Rating Rationale
August 29, 2024 | Mumbai
Barak Valley Cements Limited
Suspension Revoked; 'CRISIL BBB-/Positive' assigned to Bank Debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.39 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL BBB-/Positive (Assigned; Suspension Revoked)
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 revoked the suspension of its ratings on bank facilities of Barak Valley Cements Ltd (BVCL) and has assigned its 'CRISIL BBB-/Positive rating to the bank facilities. The ratings were suspended on November 23, 2014, as BVCL did not cooperate with CRISIL Ratings for review of the ratings. BVCL has now shared the requisite information enabling CRISIL Ratings to assign its ratings.

 

The rating reflect the established market position of BVCL and extensive experience of its promoters in the cement industry, and the healthy financial risk profile. These rating strengths are partially offset by modest scale and working capital-intensive operations.

Analytical Approach

Unsecured loans of around Rs 6.05 crore as on March 31, 2024 have been treated as neither debt nor equity as the funds have been infused by related parties and are expected to stay in the books over the medium term.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Established market position and extensive experience of the promoters: Presence of over two and half decades in the cement industry has given the promoters a strong understanding of market dynamics and enabled them to establish the brand, Valley Strong Cement. BVCL is mainly present in north-eastern states of Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya. Healthy market presence established over the years has led to nearly full utilisation of the current capacity.

 

  • Healthy financial risk profile: Capital structure is marked by low gearing and total outside liabilities to adjusted networth of 0.4 time and 0.88 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2024, aided by lower reliance on external debt. Debt protection measures have also been comfortable, due to healthy profitability. Interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios stood at 3.5  times and 0.4 time, respectively, for fiscal 2024.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Modest scale of operations amidst intense competition: The cement industry has organised players with well-known brands and several local and unorganised entities catering to the regional market. This limits bargaining power with customers and suppliers and leads to a low operating margin. End-user segments such as real estate, construction and infrastructure, are strongly correlated to economic cycles and tend to be cyclical in nature. An economic recession in the past has led to a slowdown in the construction sector, with several projects getting delayed or cancelled. BVCL has annual capacity of 3,30,000 tonne, which is fully utilised. Revenue was modest at Rs 232.1 crore in fiscal 2024. In the absence of any capital expenditure (capex) plans, capacity utilisation and revenue growth may remain modest.

 

  • Working capital intensive operations: Gross current assets have been high, ranging from 122 to 153 days for the three fiscals ending March 31, 2024. The company maintains inventory, mainly limestone and coal, for 45-60 days and extends credit of around 30 days. Working capital management is supported by credit period of more than 60 days provided by suppliers.

Liquidity: Adequate

Bank limit utilisation averaged less than 85% for the 12 months ended June 30, 2024. Expected cash accrual of over Rs 20 crore should suffice to cover the term debt obligation of less than Rs 6 crore over the medium term. Current ratio remains modest around one time as on March 31, 2024. Unsecured loans from related parties provide additional cushion to liquidity.

Outlook: Positive

CRISIL Rating believes the business and financial risk profiles of BVCL will strengthen over the medium term supported by steady growth in revenue and healthy capital structure.

Rating Sensitivity Factors

Upward factors:

  • Moderate revenue growth of and sustenance of operating margin, leading to net cash accruals more than 19 Cr
  • Improvement in working capital cycle and no major debt-funded capex plans

 

Downward factors:

  • Decline in revenue or operating margin, leading to net cash accrual of less than Rs 9 crore
  • Stretch in working capital cycle or large debt-funded capex plans, weakening the capital structure

About the Company

BVCL was incorporated in April 1999. The company manufactures different grades of cement and markets its products under the brand. Valley Strong Cement. Manufacturing facility at Badarpur Ghat, District Karimganj, Assam, has a total installed capacity of 1,000 tonne per day (TPD) and clinker (700 TPD).

 

BVCL is listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Operations are managed by Mr Kamakhya Chamaria (Vice-Chairman and Managing Director), Mr Mahendra Kumar Agarwal (Vice-Chairman & Non-Executive Director) and Mr Santosh Kumar Bajaj (Director).

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit 

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs.Crore

232.14

174.46

Reported profit after tax

Rs.Crore

9.86

5.71

PAT margin

%

4.25

3.27

Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth

Times

0.39

0.57

Interest coverage

Times

3.51

2.75

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 Outstanding with Outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 25.00 NA CRISIL BBB-/Positive
NA Term Loan NA NA 31-Jul-28 10.66 NA CRISIL BBB-/Positive
NA Working Capital Term Loan NA NA 31-Jan-27 3.34 NA CRISIL BBB-/Positive
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 39.0 CRISIL BBB-/Positive   --   --   --   -- Suspended
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Cash Credit 25 IDBI Bank Limited CRISIL BBB-/Positive
Term Loan 10.66 North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited CRISIL BBB-/Positive
Working Capital Term Loan 3.34 IDBI Bank Limited CRISIL BBB-/Positive
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 Cement Industry

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