Rating Rationale
November 25, 2019 | Mumbai
Ujaas Energy Limited
Long-term rating downgraded to 'CRISIL BB/Negative'; short-term rating reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.437 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BB/Negative (Downgraded from 'CRISIL BB+/Stable')
Short Term Rating CRISIL A4+ (Reaffirmed)
* Interchangeable with bank guarantee of Rs.14.2 crore
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has downgraded its rating on long term bank facilities of Ujaas Energy Limited (UEL) to 'CRISIL BB/Negative' from 'CRISIL BB+/Stable'. The short-term rating has been reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A4+'.
 
The downgrade reflects deterioration in the company's business risk profile, which is expected to continue as against CRISIL's expectation of improvement. Despite reduction in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates to 9% since January 2019; revenues have not recovered due to overall slowdown, coupled with delay due to financial closure pending for projects of some of its customers. Further, increased competition in the industry has resulted in decreased order flow. Consequently, revenue was at Rs 31.1 crore in the first half of fiscal 2020, a decline of over 63% compared with the first half of fiscal 2019. Accordingly, cash accruals are expected to remain subdued going ahead as well.    
 
Further, delay in realisation of receivables has led to a stretched working capital cycle with debtors more than six months amounting to Rs 121 crore, with reduced levels of liquid funds and higher reliance on short-term borrowings. Increase in UEL's order pipeline & its execution, performance in the e-vehicle segment along with improvement in working capital management will remain key rating sensitivity.
 
The ratings also factor in the extensive experience of the promoters and the company's comfortable capital structure. These strengths are partially offset by working capital-intensive operations, susceptibility to regulatory changes, and average debt protection metrics.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Extensive experience of the promoters
Benefits from the three-decade-long experience of the promoters in the power sector and strong relationships with stakeholders will continue to support the business.
 
* Comfortable capital structure: Networth and gearing were comfortable at Rs 221 crore and 0.64 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2019. The healthy networth would help the company to leverage its balance sheet for raising additional debt to support liquidity needs.
 
Weaknesses:
* Susceptibility to regulatory changes: The company's business is susceptible to regulatory changes concerning domestic procurement of solar cells, as reflected in the 63% fall in revenue and stretched working capital cycle. Additionally, revenue remains susceptible to capital expenditure (capex) to be incurred for setting up solar power plants.
 
* Working capital-intensive operations: Gross current assets (GCA) are at 565 days as on March 31, 2019, as against 355 days, a year earlier. Receivables are higher towards month-end due to a majority of the turnover being booked in the last quarter. Moreover, while usually credit given to customers is 90-120 days, retention money of around 10% increases the overall receivables further. Timely receipt of debtors (outstanding for more than six months) of Rs 121 crore as on September 30, 2019, will remain a key monitorable.
 
* Average debt protection metrics: Debt protection metrics are average, with interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios estimated at 1.44 times and 0.07 time, respectively, in fiscal 2020, which has declined from 2.36 times and 0.17 time, respectively, in fiscal 2018.
Liquidity Stretched

Liquidity is stretched. Accruals, expected at Rs 9-11 crore per annum over the medium term are likely to be insufficient to cover yearly maturing debt of Rs 10.4 crore. Bank limit utilisation averaged 91% over the 12 months through September 2019, providing limited cushion in case of exigencies. However, liquidity is supported to some extent by unencumbered cash balance of Rs 1.4 crore, tradable Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) worth Rs 11 crore and fund support from promoters. The outstanding unsecured loan extended by the promoters was at of Rs 39 crore as on September 30, 2019.

Outlook: Negative

CRISIL believes UEL's business risk profile will continue to remain under pressure on account of slowdown in end user industry and stretched receivables.
 
Rating sensitivity factors:
Upward factors
* Improvement in net cash accrual to over Rs 15 crore per annum on a sustained basis
* Decline in GCAs to below 250 days on account of substantial reduction in the amount of debtors outstanding for over six months.
* Sustenance of capital structure
 
Downward factors
* Decline in accrual to below Rs 5 crore due to further drop in revenue or operating margin
* Increase in working capital requirement, larger-than-expected, debt-funded capex or acquisition, or substantial dividend payout weakening the financial risk profile, especially liquidity

About the Company

UEL, formerly M and B Switchgears Pvt Ltd, was incorporated in 1979. The company is engaged in the sale of solar power and setting up solar projects across three segments: engineering procurement and construction, solar park, and rooftop. It also provides operations and maintenance services for these assets. The company has an installed capacity of 14 megawatt (MW) of solar power; over the years, it has set up more than 235 MW of solar power plants. UEL has also recently ventured into the electric two-wheeler industry by launching E-Spa. Mr Shyam Sunder Mundra is the promoter, and operations are managed by his sons, Mr Vikalp Mundra and Mr Anurag Mundra.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs  crore 156.1 334.2
Profit after tax Rs crore 6.6 17.01
Profit after tax margin Percentage 4.23 5.09
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth Times 0.64 0.64
Interest coverage Times 1.21 2.36

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 Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 62.37 CRISIL A4+
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 29.5 CRISIL BB/Negative
NA Letter of Credit* NA NA NA 34.2 CRISIL A4+
NA Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits NA NA NA 233.88 CRISIL BB/Negative
NA Standby Fund Based Working Capital NA NA NA 8 CRISIL BB/Negative
NA Term Loan NA NA Jan-2026 69.05 CRISIL BB/Negative
* Interchangeable with bank guarantee of Rs.14.2 crore
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  340.43  CRISIL BB/Negative  06-06-19  CRISIL BB+/Stable  28-08-18  CRISIL BBB-/Negative  31-03-17  CRISIL A-/Stable    --  -- 
            28-06-18  CRISIL BBB+/Negative           
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  96.57  CRISIL A4+  06-06-19  CRISIL A4+  28-08-18  CRISIL A3  31-03-17  CRISIL A2+    --  -- 
            28-06-18  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 62.37 CRISIL A4+ Bank Guarantee 117 CRISIL A4+
Cash Credit 29.5 CRISIL BB/Negative Cash Credit 29.5 CRISIL BB+/Stable
Letter of Credit* 34.2 CRISIL A4+ Letter of Credit 100 CRISIL A4+
Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 233.88 CRISIL BB/Negative Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 89.95 CRISIL BB+/Stable
Standby Fund Based Working Capital 8 CRISIL BB/Negative Standby Letter of Credit 8 CRISIL A4+
Term Loan 69.05 CRISIL BB/Negative Term Loan 92.55 CRISIL BB+/Stable
Total 437 -- Total 437 --
* Interchangeable with bank guarantee of Rs.14.2 crore
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

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