Rating Rationale
October 22, 2024 | Mumbai
ABS Marine Services Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.25 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL BBB/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A3+ (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 reaffirmed its ratings on the bank loan facilities of ABS Marine Services Limited (ABS) at ‘CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+’.

 

The rating continues to reflect ABS’s established market position in the shipping services industry and strong financial risk profile. These rating strengths are partially offset by the exposure to customer concentration risks and tender-based nature of operations and intense competition.

Analytical Approach:

CRISIL Ratings has revised its analytical approach and has now consolidated the business and financial risk profile of ABS Marine Service Limited (ABS) with its subsidiary Epsom Shipping India Private Limited (ESIPL) and ABS Marine Singapore Pte Ltd (ABSMS) on account of increased significant operational and financial linkages of the companies with increased investments.

 

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:

  • Established market position in the shipping services industry: ABS has been an established player in the shipping services industry for nearly two decades and provides diversified services such as manning and technical services and chartering and hiring services. Over the years, the promoters have established healthy relations with customers, resulting in stable revenue.

 

  • Strong financial risk profile: High net worth, healthy gearing, and comfortable debt protection metrics support financial risk profile. Supported by net worth of Rs 126 crore (consolidated) and low reliance on bank borrowing gearing was comfortable at 0.36 times (consolidated) as on March 31, 2024. The company has also raised a quantum of Rs. 96.25 crores through IPO in the month of May 2024.  The debt protection metrics are comfortable driven by its healthy profitability as reflected in interest coverage and NCATD of 8.16 times (consolidated) and 0.85 times (consolidated) in fiscal 2024.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Exposure to customer concentration risks: Significant portion of the ABS’s revenue comes from its few top customers; this exposes the company to customer concentration risks. Any change in the business risk profile of its largest customers could have a significant impact on the company’s performance.
     
  • Tender-based nature of operations and intense competition: ABS’s tender-based operations and intense competition will constrain the business risk profile over the medium term. Majority of the company’s manning and technical services are tender-based, resulting in exposure to risks related to loss of contracts. Furthermore, the shipping services industry is highly fragmented and competitive, resulting in limited pricing power for players

Liquidity: Adequate

Cash accrual are expected to be over Rs. 35 – 40 crores which are sufficient against term debt obligation of Rs 5 - 17 crore over the medium term. The company also maintains additional average mutual fund investments of over Rs. 10 crores which supports the liquidity further. 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.

 

Current ratio are healthy at 2.16 times on March 31, 2024.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes ABS will continue to benefit over the medium term from its established market position in the shipping services industry.

Rating sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Sustained increase in scale of operations by over 20% and sustenance of profitability leading to higher cash accruals  
  • Sustenance of healthy financial risk profile and liquidity profile

 

Downward factors:

  • Decline in scale of operations or profitability margin of less than 16% leading to lesser than expected cash accruals
  • Any large debt funded capex plan that might impact the financial and liquidity position of the company

About the Company

Incorporated in 1992, Chennai-based ABS Marine is involved in providing ship manning and technical services and hiring and charter of ships. The promoters, Captain P B Narayanan, Ms. Shreelatha Narayanan, Ms.Arathi Narayanan and Captain Sanjeevan Jeevan Krishnan, manage the operations.

Key Financial Indicators

Combined

 

 

 

As on / for the period ended March 31

Unit

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs crore

135.26

111.71

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

25.41

10.21

PAT margins

%

18.79

9.14

Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth

Times

0.36

0.48

Interest coverage

Times

8.16

6.37

 

Standalone

 

 

 

As on / for the period ended March 31

Unit

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs crore

118.15

95.27

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

19.53

8.00

PAT margins

%

16.53

8.39

Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Net worth

Times

0.14

0.11

Interest coverage

Times

16.17

12.25

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 the
instrument
Date of
Allotment
Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue size
(Rs. Crore)
Complexity
Level
Rating assigned
with outlook
NA  Bank Guarantee  NA  NA  NA  10 NA  CRISIL A3+ 
NA  Cash Credit  NA  NA  NA  2 NA  CRISIL BBB/Stable 
NA  Overdraft Facility  NA  NA  NA  0.5 NA  CRISIL BBB/Stable 
NA  Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits  NA  NA  NA  0.82 NA  CRISIL BBB/Stable 
NA  Proposed Non Fund based limits  NA  NA  NA  3.28 NA  CRISIL A3+ 
NA  Long Term Loan  NA  NA  31-Dec-24 2.8 NA  CRISIL BBB/Stable 
NA  Long Term Loan  NA  NA  31-Mar-25 5.6 NA  CRISIL BBB/Stable 

Annexure – List of entities consolidated

Names of Entities Consolidated

Extent of Consolidation

Rationale for Consolidation

ABS Marine Services Limited

100%

Parent

Epsom Shipping India Private Limited

100%

Subsidiary of ABS Marine Services Limited

ABS Marine Singapore Pte Ltd

100%

Wholly Owned Subsidiary of ABS Marine Services Limited

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2024 (History) 2023  2022  2021  Start of 2021
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 11.72 CRISIL BBB/Stable 06-02-24 CRISIL BBB/Stable   -- 29-11-22 CRISIL BBB-/Stable 27-10-21 CRISIL BBB-/Stable CRISIL BBB-/Stable
      --   --   -- 09-11-22 CRISIL BBB-/Stable   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 13.28 CRISIL A3+ 06-02-24 CRISIL A3+   -- 29-11-22 CRISIL A3 27-10-21 CRISIL A3 CRISIL A3
      --   --   -- 09-11-22 CRISIL A3   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 6 State Bank of India CRISIL A3+
Bank Guarantee 4 State Bank of India CRISIL A3+
Cash Credit 2 State Bank of India CRISIL BBB/Stable
Long Term Loan 2.8 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Stable
Long Term Loan 5.6 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Stable
Overdraft Facility 0.5 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Stable
Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 0.82 Not Applicable CRISIL BBB/Stable
Proposed Non Fund based limits 3.28 Not Applicable CRISIL A3+
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
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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