Rating Rationale
March 07, 2024 | Mumbai
Bondada Engineering Limited
'CRISIL BBB+/Positive/CRISIL A2' assigned to Bank Debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.283 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL BBB+/Positive (Assigned)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A2 (Assigned)
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 assigned its CRISIL BBB+/Positive/CRISIL A2 ratings to the bank facilities of Bondada Engineering Ltd (BEL; part of the Bondada group).

 

The ratings reflect the proven track record of the group in the telecom and solar EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) industry, extensive experience of the promoters, strong order book providing revenue visibility, diverse business operations, geographical presence and well-established customer base, and a healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by a concentrated order book, susceptibility to tender-based operations and large working capital requirement.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL Ratings has combined the business and financial risk profiles of BEL and its subsidiaries, Bondada Ecobuild Pvt Ltd (BEPL), Bondada Adobes Pvt Ltd (BAPL), Bondada E&E Pvt Ltd (BEEPL) and Atpole Technologies Pvt Ltd (ATPL). This is because all these entities, together referred to as the Bondada group, have a common management and fund flow fungibility among them.

 

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:

  • Proven track record in the telecom and solar EPC industry and extensive experience of the promoters: The group has been providing EPC and operation & maintenance (O&M) services in the telecom industry since 2012. It has worked on more than 11,600 telecom sites in 7 states in India and completed several contracts in the telecom tower EPC and solar EPC segments. Also, the promoters' experience of over two decades has enabled them to develop a strong understanding of market dynamics and establish healthy relations with customers and suppliers.

 

  • Healthy order book, though concentrated, providing revenue visibility: Order book of over Rs 1,600 crore (ongoing) as of January 2024 is to be executed over the next 12-24 months. Furthermore, the group has been declared L1 in orders worth more than Rs 1,500 crore, for which execution is expected to commence over the medium term. However, the order book is highly concentrated, with a single order from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) accounting for over 70% of the current order book. However, the strong credit profiles of the counterparties mitigate concentration risks to an extent. Timely execution of the key orders and diversification of order book will be monitorable.

 

  • Diverse business operations: The group started its business as a telecom EPC service provider, and gradually ventured into other services such as solar EPC, telecom tower and optical fibre cable (OFC) O&M, solar O&M, manufacturing of telecom tower, supply of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks and other construction materials, and supply of unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) products. Diverse range of business operations allows the group to not only weather economic downturns but also position itself for sustained growth in the long run.

 

  • Geographical presence and well-established customer base: The group has longstanding relationships with customers and suppliers. It has executed projects in more than 23 states for telecom, solar and OFC-related services. Customers include well-established players in the telecom industry, such as Reliance Jio, Airtel, Tata Communications, Bharti Infratel Ltd, Indus Towers, American Tower, and BSNL. BEL has bagged repeat orders from these customers.

 

  • Healthy financial risk profile: The company has raised equity of around Rs 43 crore in fiscal 2024, which is likely to strengthen networth to above Rs 150 crore as on March 31, 2024. This, along with controlled debt, is expected to lead to a strong gearing of under 0.75 time. In the absence of any major debt-funded capital expenditure, and healthy profitability; capital structure and debt protection metrics are expected to remain comfortable over the medium term.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Working capital-intensive operations: Gross current assets stood at around 160-200 days over the last three fiscals ended March 31, 2023, mainly driven by debtor days of 120-130 days. GCA days have improved in first half of fiscal 2024 with GCA of 125 days as on September 31, 2023. For the ongoing large order from BSNL, company receives interest free mobilization advances which will support the working capital requirements. With large orders in hand, ability to manage working capital efficiently over the medium term with limited reliance on external borrowings and maintenance of adequate liquidity will be monitorable.

 

  • Susceptibility to tender-based operations: Revenue and profitability will depend on the ability to win large tenders in the face of intense competition, which requires bidding aggressively, thereby restricting operating margin. Hence, securing large orders from strong counterparties on time will remain crucial to maintaining growth rate over the medium term.

Liquidity: Adequate

Bank limit utilisation was around 84.56% for the 13 months through January 2024. Expected annual cash accrual of over Rs 40 crore will be sufficient to meet yearly term debt obligation of Rs 1-2 crore, over the medium term; the remaining will cushion liquidity.

Outlook: Positive

With timely execution of the large orders in hand, business risk profile will improve over the medium term.

Rating Sensitivity Factors

Upward factors

  • Healthy flow of orders resulting in greater diversification of order book, and their efficient execution strengthening business risk profile.
  • Improvement in revenue to above Rs 1,000 crore resulting in higher cash accrual.

 

Downward factors

  • Delays in execution of existing orders leading to revenue below Rs 600 crore.
  • Further stretch in working capital cycle weakening financial risk profile, including liquidity.

About the Group

BEL was incorporated in 2012 and is promoted by Mr Ragavendar Rao and Mr B Satyanarayana to carry out design and EPC work for the telecom and solar segments. It also provides O&M services to telecom service providers.

 

BEPL (formerly, Smartbrix Infra Technologies Pvt Ltd) manufactures building materials such as AAC blocks, jointing mortar, wall putty and ready plaster at its facility in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. The unit has an installed capacity of ~1.50 lakh cubic metre per annum. BEL holds 59.99% of the paid-up capital of BEPL.

 

BAPL was incorporated as Proaxive Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd is mainly manufactures uPVC products such as doors and windows at its two manufacturing facilities that have a combined capacity of ~2.88 lakh square feet per annum. BEL holds 99.99% stake in BAPL.

 

BEEPL was incorporated in June 2023. It manufactures LED lights. BEL holds 85.00% of the paid-up capital in the company.

 

ATPL; acquired stake of 60% in Dec 2023 is a leading manufacturer of advanced  torque motors and controllers for electric two- and three-wheelers, drones, defense and industrial application motors. ATPL specialises in design, development and production of brushless DC (BLDC) and permanent magnet synchronous motors. With this acquisition, company plans to enter into the BLDC motor business.

Key financial indicators: Consolidated

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit 

2023

2022

Operating income

Rs.Crore

370.59

334.37

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs.Crore

16.56

11.17

PAT margin

%

4.52

3.25

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

1.04

0.66

Interest coverage

Times

5.39

5.94

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 Cr)

Complexity

Levels

Rating Assigned

with Outlook

NA

Bank Guarantee

NA

NA

NA

15

NA

CRISIL A2

NA

Bank Guarantee

NA

NA

NA

98

NA

CRISIL A2

NA

Bank Guarantee

NA

NA

NA

70

NA

CRISIL A2

NA

Cash Credit

NA

NA

NA

20

NA

CRISIL BBB+/Positive

NA

Cash Credit

NA

NA

NA

70

NA

CRISIL BBB+/Positive

NA

Cash Credit

NA

NA

NA

2

NA

CRISIL BBB+/Positive

NA

Long Term Loan

NA

NA

31-July-2033

8

NA

CRISIL BBB+/Positive

Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated

Names of entities consolidated

Extent of consolidation

Rationale for consolidation

Bondada Engineering Ltd

Full

Parent

Bondada EcoBuild Pvt Ltd

Full

Subsidiary and common management

Bondada Abodes Pvt Ltd

Full

Subsidiary and common management

Bondada E&E Pvt Ltd

Full

Subsidiary and common management

Atpole Technologies Pvt Ltd

Full

Subsidiary and common management

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 100.0 CRISIL BBB+/Positive   --   --   --   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 183.0 CRISIL A2   --   --   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 15 Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited CRISIL A2
Bank Guarantee 98 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A2
Bank Guarantee 70 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL A2
Cash Credit 20 Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Positive
Cash Credit 70 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Positive
Cash Credit 2 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Positive
Long Term Loan 8 The Federal Bank Limited CRISIL BBB+/Positive
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating Criteria for Construction Industry
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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