Rating Rationale
June 28, 2018 | Mumbai
Sundram Fasteners Limited
Rating Reaffirmed 
 
Rating Action
Rs.50 Crore Short Term Debt CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
Rs.75 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 rating on the short-term debt and commercial paper of Sundram Fasteners Limited (SFL) at 'CRISIL A1+'.

The ratings continue to reflect SFL's leading market position in the fasteners industry, revenue diversity, healthy operating efficiency, and strong financial risk profile. These rating strengths are partially offset by working capital-intensive operations, and moderate, albeit improving profitability of overseas subsidiaries.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of SFL and its subsidiaries:

Overseas subsidiaries      Domestic subsidiaries
  • Cramlington Precision Forge Ltd, Northumberland, United Kingdom
  • Sundram Fasteners (Zhejiang) Ltd, Zhejiang Peoples Republic of China
  • Sundram International Inc, USA
  • TVS Infotech Inc. (subsidiary of TVS Infotech Ltd)
  • Sundram International Ltd
  • Sundram Fasteners Investments Ltd, Chennai
  • TVS Upasana Ltd, Chennai
  • Sundram Non-Conventional Energy Systems Ltd, Chennai
  • Sundram Precision Components Ltd, Chennai
  • TVS Infotech Ltd
  • TVS Next Private Ltd
Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Leading market position in the fasteners segment, diverse product portfolio, and wide geographical reach: SFL dominates the domestic fasteners market accounting for a sizeable market share. Revenue mix is healthy, with domestic sales accounting for 55% in fiscal 2017, after-market sales 9%, and exports bringing in the balance 36% (including subsidiary operations). Revenue share of exports has grown at a healthy pace in recent times. Product portfolio comprises fasteners, metal forms, radiator caps, and automotive pumps and assemblies. High-tensile fasteners contributed to nearly 36% of turnover in fiscal 2017, followed by engine components (around 13%), pump assemblies (around 17%), and powder metal parts (8%). Cold formed or extruded parts, precision forged gears, hubs and shafts, sprockets, and radiator caps accounted for the remaining 26%. Established relationship across commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, and two-wheeler original equipment manufacturers (OEM) lends stability to revenue.

Supported by growing demand from the domestic automobile sector and continued focus on exports, revenue should grow by 9-10% annually over the medium term.

* Healthy operating efficiency: SFL has maintained strong focus on processes, quality improvement, and cost reduction, apart from continuously improving productivity. Having manufacturing units abroad, and established supply chain logistics enables the company to cater to customers on 'just-in-time' basis. SFL has also prudently exited non-profitable ventures, like the one in Germany. Additionally, the shift in product mix towards more profitable products like hubs and shafts, compared with traditional fasteners, is expected to support profitability. Operating margin is expected to sustain at a healthy 18% over the medium term.

* Strong financial risk profile: Financial risk profile has strengthened over time, supported by healthy cash accrual, prudent funding of capex and notwithstanding high working capital intensity.

Despite capex of Rs 200 crore planned over fiscals 2019 and 2020, gearing should remain comfortable around 0.6 time as on March 31, 2018, before improving over the medium term, aided by annual cash generation of over Rs 400 crore and progressive debt repayment. Ratio of debt to earnings before interest, tax and depreciation (debt/EBITDA) is expected to be around 1.4 times in fiscal 2018. Other credit metrics like interest coverage and ratio of net cash accrual to total debt are expected to remain at healthy levels too. Liquidity remains adequately supported by healthy cash accrual and average utilisation of bank limit (around 32% over the 6 months through November 2017).

Weaknesses
* Working capital-intensive operations: Due to the large number and different sizes of products manufactured, inventory levels are higher, relative to its peers in the automotive component space. Besides, sizeable raw material import and increasing export (longer lead time) also contribute to high working capital needs. Consequently, gross current assets were 140 days as on March 31, 2017, against 123 days a year earlier.

* Modest, albeit improving, performance of subsidiaries: Even as SFL's standalone performance has been continuously improving over the past 5-6 years, its overall performance is partially tempered by modest contribution of its subsidiaries, especially those overseas. While until fiscal 2016, the German subsidiary (since exited) was incurring losses, in fiscal 2017, the UK subsidiary performance witnessed some headwinds due to volatile demand conditions in its home markets. SFL's initiatives have helped improve performance of its Chinese subsidiary and domestically based TVS Upasana, especially in the current fiscal. These efforts are bearing fruit - as against a net loss of Rs 13.55 crore in fiscal 2013, SFL's subsidiaries registered a net profit of Rs 23.47 crore in fiscal 2017. Yet, contribution of subsidiaries to overall profit remains modest, and material improvement is expected to be only gradual.
About the Company

SFL, part of the TVS group (led by Mr Suresh Krishna), is a leading automotive component supplier with seven manufacturing facilities in Tamil Nadu, two in Puducherry, and one each at Medak in Telangana and Pantnagar in Uttarakhand. The company has two operating subsidiaries in India, and one each, in China and the UK.

On a standalone basis, net profit was Rs 367.47 crore in fiscal 2018 (Rs 315.48 crore in the previous fiscal) on revenue of Rs 3396.11 crore (Rs 2947.27 crore).

Key Financial Indicators (Consolidated)
As on / for the period ended March 31 Unit 2017 2016
Revenue Rs crore 3529.1 3474.2
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 338.2 125.1
PAT Margins % 10.26 3.82
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.57 0.63
Interest coverage Times 13.04 6.11

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 Short Term Debt NA NA 7-365 days 50 CRISIL A1+
NA Commercial Paper NA NA 7-365 days 75 CRISIL A1+
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  75.00  CRISIL A1+  12-02-18  CRISIL A1+  15-12-17  CRISIL A1+    --    --  -- 
Short Term Debt  ST  50.00  CRISIL A1+  12-02-18  CRISIL A1+  15-12-17  CRISIL A1+   04-10-16 CRISIL A1+   01-10-15   CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
            20-07-17  CRISIL A1+           
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Rating Criteria for Auto Component Suppliers
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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