Rating Rationale
May 21, 2019 | Mumbai
Tata Chemicals Limited
 Rating Reaffirmed 
 
Rating Action
Rs.600 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 'CRISIL A1+' rating on the commercial paper of Tata Chemicals Limited (TCL).

The reaffirmation factors in the announcement by TCL on May 15, 2019, to demerge its consumer products business to Tata Global Beverages Ltd (TGBL) in an all equity transaction. TCL's consumer products business includes products, viz., salt, spices, pulses, protein foods, snacks, natural sweeteners and detergents. For supply of salt, TGBL has entered into long term supply agreement with TCL. TCL's shareholders will receive 1.14 shares of TGBL for every 1 share of TCL. The demerger process is expected to be completed within one year subject to shareholders and regulatory approvals. CRISIL will continue to monitor the completion of this demerger process.

The demerger will result in a moderation in revenue diversity. The consumer products segment for fiscal 2019 accounted for 16% of revenue and 17.5% of profit before interest and tax (PBIT). Nonetheless, the overall credit profile will remain strong due to healthy cash accruals from basic chemistry and specialty products, low gearing and robust liquidity.

The rating continues to reflect the company's strong business risk profile driven by established market presence, and its healthy financial risk profile because of robust liquidity and financial flexibility. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to price volatility in the soda ash business.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of TCL, Tata Chemicals Europe, Tata Chemicals North America, Tata Chemicals Magadi, and Rallis India Ltd (Rallis; 'CRISIL AA+/Stable/CRISIL A1+'). For calculation of financial ratios, CRISIL has amortised goodwill, arising from acquisitions and self-generated, over 20 years starting from fiscal 2009. A significant portion of this goodwill relates to the acquisition of General Chemical Industrial Products (GCIP), which gave TCL access to long-term trona reserves for manufacturing natural soda ash.

Please refer Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong business risk profile, driven by established market presence
Business remains diversified, with operations spread across Basic Chemistry Products, including soda ash (contributing around 68% to revenue in fiscal 2019), Consumer Products, including salt (15%), and Specialty Products, including agri solutions (17%).
 
The inorganic chemicals business is geographically diversified across North America, Europe, Africa, and India. TCL is the third largest producer of soda ash in the world, with capacity of around 4.3 million tonne per annum (tpa), nearly 70% of which is natural soda ash. TCL remains the leader in the branded edible salt business in India, and has an overall market share of about 25% in edible salt segment. Established brands and a strong distribution network should help maintain leadership position in the business. TCL's subsidiary, Rallis, too has a strong market position in the agricultural products industry. Consumer products business is now being demerged and sold to TGBL and the transaction is expected to be completed within a year.
 
* Healthy operating efficiency in the natural soda ash business
Operating efficiency is expected to remain healthy, backed by availability of low-cost natural soda ash from North America, and benefits from the restructuring of the United Kingdom (UK) and Kenyan soda ash operations. The company's soda ash plant in Mithapur, Gujarat, is one of the lowest-cost producers of synthetic soda ash due to proximity to limestone quarries and economies of scale. It also has an integrated cement plant, which utilises by-products from soda ash manufacturing.
 
* Strong financial risk profile, underpinned by high financial flexibility, and healthy capital structure
TCL enjoys high financial flexibility, being part of the Tata group company, and healthy capital structure. Gearing improved to 0.40 time as on March 31, 2019, from 0.46 during fiscal 2018. Capital structure should remain healthy with gearing expected below 1 time, despite consumer products business moving out of TCL and scheduled capital expenditure.
 
Weakness
* Susceptibility to price volatility in the soda ash business
The domestic soda ash business is susceptible to volatility in international prices, driven by capacity addition, currency fluctuations, and competition from imports. While improved operating efficiency from large scale of operations and increased integration across geographies partially offsets impact of any price fluctuation on TCL, its soda ash business will remain exposed to price volatility.
Liquidity

Liquidity is robust with cash and cash equivalent of Rs 4,184 crore as on March 31, 2019. Easy access to low-cost financing from banks/financial markets, being part of the Tata group, and low utilisation of working capital lines also support liquidity. Cash accruals are expected to be healthy to meet its debt obligations and capital expenditure requirements.

About the Company

TCL was incorporated in 1939 to manufacture soda ash and related chemicals, including sodium bicarbonate, caustic soda, and bromides. The company commenced operations in 1944 with a 30,000 tpa plant at Mithapur. Over the years, it has expanded its gross soda ash capacity to 917,700 tpa. It entered the iodised vacuum salt business in 1986. Tata Salt is the leading iodised edible salt brand in India. TCL also has a 440,000-tpa cement plant in Mithapur, which was set up to effectively utilise the solid waste generated during soda ash production.

TCL's subsidiary, Rallis, is a leading player in the domestic agrochemicals market, and is present in all agrochemical segments (pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides). In March 2006, TCL completed acquisition of the Brunner Mond group for Rs 798 crore, gaining access to the soda ash business in Europe and Kenya. It acquired GCIP in North America for USD 1.01 billion in March 2008. In December 2010, it acquired British Salt Ltd, the leading manufacturer of pure-dried vacuum salt products with around 50% market share in the UK, for GBP 93 million. The company also has brine wells with a long tenure of residual life. TCL was also in the urea and phosphatic fertiliser and trading businesses, which it sold in 2018 as part of its strategy to exit highly regulated businesses.

Key Financial Indicators#
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 11,296 10,345
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 1,387 2,702
PAT Margin % 12.3 26.1
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.40 0.46
Interest coverage Times 5.77 6.73
#Financials are as per company reported nos. and may differ from CRISIL adjusted numbers.

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 Commercial Paper NA NA 7-365 days 600 CRISIL A1+
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation Rationale for Consolidation
Bio Energy Venture - I (Mauritius) Pvt. Ltd. Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Rallis India Limitcd Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Ncourage Social Enterprise Foundation Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Tata Chemicals lrternational Pte. Limitcd Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Homefield Pvt. UK Lirnited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
TCE Group Limited (formerly known as Homefield 2 UK Limired) Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Natrium Holdings Limired (formerly know as Tata Chemicals Europe Holdings Limited) Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Brunner Mond Group Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Tata Chemicals Europe Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Nonhwich Resource Management Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Winnington CHP Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Cheshire Salt Holdings Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Cheshire Salt Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
British Salt Limitcd Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Brinefield Srorage Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Cheshire Cavity Storage 2 Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Cheshire Compressor Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Irish Feeds Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
New Cheshire Salt Works Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Tata Chemicals Africa Holdings Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Tata Chemicals Sourh Africa (Proprietary) Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Tata Chemicals Magadi Limired Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Magadi Railway Company Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Gusiutc Holdings (UK) Ltd. Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Valley Holdings lnc Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Tata Chemicals North America Inc. Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
TCNA (UK) Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
General Chemical lntemational Inc. Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
NHO Canada Holdings lnc. Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
TCSAP LLC Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Tata Chemicals (Soda Ash) Partners Holdings Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Tata Chemicals (Soda Ash) Panners (TCSAP) Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Alcad Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Metahelix Life Sciences Lrd Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
PT. Metahelix Lifesciences lndonesia Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Zero Waste Agro Organics Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
Rallis Chemistry Expons Limited Full Consolidation Significant operational and financial linkages
The Block Salt Company Limited Equity Method Proportionate Consolidation
Natronx Technologies LLC (upto 5 December 2018) Equity Method Proportionate Consolidation
Indo Maroc Phosphore S.A. Equity Method Proportionate Consolidation
Joil (S) Pte Ltd Equity Method Proportionate Consolidation
Tata Industries Limited (with effect from 27 March 2019) Equity Method Proportionate Consolidation
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
Commercial Paper  ST  600.00  CRISIL A1+      30-10-18  CRISIL A1+    --    --  -- 
Short Term Debt  ST    --    --    --    --  02-09-16  Withdrawn  CRISIL A1+ 
                    12-08-16  CRISIL A1+   
                    09-08-16  CRISIL A1+   
Short Term Debt (Including Commercial Paper)  ST              31-10-17  CRISIL A1+  03-10-16  CRISIL A1+  -- 
                    02-09-16  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 Chemical Industry
Rating Criteria for Fertiliser Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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