Rating Rationale
June 30, 2020 | Mumbai
Asian Paints Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.715 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.10 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Rs.50 Crore Short Term Debt CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the bank facilities and debt programmes of Asian Paints Limited (Asian Paints; part of the Asian Paints group).
 
The ratings continue to reflect the leadership position in the domestic paints sector, healthy operating margin, and robust financial risk profile because of strong capital structure and surplus liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by Asian Paints' susceptibility to volatility in raw material prices and limited pricing flexibility.
 
With decline in demand and temporary shutdown of plants in March-April, 2020 due to nationwide lockdown post COVID-19 outbreak, the Group's performance is expected to be affected in the near term. The slowdown in the construction activity coupled with subdued discretionary spending in the near term is likely to result in low double digit decline in revenues for fiscal 2021. However, revenues are expected to rebound from next fiscal with expected revival in both decorative and industrial paints segments. Despite the decline in revenues, operating margins are expected to be sustained at around 15% due to benign raw material prices.
 
The Group's financial risk profile continues to remain strong marked by a net debt free balance sheet and sizeable liquid surplus of around Rs 1600 crores at March 31, 2020. Capex is expected to be nominal as the group has recently completed large capacity additions at Vizag and Mysore. The incremental capex and working capital requirements are expected to be funded entirely through internal accruals and hence, CRISIL expects the group to sustain its net debt free balance sheet over the medium term.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Asian Paints and its subsidiaries and associates, together referred to as the Asian Paints group.
 
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 in the domestic paints industry: The group enjoys a dominant share of over 50% in the organised domestic paints market (the second-largest player has a market share of about 16%). In the decorative paints segment, which comprises about 70-75% of the Indian paints industry, the group has a share of about 60%. It also has a healthy position in the automotive industrial coatings segment with a market share of about 20%. Driven by its leadership position, the group's revenue registered a compound annual growth rate of 9% over the five fiscals through 2020. Strong brand equity, extensive distribution network, and wide product portfolio will help sustain strong market position over the medium term.

* Healthy operating margin: Asian Paints enjoys a healthy operating margin of over 17% which is higher than peers also. Profitability benefits from the group's ability to command a premium because of its leadership position; and also because it can partly pass on raw material price increases to customers. Fall in crude prices have helped in improved margins despite taking a price cut in product prices and adverse movement of rupee.
 
* Strong financial risk profile: Gearing has been less than 0.1 time over the past five years due to minimal dependence on debt, and was at an estimated 0.03 time as on March 31, 2020. The group had liquid surplus of over Rs 1,600 crore as on March 31, 2020. Expected annual cash accrual of more than Rs 1,500 crore over the medium term will be more than sufficient to fund regular capital expenditure (capex) and incremental working capital requirements.
 
Weaknesses:
* Susceptibility of margin to volatility in raw material prices: While the group has the flexibility to pass on rise in prices to customers in the domestic decorative business, this is limited in the industrial paints segment. Given that material cost accounts for almost 50% of total cost of sales, with titanium dioxide and crude-based derivatives comprising majority of total raw material costs, profitability in the non-decorative segment is partly susceptible to volatility in raw material prices. Hence, operating margin has fluctuated in the 15-18% range in the past six fiscals.
 
* Limited pricing flexibility: The organised paint industry is dominated by a few large players. Despite this, paint manufacturers face competition from strong regional players, especially in mass-market products. Consequently, while paint manufacturers have the flexibility to pass on cost increases, their ability to absorb cost benefits and thereby increase margins is limited. The Asian Paints group is the most cost-efficient player and also the price leader. However, while the group is likely to maintain its healthy margin, increasing profitability is expected to remain restricted by competition.
Liquidity Superior

The group has superior liquidity with cash accruals of over Rs 1500 crores per annum expected in fiscals 2021 and 2022 and estimated liquid surplus of around Rs 1600 crores as on March 31, 2020. The company also has access to fund based working capital limits of Rs 562 crores which are sporadically utilized. CRISIL believes the company has sufficient accruals and cash and cash equivalents to meet its repayment obligations, incremental working capital requirements and finance its capex requirements and investment requirements in various subsidiaries.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Asian Paints group will continue to benefit from its market leadership, leading to sustained revenue growth and healthy operating margin over the medium term. Financial risk profile, especially liquidity, is expected to remain robust because of strong cash generation.
 
Rating Sensitivity factors
Downward factors
* Sustained decline in revenues by over 15% in the medium term or sharp decline in market share in the domestic paints industry
* Intense competition or steep increase in input prices affecting profitability, resulting in steep decline in operating margin to below 12%
* Large, debt-funded acquisition or capex that may impact financial risk profile
* Material reduction in liquid surplus

About the Company

Set up in 1942, the Asian Paints group is the largest paint manufacturer in India. About 80% of its revenue comes from decorative paints and the remaining from industrial paints and overseas operations. The group produces automotive industrial coatings under PPG Asian Paints Pvt Ltd (rated 'CRISIL AA/Stable/CRISIL A1+'), a joint venture with PPG Industries, the USA. It is also present in the home improvement and decor space in India through wholly owned subsidiaries, Sleek International Pvt Ltd (rated 'CRISIL A/Stable/CRISIL A1') for kitchens and wardrobes; and Ess Ess for bath fittings.
 
The group has an installed paint capacity of around 17.3 lakh kilolitre per annum. It has eight decorative paints plants in Ankleshwar (Gujarat), Medak (Andhra Pradesh), Kasna (Uttar Pradesh), Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu), Rohtak (Haryana), Khandala (Maharashtra), Mysuru (Karnataka) and Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).
 
The group has an industrial paint plant in Taloja (Maharashtra) and a penta plant in Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu). Sales infrastructure is strong and comprises numerous stock points and a network of over 60,000 dealers with around 46,000 colour tinting machines. Operations span India and 15 countries in South-East Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South Pacific Islands through subsidiaries and joint ventures.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 23,162 22,153
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 2,779 2,212
PAT margin % 12 10
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.03 0.07
Interest coverage Times NM NM

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 Cr)
Complexity Level Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Bill Discounting NA NA NA 187 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Bill Purchase Discounting Facility^ NA NA NA 250 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Cash Credit & Working Capital demand loan NA NA NA 125 NA CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 68 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 85 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Non-convertible debentures# NA NA NA 10 Simple CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Short-term debt# NA NA 7-365 days 50 Simple CRISIL A1+
^Interchangeable with invoice/cheque discounting facility
#yet to be issued
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation Rationale for Consolidation
Asian Paints (Nepal) Private Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints International Private Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints Industrial Coatings Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Reno Chemicals Pharmaceuticals and
Cosmetics Private Ltd
Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Maxbhumi Developers Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Sleek International Private Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong financial linkages
Asian Paints PPG Private Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Enterprise Paints Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Universal Paints Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Kadisco Paint and Adhesive Industry Share Company Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
PT Asian Paints Indonesia Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
PT Asian Paints Color Indonesia Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints (Tonga) Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints (South Pacific) Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints (S.I.) Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints (Bangladesh) Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints (Middle East) LLC Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
SCIB Chemicals S.A.E. Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Samoa Paints Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints(Vanuatu) Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Asian Paints (Lanka) Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Causeway Paints (Lanka) Pvt Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Nirvana Investments Ltd Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Berger Paints Emirates LLC Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
Berger Paints Bahrain W.L.L. Fully Consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
PPG Asian Paints Private Ltd 50% Strong business and financial linkages
Revocoat India Private Ltd 50% Strong business and financial linkages
PPG Asian Paints Lanka Private Ltd 50% Strong business and financial linkages
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  0.00
30-06-20 
CRISIL AAA/Stable      19-06-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable  26-07-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  27-07-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable  CRISIL AAA/Stable 
Short Term Debt  ST  50.00  CRISIL A1+      19-06-19  CRISIL A1+  26-07-18  CRISIL A1+  27-07-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  562.00  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+      19-06-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  26-07-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  27-07-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+ 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  153.00  CRISIL A1+      19-06-19  CRISIL A1+  26-07-18  CRISIL A1+  27-07-17  CRISIL A1+  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
Bill Discounting 187 CRISIL A1+ Bill Discounting 187 CRISIL A1+
Bill Purchase-Discounting Facility^ 250 CRISIL A1+ Bill Purchase-Discounting Facility^ 250 CRISIL A1+
Cash Credit & Working Capital demand loan 125 CRISIL AAA/Stable Cash Credit & Working Capital demand loan 125 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Letter of Credit 68 CRISIL A1+ Letter of Credit 68 CRISIL A1+
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 85 CRISIL A1+ Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 85 CRISIL A1+
Total 715 -- Total 715 --
^Interchangeable with invoice/cheque discounting facility
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 Chemical Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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