Rating Rationale
July 02, 2024 | Mumbai
 
Ajanta Soya Limited
Ratings migrated to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.170 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB-/Stable (Migrated from 'CRISIL BB+/Stable ISSUER NOT COOPERATING*')
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3 (Migrated from 'CRISIL A4+ ISSUER NOT COOPERATING*')
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
*Issuer did not cooperate; based on best-available information

 

Detailed Rationale

Due to inadequate information, CRISIL Ratings, in line with guidelines, has migrated its ratings on the bank loan facilities of Ajanta Soya Ltd (ASL) to 'CRISIL BB+/Stable/CRISIL A4+ Issuer Not Cooperating'. However, the management has subsequently started sharing requisite information, necessary for carrying out comprehensive review of the rating. Consequently, CRISIL Ratings is migrating the rating on the bank facilities of ASL to ‘CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3’ from ‘CRISIL BB+/Stable/CRISIL A4+ Issuer Not Cooperating’.

 

The rating reflects ASL's established market position and extensive industry experience of the promoters and its healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by decline in operating profitability and exposure to high fragmentation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Established market position and extensive industry experience of the promoters: More than three-decade long experience of the promoters in the edible oil industry, their understanding of local market dynamics and healthy relationships with suppliers and customers should continue to support the business. The business risk profile is further supported by association with reputed clientele such as Britania Industries Ltd, Parle Biscuits Ltd, ITC Ltd, etc. Furthermore, company has a diversified product portfolio of refined oil (palm oil, palmolein oil, soyabean oil, cottonseed oil, groundnut oil, mustard oil, etc.), vanaspati, and bakery products. Around 40% of revenue is generated from sales under own brands. Resultantly, the company has attained the revenue of Rs 1022 crores during fiscal year 2024. CRISIL Rating believes that the company’s established market position of the company will continue to support the company in attaining the healthy revenue.

 

  • Healthy financial risk profile: Networth is strong at Rs 131 crore as on March 31, 2024. Prudent management of working capital cycle ensures limited reliance on working capital debt thereby resulting in a healthy capital structure, as reflected in TOLANW ratio of 0.67 times as on March 31, 2024, as against 0.84 times in fiscal 2023. On account of the dip in operating margin in fiscal 2024, the interest cover had moderated to 0.87 times during the fiscal. However, with expected recovery in operating margin, the interest cover is expected to improve to over 5.7 times in fiscal 2025. NCA/AD ratio remained comfortable – it was 4.30 times in fiscal 2023 and improved to 22.30 times in fiscal 2024. Going ahead, with the expected improvement in operating efficiencies the debt protection metrices are expected to further improve.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Decline in operating profitability: Due to the upliftment of import duties, to control the edible oil prices, the company’s operating margin has come down in fiscal 2023, as well as fiscal 2024 because of declining realisations of its products resulting in inventory losses. This results in volatility in the edible oil business. The impact of price volatility has been witnessed in fiscal 2023 wherein the operating margin got reduced to 0.5% in fiscal 2023 (in compared to 3-4% historically) and has further declined to 0.3% in fiscal 2024. As the prices have been stabilized now and parallelly, company is focusing more towards the value added products now, the operating profitability are likely to improve in coming fiscal however its impact will remain a key sensitive factor.

 

  • Exposure to high fragmentation: The presence of several small, unorganised players across the value chain (from crushing to solvent extraction) has led to intense competition in the edible oil industry. Given the price-sensitive nature of demand, players mainly cater to regional demand to avoid high marketing and distribution costs. Furthermore, the industry is vulnerable to government policy in the form of duties imposed on the import of refined and crude edible oil, and volatility in edible oil prices and foreign exchange (forex) rates. Any large change in edible oil prices or forex rates could adversely impact the scale and operating margins of players.

Liquidity: Adequate

Fund-based bank limits of Rs. 15 crores which remains minimal utilized over the past 12 months at 5.5% through Mar 24. Cash accrual is expected to be over Rs 7 crore, which will be sufficient to support the liquidity, in the absence of any term debt obligations in fiscal 2024. The company has the cash and cash equivalents of Rs 26-27 crores as on Mar 24, along with the marketable securities of Rs 5-15 crores as on date. The current ratio is healthy at 2.11 times as on March 31, 2024, which is likely to improve going ahead with the expected improvement in operations.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believe ASL will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of its promoter, and established relationships with clients.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Steady increase in revenue, while sustaining the margins at 2-2.5% leading to the healthy cash accruals.
  • Efficient working capital management leading to an improved financial risk profile and liquidity 

 

Downward factors:

  • Continuation of operating margins to below 1%, leading to lower cash accruals.
  • Large, debt-funded capital expenditure or stretch in the working capital cycle weakening the capital structure

About the Company

Incorporated in 1992, ASL is promoted and managed by two generation including Mr. Sushil Kumar Goyal and his son. The company is listed on Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd since 1993. It is engaged in manufacturing, refining of oil, vanaspati and bakery products shortening like biscuits, puffs, pastries, and other applications. ASL markets its products through its brands, “Dhruv, Anchal, Parv, Nuti 1992, ASL Pure & Fine Fingers”. The manufacturing facility is located at Bhiwadi (Rajasthan) with a total installed capacity of 1,65,000 mtph.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

 

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs crore

1022.19

1236.21

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

4.37

2.24

PAT margin

%

0.43

0.18

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

0.01

0.01

Interest coverage

Times

0.87

2.13

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 crore) Complexity Levels Rating assigned with outlook
NA Bank guarantee NA NA NA 2 NA CRISIL A3
NA Foreign exchange forward NA NA NA 6 NA CRISIL A3
NA Foreign exchange forward NA NA NA 4 NA CRISIL A3
NA Fund-based facilities NA NA NA 15 NA CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Inland/import letter of credit NA NA NA 50 NA CRISIL A3
NA Letter of credit NA NA NA 93 NA CRISIL A3
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 ST/LT 25.0 CRISIL BBB-/Stable / CRISIL A3 30-04-24 CRISIL BB+ /Stable / CRISIL A4+ (Issuer Not Cooperating)* 17-08-23 CRISIL A3+ / CRISIL BBB/Stable 30-11-22 CRISIL BBB+/Stable / CRISIL A2   -- Withdrawn
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 145.0 CRISIL A3 30-04-24 CRISIL A4+ (Issuer Not Cooperating)* 17-08-23 CRISIL A3+ 30-11-22 CRISIL A2   -- Withdrawn
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
* - Issuer did not cooperate; based on best-available information
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 2 State Bank of India CRISIL A3
Foreign Exchange Forward 6 State Bank of India CRISIL A3
Foreign Exchange Forward 4 Standard Chartered Bank Limited CRISIL A3
Fund-Based Facilities 15 State Bank of India CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Inland/Import Letter of Credit 50 Standard Chartered Bank Limited CRISIL A3
Letter of Credit 93 State Bank of India 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 Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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