Rating Rationale
July 29, 2020 | Mumbai
Airports Authority of India
Rated amount enhanced
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.3600 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.1500 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AAA/Stable' rating on the long-term bank facility of Airports Authority of India (AAI).
 
The rating continues to reflect the company's high strategic importance to the government and the robust financial risk profile, backed by strong cash accrual and a healthy capital structure. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to the risk of revenue concentration because of the limited number of profitable airports.

Analytical Approach

The rating on AAI factors in support from Government of India (GoI). AAI should receive distress support from GoI for timely servicing of debt considering the entity's strategic role in the implementation of the country's aviation policy.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* High strategic importance to the government: AAI was set up through an Act of Parliament in 1995, underscoring the authority's importance to the government as a nodal agency to regulate air traffic control (ATC) and develop and maintain airports. The authority manages the entire airspace in India and adjoining ocean areas. Airspace being a sensitive security issue, GoI prefers to have a state-owned agency managing it. Investment in airport infrastructure is vital to economic growth and, therefore, creates a strong incentive for GoI to continue to support the nodal agency. Though many of the airports managed by AAI are small and unprofitable, they provide connectivity to far-flung places and, hence, are important for economic development. All major capital expenditure (capex) of AAI is approved by the government. The board of AAI also has a representative of the ministry of civil aviation. In addition, GoI provides grants to AAI for carrying out infrastructure development of specified areas. In fiscal 2019, AAI received grants from GoI amounting to Rs 400.81 crore against Rs 445.76 crore in the previous fiscal.
 
The ratings factor in a First Information Report (FIR) filed against Mumbai International Airport Limited (and among others including other members of GVK group) and select officials of AAI by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 27, 2020. CRISIL understands that currently there are no restrictive actions and penalties against AAI. That said, CRISIL will continue to monitor the developments and take suitable rating action, if required.
 
* Robust financial risk profile
Financial risk profile is driven by a robust capital structure and strong cash accrual resulting from healthy growth in traffic and non-traffic revenue. Net cash accrual increased to Rs 1,851 crore in fiscal 2019 from Rs 636 crore in the previous fiscal. Total dividend of Rs 2,712 crore was paid in fiscal 2019 against Rs 3003 crore in the previous fiscal. Interest coverage ratio rose to 194.17 times in fiscal 2019 against 90.45 times in the previous fiscal. Gearing remained at earlier level of 0.003 time in fiscal 2019. Revenue is expected to decline in fiscal 2021 because of restrictions and drop in travel on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, capital structure and debt protection metrics are expected to be robust given AAI does not have any external debt and had cash balance of above Rs 1,200 crore as on March 31, 2020. Furthermore, revenue profile of AAI should return to normalcy by fiscal 2022. Any material delay in ramp-up of revenue shall be a rating sensitivity factor.
 
Financial risk profile is expected to remain healthy despite planned debt-funded capex of over Rs 15,000 crore in the next three-five years. CRISIL will monitor the impact of any larger-than-expected, debt-funded capex and working capital requirement on the capital structure. 
 
Weakness:
* Significant revenue concentration due to limited number of profitable airports: Few airports in India are profitable. Moreover, following privatisation of airports at Delhi and Mumbai (the two largest and most profitable airports), all income other than ATC now accrues to the respective joint venture companies (JVCs). As per the concession agreements, AAI receives revenue share of around 46% from the Delhi JVC and around 39% from the Mumbai JVC. However, loss of revenue from privatisation is mitigated by concession fees.
Liquidity Superior

The healthy liquidity profile is supported by cash and equivalents of over Rs 1,200 crore as on March 31, 2020. Additionally, AAI does not have any material debt servicing obligation in fiscal 2021.

Outlook: Stable

AAI has sole authority over ATC activities in the airspace in India and, therefore, will remain strategically important to GoI. Backed by a healthy track record and control over 129 airports in India, the organisation will retain its strong market position.

Rating Sensitivity Factors
Downward Factors
* Any change in the civil aviation policy leading to dilution in AAI's strategic importance to the government
* Large, debt-funded capex leading to significant deterioration in financial profile (current plan is of over Rs 15000 crore capex over 3-5 years) and/ or dilution in strategic importance of AAI to government.

About the Company

AAI creates, upgrades, maintains and manages civil aviation infrastructure on the ground and within the territorial boundaries of India. It owns and maintains 129 airports, comprising 77 domestic airports, 20 civil enclaves, nine custom airports and 23 international airports. It provides air traffic management services over the entire airspace in India and adjoining oceans to ensure safety of aircraft operations. It provides air navigation services over 2.8 m square nautical miles of airspace.

Key Financial Indicators
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs.Crore 14133 12977
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs.Crore 2271 2802
PAT Margin % 16.07% 21.59%
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.00 0.00
Interest coverage Times 194.17 100.11

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 levels Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Proposed Long-Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 3600 NA CRISIL AAA/Stable
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
Long-Term Borrowing Programme  LT    --    --  24-04-19  Withdrawn  03-04-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  30-03-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
                27-03-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable       
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  3600.00  CRISIL AAA/Stable  29-06-20  CRISIL AAA/Stable  24-04-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable  03-04-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable    --  -- 
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
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 3600 CRISIL AAA/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 1500 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Total 3600 -- Total 1500 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
The Infrastructure Sector Its Unique Rating Drivers
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Entities Based on Government Support

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