Rating Rationale
December 16, 2020 | Mumbai
Bhagwati Autocast Limited
Rating outlook revised to 'Stable'; ratings reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.16.66 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB-/Stable (Outlook revised from 'Negative' and rating reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3 (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has revised its outlook on the long-term bank facilities of Bhagwati Autocast Limited (BAL) to 'Stable' from 'Negative' while reaffirming the rating at 'CRISIL BBB-'. The rating on the short-term bank facility has been reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A3'.
 
The outlook revision reflects faster-than-expected recovery in demand for tractors and castings in the domestic market in fiscal 2021, backed by good monsoon and higher crop production. This is in contrast to moderation in operating performance expected earlier on account of temporary closure of plants and subdued demand in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. BAL's business is closely correlated to tractor demand, which in turn is dependent on the rural economy. The rural demand for tractors picked up from the second quarter of fiscal 2021, led by timely and widespread rainfall and record rabi crop production. The company should benefit from continued healthy tractor demand expected in the near term, with early Kharif sowing and good crop prospects.
 
For the six months through September 2020, operating income declined by 25% over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, and operating margin moderated to 1.75% due to the impact of factory closure amid the nationwide lockdown and subdued demand in the first quarter. Notwithstanding temporary disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, favourable demand for tractors and hence tractor castings will help sustain revenue at Rs 100 crore in fiscal 2021. Operating margins are expected to be around 4-5% in fiscal 2021, supported by passing on input price increase to customers from October 2020. The improvement in the company's operating performance will remain the key monitorable.
 
The ratings continue to reflect the company's established track record in the castings segment and adequate financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by high customer concentration and vulnerability to cyclicality in the tractor industry, susceptibility to volatile raw material costs, and modest scale of operations.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established track record: BAL has been in the castings business for more than three decades and has an established clientele. It has longstanding relationships with clients such as Escorts Ltd, Swaraj Engines Ltd and Mita India Pvt Ltd.
 
* Adequate financial risk profile: The financial risk profile is supported by adequate capital structure and debt protection metrics. Gearing stood at 0.24 time as on March 31, 2020, and is expected to remain below 0.4 time over the medium term, backed by steady cash accrual and the absence of any major debt-funded capital expenditure (capex). Interest coverage and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratios were comfortable at 6.47 times and 0.66 time, respectively, in fiscal 2020.
 
Weaknesses
* High customer concentration and vulnerability to cyclicality in the tractor industry: The bulk of revenue comes from three key clients. Therefore, loss of any one customer or weakened performance of any one of these players could lead to significant decline in revenue and suboptimal capacity utilisation. Revenue is also dependent on the performance of the tractor industry, which has improved from the second quarter of fiscal 2021, as the company manufactures castings primarily for tractors.
 
* Susceptibility of profitability to volatility in raw material costs and modest scale of operations: Operating margin has been volatile because of fluctuations in the prices of key raw materials (scrap and pig iron). OPBDIT margin moderated to 6.4% in fiscal 2020 from 6.9% in fiscal 2019, mainly due to decline in input costs which was passed on to the customers with a lag effect.  BAL's business risk profile is also constrained by modest scale of operations in the intensely competitive metal castings industry.
Liquidity Adequate

Expected net cash accrual of above Rs 3.0 crore will comfortably cover debt obligation of 0.7 crore and 0.2 crore in fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2022, respectively. Fund-based limit was utilised 50% on average for the 12 months through October 2020. The company did not apply for moratorium on bank facilities for six months as per the Reserve Bank of India circular.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes BAL's credit risk profile will benefit from demand pick-up in the tractor industry leading to healthy demand for tractor castings.
 
Rating sensitivity factors
Upward factors
* Steady revenue growth of 10% and stable operating profitability above 6%
* Improvement in the financial risk profile
 
Downward factors
* Decline of more than 25% annually in revenue
* Weakening of the financial risk profile due to large, debt-funded capex or stretched working capital cycle
* Higher than expected dividend payout impacting accretion to reserves

About the Company

BAL was set up by members of the Ahmedabad-based Bhagwati family. Commercial operations began in 1984. The company manufactures casting components, mainly for tractors. These components include several large cast products, such as gear box housings, axle housings, and exhaust castings. The manufacturing unit is in Bavla District (Ahmedabad), total capacity of which is 18,000 tonne per annum.
 
For the six months through September 2020, the company reported net loss of Rs. 0.46 crore and net sales was Rs 40 crore, against net profit of Rs 1.74 crore and net sales of Rs 53 crore, respectively, in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 101 120
PAT Rs crore 2.2 3.7
PAT margin % 2.2 3.1
Adjusted debt / adjusted networth Times 0.24 0.35
Interest coverage Times 6.47 7.61

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 Level Rating assigned with outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 12 NA CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA Dec-21 0.41 NA CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA Sep-22 1.18 NA CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 0.57 NA CRISIL BBB-/Stable
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 2.50 NA CRISIL A3
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
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  14.16  CRISIL BBB-/Stable  02-04-20  CRISIL BBB-/Negative  07-10-19  CRISIL BBB-/Stable  31-10-18  CRISIL BBB-/Positive  10-07-17  CRISIL BBB-/Stable  CRISIL BBB-/Negative 
                    31-05-17  CRISIL BBB-/Stable   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  2.50  CRISIL A3  02-04-20  CRISIL A3  07-10-19  CRISIL A3  31-10-18  CRISIL A3  10-07-17  CRISIL A3  CRISIL A3 
                    31-05-17  CRISIL A3   
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
Bank Guarantee 2.5 CRISIL A3 Bank Guarantee 2.5 CRISIL A3
Cash Credit 12 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Cash Credit 12 CRISIL BBB-/Negative
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility .57 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Term Loan 2.16 CRISIL BBB-/Negative
Term Loan 1.59 CRISIL BBB-/Stable -- 0 --
Total 16.66 -- Total 16.66 --
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 Auto Component Suppliers

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