Rating Rationale
September 01, 2020 | Mumbai
VIP Industries Limited
'CRISIL AA/Stable' assigned to NCD
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.280 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.50 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AA/Stable (Assigned)
Rs.100 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has assigned its 'CRISIL AA/Stable' rating to the Rs. 50 crore Non-Convertible Debentures (NCD) programme of VIP Industries Limited (VIP). Further, CRISIL has reaffirmed its ratings on the Rs. 100 crore NCD programme and bank facilities of the company at 'CRISIL AA/Stable/CRISIL A1+'.
 
The outbreak of corona virus in the middle of March 2020 and the resultant nation-wide lockdown, restrictions on travel and closure of malls and hypermarkets, significantly impacted company's operating performance. With continuing lockdowns in parts of the country as well as uncertain outlook for travel and tourism, performance in fiscal 2021 is expected to remain subdued. The impact on performance, though significant, is however expected to be only temporary.
 
CRISIL expects sales to pick up gradually from the second half of fiscal 2021 driven by gradual relaxation of lockdown restrictions, pent up demand on account of postponement of marriages, reopening of educational institutions, and gradual recovery in travel and tourism. Even as revenue moderates, operating profitability should benefit from favourable raw material prices and various cost cutting initiatives, including reduction in work force and salaries, deferment and reduction on lease rentals as well as closure of some company owned stores. Additionally, given the lower labour costs in Bangladesh, ramp up in Bangladesh operations is expected to benefit profitability (besides reducing direct imports from China into India). This should also mitigate the impact on margins even if the company has to resort to offering discounts to boost demand.
 
Medium to long term demand outlook however remain sanguine for VIP. The oligopolistic nature of the industry, favourable long term macro-economic factors like rising income, and shift in consumer preference for branded luggage augurs well for VIP given its market leadership position and strong brand name.
 
Additionally, over the years VIP has significantly strengthened its balance sheet providing adequate cushion to absorb the on-going slowdown in fiscal 2021. Company has also been pro-active and successfully built a liquidity buffer to mitigate impact on cash flows in the near term. VIP had ~Rs. 200 crore of cash surplus as of July 2020. This coupled with the recently enhanced bank lines and NCD issuances crore should help the company to tide over the current stressed situation.
 
The rating continues to reflect VIP's market leadership and strong brand in the domestic luggage industry, healthy financial risk profile which is partially offset by dependence on Chinese imports, competition from unorganised segment and highly working capital intensive operations.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of VIP and its subsidiaries due to common nature of business.

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:
* Market leadership and strong brand in the domestic luggage industry: VIP is the world's fifth-largest luggage manufacturer and a leader in the Indian luggage market. Its brands cater to the lower and upper segments of the demand pyramid, with products across a wide price range. The company entered the women's handbags segment and relaunched its 'Skybags' brand, which has gained significant traction in the market. VIP has a strong distribution network across the country. The company has about 1,000 dealers and 100 distributors (reaching 1,000 retailers), with 250 exclusive brand outlets, 250 franchisees, and 1,000 modern trade outlets and total point of sales at about 11,000.
 
* Healthy financial risk profile: Over the years VIP has strengthened its financial risk profile, backed by a conservative capital structure, healthy cash accrual and debt protection metrics. As on March 31, 2020, capital structure remained healthy, marked by large networth of Rs. 600 crore and minimal debt. Credit metrics also remained healthy. Company's unleveraged balance sheet provides adequate cushion to absorb the ongoing slowdown in fiscal 2021 as well as raise additional debt if required without significantly impacting credit metrics.
 
Weaknesses:
* Dependence on Chinese imports and exposure to competition from unorganised sector: The soft luggage segment, which accounts for a major part of VIP's revenue, used to be sourced predominantly from China, thus exposing the company to geographical concentration risk and forex risk of sharp rupee depreciation. However, VIP in order to reduce the dependence on Chinese imports, aims to reduce the supplier exposure from China to about 25% from present 88% mainly through backward integration and by rationalizing other supplier options. Also, despite being a market leader in the organised segment, VIP is able to pass on increase in material prices only partially and with a lag, mainly because of intense competition from the large, unorganised segment; hence, ability to charge premium is restricted.
 
* Large working capital requirement: The luggage industry is working capital-intensive in mature. VIP's receivables expected at about 60 days as on March 31, 2020. The company has been able to prudently align its inventory level with payables, thus limiting the incremental net working capital. Further, any significant economic downturn can impact the working capital requirement especially stretch in receivables.
Liquidity Adequate

VIP has adequate liquidity despite the expected moderation in cash accruals in fiscals 2021. Fund based bank limits of Rs. 194 crore remained moderately utilised at ~35% over the past six months ended July 2020. VIP also had Rs. 200 crore of cash surplus as of July 2020. This coupled with the recently enhanced bank lines and NCD issuances should help the company to tide over the current stressed situation. Further, with a gearing of 0.05 times as on March 31, 2020, the company has sufficient gearing headroom, to raise additional debt if required.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes VIP's business risk profile will continue to be supported by its strong brand and entrenched distribution network even as demand is expected to remain tepid in fiscal 2021. VIP is also well placed to take advantage of the long term structural tailwinds in the industry given its healthy market position. Furthermore, the company's strong balance sheet and healthy liquidity should help offset impact of stressed business conditions. 

Rating Sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Higher-than expected revenue growth driven by gradual improvement in business conditions, and operating margins recovering to ~17-18%, supported by ramp up in Bangladesh operations and cost control initiatives, resulting in higher cash generation ' in excess of Rs. 250 crore
* Sustained strong financial risk profile and steady increase in liquid surplus, supported by healthy cash accrual and continued moderate capex
 
Downward factors
* Slower than expected improvement in revenue and operating profitability, most likely due to delayed demand recovery, also impacting cash generation (less than Rs. 140-150 crore by fiscal 2022)
* Sustained increase in debt due to large debt-funded capex, sizeable acquisition, or stretched working capital cycle, leading to material weakening of the credit metrics, for instance, adjusted gearing above 0.50-0.75 times
About the Company

VIP, a Dilip Piramal group company, was incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Blow Plast Ltd (BPL) in January 1968. In fiscal 2007, BPL was merged with VIP following restructuring of the group. The company manufactures hard luggage and markets soft luggage imported from Bangladesh and China. VIP is the largest player in the luggage industry in India.
 
For the quarter ended June 30, 2020, company reported net loss of Rs 51.32 crore on revenue of Rs 40.33 crore, compared to net profit of Rs 35.08 crore on revenue of Rs 564.18 crore during the corresponding period of previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs Cr 1721 1818
Profit after tax Rs Cr 112 145
PAT margin % 6.5 8.0
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.05 0.15
Interest coverage Times 13.21 67.95

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 level Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Fund-Based Facilities* NA NA NA 75.00 NA CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Non-Fund Based Limit NA NA NA 54.50 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed Working Capital Facility NA NA NA 150.50 NA CRISIL AA/Stable
INE054A07016 Non-Convertible Debentures 30-Jul-20 7.45% 29-Jul-22 100.00 Simple CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Non-Convertible Debentures#^^ NA NA NA 50.00 Simple CRISIL AA/Stable
* Interchangeable with non-fund based limits
#yet to be issued
^^carved out from existing bank lines of Rs 280 crore
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Entities Consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale
Blow Plast Retail Limited Full Wholly owned subsidiary
V.I.P Industries Bangladesh Private Limited Full Wholly owned subsidiary
V.I.P Industries BD Manufacturing Private Limited Full Wholly owned subsidiary
V.I.P Luggage BD Private Limited Full Wholly owned subsidiary
V.I.P Accessories BD Private Limited Full Wholly owned subsidiary
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
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  100.00
01-09-20 
CRISIL AA/Stable  17-07-20  CRISIL AA/Stable    --    --    --  -- 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  225.50  CRISIL AA/Stable  17-07-20  CRISIL AA/Stable  30-12-19  CRISIL AA/Stable  23-10-18  CRISIL AA-/Positive  29-09-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  CRISIL AA-/Stable 
        04-05-20  CRISIL AA/Stable               
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  54.50  CRISIL A1+  17-07-20  CRISIL A1+  30-12-19  CRISIL A1+  23-10-18  CRISIL A1+  29-09-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
        04-05-20  CRISIL A1+               
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
Fund-Based Facilities* 75 CRISIL AA/Stable Fund-Based Facilities* 75 CRISIL AA/Stable
Non-Fund Based Limit 54.5 CRISIL A1+ Non-Fund Based Limit 54.5 CRISIL A1+
Proposed Working Capital Facility 150.5 CRISIL AA/Stable Proposed Working Capital Facility 150.5 CRISIL AA/Stable
Total 280 -- Total 280 --
*Interchangeable with non-fund based limits
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
Rating Criteria for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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