Rating Rationale
July 29, 2020 | Mumbai
TCP Limited
Ratings downgraded to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.241 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB-/Stable (Downgraded from 'CRISIL BBB/Stable')
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3 (Downgraded from 'CRISIL A3+')
 
Rs.36 Crore Fixed Deposits FA-/Stbale (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has downgraded its ratings on the bank facilities of TCP Limited (TCP) to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3' from 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+', and reaffirmed the rating on the fixed deposits at 'CRISIL FA-/Stable'.
 
The downgrade reflect the deterioration in TCP's business risk profile on account of decline in revenue and weaker operating profitability; business risk profile will remain under pressure over the medium term. The company's turnover declined by 31% in fiscal 2020 vis-a-vis the previous fiscal due to demand slowdown across both its segments ' chemicals and power. The chemicals segment was impacted by high competition from imports, while power offtake was lower due to weaker performance of its end-user industry (textiles). Lower realisations and high input costs resulted in significant impact on operating margin for fiscal 2020, which declined to 1.3% from 7.2% in fiscal 2019. Hence, the company reported cash losses for fiscal 2020. The downgrade also reflects weakening of debt protection metrics due to lower operating profit, which is likely to remain so over the medium term.
 
The lockdown and other measures taken by the Central and state governments to contain the spread of Covid-19 are expected to result in continued stress on business performance over fiscal 2021 due to the resulting economic slowdown. Ramp-up in demand and improvement in profitability would remain key monitorables over the medium term.
 
The ratings reflect TCP's established market position and comfortable capital structure. These strengths are partially offset by working capital-intensive operations, exposure to risks related to raw material prices, and funding support to associate companies.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Established market position: Set up in 1971, the company generates power and manufactures sodium hydrosulphite (SHS). It has a 63 megawatt thermal plant that generates power and caters to several textile players in the Coimbatore-Tirupur belt in Tamil Nadu. Also, TCP is one of the few players to manufacture SHS and is the first company in India to produce SHS using the sodium formate route with technical know-how from Mitsubishi Corporation (Japan). SHS has a very wide application across industries such as textiles, jaggery, pharmaceuticals, and ceramics; and TCP caters to several dealers across India.

* Comfortable capital structure: Networth and total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratio were estimated to be strong at Rs.190 crore and 0.30 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2020.
 
Weaknesses:
* Working capital-intensive operations
Gross current assets (GCAs) were estimated at 230 days as on March 31, 2020, because of sizeable inventory and stretched receivables of 81 days and 109 days, respectively.
 
* Exposure to risks related to raw material prices
TCP is susceptible to fluctuations in the prices of raw materials such as coal and sulphur. It uses imported coal for blending with indigenous coal. The company has been unable to pass on the incremental input costs to customers due to intense competition from other producers offering power from renewable sources; it also has to compete with Chinese players. Furthermore, importing raw materials exposes TCP to any sharp fluctuation in foreign exchange (forex) rates, which might impact operating profitability.

* Funding support to associate companies: TCP has invested over Rs 220 crore in its associate companies, Binny Mills Ltd and Thiruvalluvar Textiles Pvt Ltd. CRISIL has deducted these investments from TCP's networth. Any further exposure to the group companies will be a key rating sensitivity factor. 
Liquidity Adequate

Working capital limit of Rs 68 crore was utilised at an average of around 42% over the 12 months through March 2020. Accrual is expected to be sufficient to meet working capital requirement against nil term debt obligation. Absence of debt-funded capital expenditure and unsecured loans of Rs 4.5 crore (as on March 31, 2020) from the promoter support liquidity.

Outlook: Stable

TCP will continue to benefit from its established position in the power generation and chemical segments.

Rating Sensitivity factors
Upward factors

* Improvement in revenue and operating margins resulting in accrual of more than Rs 25 crore
* Significant reduction in exposure to group companies

Downward factors
* Decline in revenue and operating profitability 
* Further stretch in working capital cycle, with GCAs of more than 300 days
* Increase in exposure to group companies

About the Company

Incorporated in 1971 and promoted by Mr R Venkatachalam, Chennai-based TCP generates power through a thermal power plant and windmill. The company also manufactures SHS.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs. Cr. 361 291
Profit after tax Rs. Cr. 9.3 9.3
PAT margins % 2.6 3.2
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.14 0.20
Interest coverage Times 3.94 3.27
 

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments and are included (where applicable) in the Annexure -- Details of Instrument in this Rating Rationale. For more details on the CRISIL complexity levels, please visit www.crisil.com/complexity-levels.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of Instrument Date of Allotment Coupon Rate (%) Maturity Date Issue Size (Rs.Crore) Complexity levels Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 4.26 NA CRISIL A3
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 68 NA CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 113 NA CRISIL A3
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 55.74 NA CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Fixed Deposits NA NA 31-Mar-20 36 NA FA-/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2020 (History) 2019  2018  2017  Start of 2017
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fixed Deposits  FD  36.00  FA-/Stable      10-07-19  FA-/Stable  31-07-18  FA-/Stable  14-07-17  FA-/Stable  FA-/Stable 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  123.74  CRISIL BBB-/Stable      10-07-19  CRISIL BBB/Stable  31-07-18  CRISIL BBB/Stable  14-07-17  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  CRISIL BBB+/Stable 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  117.26  CRISIL A3      10-07-19  CRISIL A3+  31-07-18  CRISIL A3+  14-07-17  CRISIL A2  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 4.26 CRISIL A3 Bank Guarantee 4.26 CRISIL A3+
Cash Credit 68 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Cash Credit 68 CRISIL BBB/Stable
Letter of Credit 113 CRISIL A3 Letter of Credit 113 CRISIL A3+
Proposed Cash Credit Limit 55.74 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Proposed Cash Credit Limit 55.74 CRISIL BBB/Stable
Total 241 -- Total 241 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Power Generation Utilities
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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