Rating Rationale
November 20, 2023 | Mumbai
Valiant Organics Limited
Ratings outlook revised to 'Negative'; Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.370 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL A/Negative (Outlook revised from 'Stable'; Rating Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1 (Reaffirmed)
Note: None of the Directors on CRISIL Ratings Limited’s Board are members of rating committee and thus do not participate in discussion or assignment of any ratings. The Board of Directors also does not discuss any ratings at its meetings.
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detailed Rationale

CRISIL Ratings has revised its outlook on the long-term bank facilities of Valiant Organics Limited (VOL) to ‘Negative’ from ‘Stable’ while reaffirming the rating at CRISIL A. Short term rating has been reaffirmed at ‘CRISIL A1’.

 

The revision in outlook reflects the moderation in the business risk profile. Slowdown in end user segment has affected the operating performance of the company as seen in H1 FY 24.

 

The degrowth in revenue is on account of subdued demand from end user segments due to challenging macro-economic scenario. In H1 FY 24, company has booked a total revenue of Rs 359 crore as against Rs.467 Crores in H1 FY23.

 

The operating margins has declined from 14.61% in FY 23 to 10.46% in H1 FY 24. This plummeting margin and realisation is due to low capacity utilisation resulting in lower absorption of fixed cost amid tepid demand from the end user segment. Sustained improvement in revenue and operating margin will be key monitorable.

 

However, company’s financial risk profile continues to remain healthy supporting the credit profile.

 

The ratings continues to reflect VOL's established market position and healthy financial risk profile. These rating strengths are partially offset by VOL's exposure to volatile commodity prices, cyclicality in domestic end-user industries and moderately high working capital requirements

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Established market position backed by extensive experience of promoters: VOL's promoters have been engaged in the chemical intermediates business for over three decades which has enabled them to develop strong understanding of market dynamics and establish healthy relations with customers and suppliers. VOL has a diversified business profile with diversity at product, geography, customer and end-use industry level. The established market position and global competitiveness is also reflected in a healthy operating income of Rs 912 crore in fiscal 2023.

 

  • Healthy financial profile: The financial risk profile metrics continue to remain healthy, with a robust networth to be around Rs 727 crore as on March 31, 2023. This supports the financial flexibility of the company. Supported by a robust networth and low dependence on external debt, the capital structure is comfortable with gearing around 0.38 time as on March 31, 2023. This is expected to remain comfortable going forward, despite on-going capex for capacity enhancement and backward & forward integration. Debt protection metrics are strong, with interest cover and net cash accruals to adjusted debt ratios (NCAAD) around 16.27 times and 0.44 time, respectively in fiscal 2023.

 

Weakness:

  • Exposure to volatile commodity prices: The prices of raw material inputs, which are derivatives of crude oil, are volatile, thus impacting profitability. The international market prices of raw materials follow the petrochemicals cycle. However, order-backed sales and pass on of volatility in raw material prices to customers will continue to support VOL's operating margin.

 

  • Susceptibility to adverse changes in government regulations, and to cyclicality in domestic end-user industries: The inorganics chemicals business is highly susceptible to government regulations, and any unfavorable changes in policies can strain profitability. Hence, entities in this segment will also remain exposed to cyclicality in end-user industries over the medium term.

 

  • Moderately high working capital requirements: VOL has moderately high working capital requirements as reflected in gross current asset (GCA) days of 142 days as on March 31, 2023, driven by debtors and inventory of 85 days and 53 days, respectively. Working capital requirements are efficiently managed and supported by creditors (98 days as on March 31, 2023) and by working capital limits from bank.

Liquidity: Strong

Bank limit utilization is low at around 47 percent for the past twelve months ended Sept 2023.  Cash accruals are expected to be over Rs 60 Crores which is sufficient against term debt obligation of Rs 43 Crores over the medium term. In addition, it will act as cushion to the liquidity of the company. Current ratio is moderate at 1.03 times on March 31, 2023. High cash and bank balance of around Rs. 8 Crores as on March 31, 2023.    Low gearing and moderate net worth support its financial flexibility and provides the financial cushion available in case of any adverse conditions or downturn in the business.

Outlook: Negative

Scale of operations and profitability may remain constrained amid tepid demand which may impact business risk profile over the medium term.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors

  • Sustained revenue growth supported by growth in volume sales on the back of increased offtake and sustained operating margin of above 15% resulting in higher cash accruals.
  • Sustenance of financial risk profile and working capital management.

 

Downward factors

  • Decline in scale of operations with operating margin remaining below 10%, hence leading to much lower net cash accruals.
  • Stretch in its working capital requirements thus weakening its liquidity & financial profile.

About the Company

The company is engaged in the business of manufacturing of speciality chemicals.

About the Group

Established in 1984 as Valiant Chemical Corporation and then later changed to Valiant Organics Limited (VOL) in 2005, the company is engaged in the business of manufacturing specialty chemicals. The company is promoted by Gogri,Chedda and Gala families and is based out of Mumbai, Maharashtra. The company acquired Abhilasha Tex Chem Pvt. Ltd  in 2017 and Amarjyot Chemical Limited in March 2019.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

 

2023

2022

Operating income

Rs crore

912

948

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

76

100

PAT margins

%

8.33

10.54

Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth

Times

0.33

0.51

Interest coverage

Times

12.67

26.49

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL Ratings` 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.

CRISIL Ratings will disclose complexity level for all securities - including those that are yet to be placed - based on available information. The complexity level for instruments may be updated, where required, in the rating rationale published subsequent to the issuance of the instrument when details on such features are available.

For more details on the CRISIL Ratings` complexity levels please visit www.crisilratings.com. 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)

Complexity Level

Rating Assigned

with Outlook

NA

External Commercial Borrowings

NA

NA

24-Sept

19.42

NA

CRISIL A/Negative

NA

FCNR (B) Long Term Loan

NA

NA

25-Feb

16,45

NA

CRISIL A/Negative

NA

Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee

NA

NA

NA

10

NA

CRISIL A1

NA

Term Loan

NA

NA

26-Sept

54.02

NA

CRISIL A/ Negative

NA

Working Capital Facility

NA

NA

NA

220

NA

CRISIL A/ Negative

NA

Proposed Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee

NA

NA

NA

50.11

NA

CRISIL A1

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2023 (History) 2022  2021  2020  Start of 2020
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 309.89 CRISIL A/Negative 17-04-23 CRISIL A/Stable 06-10-22 CRISIL A/Stable   -- 31-12-20 CRISIL A-/Positive --
      -- 01-02-23 CRISIL A/Stable 04-03-22 CRISIL A/Stable   -- 08-12-20 CRISIL A-/Positive --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 60.11 CRISIL A1 17-04-23 CRISIL A1 06-10-22 CRISIL A1   --   -- --
      -- 01-02-23 CRISIL A1 04-03-22 CRISIL A1   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
External Commercial Borrowings 19.42 Standard Chartered Bank Limited CRISIL A/Negative
FCNR (B) Long Term Loan 16.45 Citibank N. A. CRISIL A/Negative
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 10 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A1
Proposed Letter of Credit & Bank Guarantee 50.11 Not Applicable CRISIL A1
Term Loan 40.27 The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited CRISIL A/Negative
Term Loan 13.75 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A/Negative
Working Capital Facility 7.5 Standard Chartered Bank Limited CRISIL A/Negative
Working Capital Facility 72.5 Citibank N. A. CRISIL A/Negative
Working Capital Facility 120 The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited CRISIL A/Negative
Working Capital Facility 20 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A/Negative
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Chemical Industry

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