Rating Rationale
April 03, 2020 | Mumbai
Traveltime Car Rental Private Limited
Rating outlook revised to 'Negative', rating reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.75 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB-/Negative (Outlook revised from 'Stable' and rating reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has revised its rating outlook on the long-term bank facilities of Traveltime Car Rental Private Limited (TCRPL; part of the Traveltime group) to 'Negative' from 'Stable', while reaffirming the rating at 'CRISIL BBB-'.
 
The outlook revision follows the likely impact of measures taken by the Government of India and state governments for containing the Novel Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on the operating performance of the group in fiscal 2021. The measures include temporary closure of non-critical establishments and interstate transportation, restrictions on travel and mass gatherings, and a lockdown till April 14, 2020. These resulted in temporary closure of the group's operations. The revocation of the measures will depend on directives from the central government and the extent of the Covid-19 outbreak. A prolonged closure will weaken the credit risk profile, while a fast turnaround to normalcy should limit the impact. The ability to revert to operational stability and the relief measures provided by the government will be key monitorables.
 
Though the group has a guaranteed minimum revenue from state transport utilities and corporate segments, timely receipt of payment remains critical to cash flow. Surplus funds of around Rs 10 crore can be utilised in case of urgency while the likely availability of a moratorium for debt servicing, in line with the Reserve Bank of India's announcement, will provide partial cushion.
 
The rating reflects the group's strong revenue growth with sound operating efficiency, supported by guaranteed minimum revenue for vehicles deployed and an experienced management team, and healthy debt protection metrics. These strengths are partially offset by a highly leveraged capital structure, large working capital requirement, and exposure to risks related to government transportation policies and the tender-based nature of business.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of TCRPL and its subsidiaries, Serco India Pvt Ltd (Serco) and Traveltime City Bus Services (Gurugram) Pvt Ltd (TCBG), and group company, Traveltime City Bus Services (Nagpur) Pvt Ltd (TCBN). That's because all these entities, collectively referred to as the Traveltime group, have a common management, are in the same business, and have financial fungibility. 

Please refer Annexure - Details of Consolidation, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong revenue growth with sound operating efficiency: There was a compound annual growth of over 24.6% in revenue in the three fiscals through 2019. For fiscal 2020, revenue is estimated at Rs 290-300 crore despite the lockdown at the end of the fiscal. The venture into the intercity and intra-city passenger transportation segment and guaranteed minimum revenue associated with vehicles deployed had led to strong ramp up in revenue and sound operating efficiency as reflected in an operating margin of around 20% and return on capital employed of 14.5% for fiscal 2019. With commercialization of new contracts, steady revenue growth of about 20% per fiscal is likely to continue.  
 
* Experienced promoters: The promoters have more than 20 years of experience in the car rental and transportation industry. They have thus established a strong base of large corporate clients and state/city transport corporations, which led to repeat orders and a steady increase in fleet (232 cars and more than 600 buses currently); the group also hires vehicles as per requirement. Further, the promoters guided the venture into public transportation for state government and municipal corporations successfully while strictly adhering to the gross cost model, which ensures minimum guaranteed revenue.
 
* Healthy debt protection metrics: The interest coverage and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratios were 6.27 times and 0.34 time, respectively, for fiscal 2019 owing to healthy profitability, despite a leveraged capital structure. The metrics are estimated at over 4 times and 0.3 time, respectively, for fiscal 2020. With steady and sound profitability and increasing cash accrual, the metrics should remain healthy over medium term as well.
 
* Minimum guaranteed revenue from customers: The tenders that are bid for intercity/intracity transport business with state governments or municipal corporations are on a gross-cost model, where minimum revenue per day per vehicle is guaranteed by the authority along with fuel escalation clauses. Also, for the corporate segment, minimum billing per cab/bus is guaranteed. This provides minimum assured revenue visibility (currently, around Rs 243 crore from the state/local transport segment and around Rs 100 crore from the corporate segment, per fiscal) and steady profitability.
 
Weaknesses
* Leveraged capital structure: The gearing is estimated to have been high at 3.6 times as on March 31, 2020, owing to the capital-intensive nature of the business. The group has to deploy own vehicles for transportation contracts as per agreements and the debt-funded capital expenditure (capex) towards this leads to a leveraged capital structure. With expected commercialisation of new contracts in the near term, the capex will remain high (expected at around Rs 130 crore over fiscals 2021 and 2022, which would be 90% debt-funded) and hence the gearing is likely to increase further over the medium term. Any larger-than-expected capex, leading to an increase in the gearing to more than 4 times, would be a key rating sensitivity factor. However, the debt to EBIDTA (earnings before interest, depreciation, tax and amortisation) ratio was less than 2.5 times as on 31st March 2019.
 
* Large working capital requirement: Gross current assets are estimated at 100-110 days as on March 31, 2020, because of large receivables and security deposits with customers. With increasing revenue from new contracts, any stretch in receivables can impact overall working capital management.
 
* Exposure to risks related to government transportation policies and the tender-based nature of business: Business is dependent on winning tenders floated by the government. Any change in passenger transportation policy or tender-awarding systems by the state government or local municipal bodies, or entry of a large competitive player might constrain revenue and profitability. Furthermore, upon completion of contracts, bids are re-invited and contracts awarded through a new tendering process. Nonetheless, the long tenure (7-10 years) of current transportation contracts mitigates this risks.
Liquidity Stretched

Bank limit utilisation is high over the last few months ending 31st March 2020. Further, cash flows from operations may remain affected due to the lockdown, constraining overall liquidity. Though the group has low fixed cost, debt repayment will remain large over the medium term. Liquidity is partly supported by surplus funds of Rs 10 crore in fixed deposits. Timely flow of receipts remains a key monitorable.

Outlook: Negative

CRISIL believes the temporary halt in operations due to lockdown will impact overall revenue and profitability over the medium term.
 
Rating sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Higher-than-expected revenue or profitability, leading to a significant increase in cash accrual
* Improvement in the capital structure with a gearing of less than 2 times, driven by sizable equity infusion
 
Downward factors
* Sustained impact on performance due to the Covid-19 outbreak
* Larger-than-expected capex, resulting in a gearing of more than 4.0 times
* A stretch in the working capital cycle, driven by high receivables, impacting liquidity

About the Group

In 1992, Mr Deorao Kalkar started Surya Travels, which was in the car rental business. The firm was reconstituted as a private limited company in 2006 and renamed TCRPL. It is based in Pune, Maharashtra, and owned and managed by Mr Vivek Kalkar. The company offers bus and car rentals to corporate clients and government corporations.
 
TCBN was established in 2017 for providing buses to Nagpur City Transport Corporation. The company operates a fleet of 129 city buses in Nagpur.
 
Established in 2018, TCBG provides buses to Gurgaon City Transport Corporation in Haryana for which it runs a fleet of 50 city buses. An additional 50 buses would become operational by fiscal 2021.
 
Established in 2017, Serco provides buses to Indore City Transport Corporation. It operates a fleet of 30 city buses.

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31   2019 2018
Operating income Rs crore 250.58 205.98
Reported profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 5.07 5.90
PAT margin % 2.0 2.9
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 2.96 1.87
Interest coverage Times 6.27 6.23

Status of non cooperation with previous CRA
TCRPL has not cooperated with Acuite Ratings & Research Ltd, which has classified it as non-cooperative through a release dated November 27, 2019. The reason provided is non-furnishing of information for monitoring of ratings.

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 Cash credit NA NA NA 8.20 CRISIL BBB-/Negative
NA Term Loan NA NA Mar-2025 64.21 CRISIL BBB-/Negative
NA Inventory Funding Facility NA NA NA 2.59 CRISIL BBB-/Negative
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
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  75.00  CRISIL BBB-/Negative  30-01-20  CRISIL BBB-/Stable              Suspended 
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
Cash Credit 8.2 CRISIL BBB-/Negative Cash Credit 8.2 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Inventory Funding Facility 2.59 CRISIL BBB-/Negative Inventory Funding Facility 2.59 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Term Loan 64.21 CRISIL BBB-/Negative Term Loan 64.21 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Total 75 -- Total 75 --
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
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Criteria for rating entities belonging to homogenous groups

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