increases to its customers, thereby impacting its profitability. SPEPL has also introduced value added products over the years which has higher margins and it faces relatively lesser competition in this segment leading to limited impact on its profitably.
Liquidity Adequate

SBEL has adequate liquidity, marked by moderate utilization of bank lines and sufficient cash accruals to meet the repayment obligations. The company's bank lines remained utilized at 83 per cent for the twelve months ended July 2019. This is on the back of healthy cash accruals' generation and a stable working capital cycle. The company's improving accruals have also ensured that it has sufficient cushion in its accruals and repayment obligation; SBEPL is expected to generate net cash accruals of Rs. 26 crore to 30 crore annually over the medium term against term debt obligations of Rs. 9.6 to 6.8 crore. CRISIL believes that SBEPL's liquidity will remain adequate over the medium term, backed by steadily improving accruals while it scales up operations at its facilities.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes that SBEPL will continue to benefit over the medium term from its diverse customer base and product profile and healthy demand, which augur well for scaling up its business.
 
Rating sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Strong improvement in operating performance with increase in revenue at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25%.
* Improvement in operating margins leading to higher cash accruals.
 
Downward factors
* High utilization of working capital limits at above 80%.
* Decline in cash accruals, or large debt funded capex, weakening the debt protection metrics.

About the Company

SBEPL established in 1995 by Mr. S. K. Matlani is an Indore based private limited company which manufactures soya based products from non-genetically-modified soya bean, including soya flour, soya oil, texturised soya protein, lecithin liquid and powder. The company has four manufacturing units: two in Indore (Pithampur and Pithampuar Special Economic Zone), one in Mandideep, and one in Mandsaur (all in Madhya Pradesh). SBEPL has soya-extraction plants in Mandideep and Mandsaur, which manufacture soya flour, flakes, soya textured protein, and crude soya oil from soyabean seeds. The Indore plants manufacture lecithin liquid, lecithin powder, choline from crude lecithin and soya flour, and badi-textured protein from soya grits.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs. crore 610.0 562.0
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs. crore 18.25 17.45
PAT margin % 2.9 3.0
Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth Times 1.55 1.46
Interest coverage Times 3.30 2.79

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 Cash credit NA NA NA 138.5 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
NA Bank guarantee NA NA NA 5.5 CRISIL A2
NA Term Loan NA NA Mar-25 27.27 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
NA Foreign Exchange Facility NA NA NA 6.0 CRISIL A2
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 2.0 CRISIL A2
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  171.77  CRISIL BBB+/Stable/ CRISIL A2  01-11-19  CRISIL BBB+/Stable          23-08-16  Suspended  CRISIL BBB-/Stable 
        09-10-19  CRISIL BBB+/Stable          07-04-16  CRISIL BBB-/Stable   
        25-09-19  CRISIL BBB+/Stable               
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  7.50  CRISIL A2  01-11-19  CRISIL A2    --    --  23-08-16  Withdrawal  CRISIL A3 
        09-10-19  CRISIL A2          07-04-16  CRISIL A3   
        25-09-19  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 5.5 CRISIL A2 Bank Guarantee 12 CRISIL A2
Cash Credit 138.5 CRISIL BBB+/Stable Cash Credit 152.27 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Foreign Exchange Facility 6 CRISIL A2 Term Loan 15 CRISIL BBB+/Stable
Term Loan 27.27 CRISIL BBB+/Stable -- 0 --
Letter of Credit 2 CRISIL A2 -- 0 --
Total 179.27 -- Total 179.27 --
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 Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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