Rating Rationale
July 06, 2020 | Mumbai
Chiripal Poly Films Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1139.26 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A-/Negative (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A2+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A-/Negative/CRISIL A2+' ratings on the bank facilities of Chiripal Poly Films Ltd (CPFL).

Revenue is estimated to have declined by 16% in fiscal 2020 compared with fiscal 2019, mainly on account of lower realisations due to sharp decline in commodity prices since January 2020. However, operating margin is estimated to have improved to around 10% in fiscal 2020 from 8.3% in fiscal 2019 due to steady conversion margin per tonne.
 
The nationwide lockdown due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has not materially impacted the company's operations, with packaging material being classified as essential commodity. Operating margin in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 was healthy at 14.15% backed by resilient demand and lower commodity prices. Operating profitability is thus expected to be around 12% in near to medium term; though revenue will remain subdued due to lower realisations. Pick-up in demand and improvement in the operating performance will be key monitorables.  
 
Further, part conversion of domestic borrowings to low-cost foreign currency borrowings has resulted in interest cost savings of Rs 20 crore annually. Foreign currency borrowings enjoy a natural hedge against exports, as 21% of sales were export sales in fiscal 2020, reducing foreign exchange risk. The company has availed six-month moratorium on bank facilities, resulting in adequate cushion between net cash accrual and debt obligation of Rs 101 crore in fiscal 2021. The ongoing capital expenditure (capex) for a third line of biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) in Telangana was temporarily halted during the lockdown; however, work has resumed and is likely to be completed by December 2020. As on date, the promoters have infused Rs 149 crore, and Rs 31.5 crore of debt has been drawndown for this project.
 
Financial risk profile continues to remain average largely on account of capex, with gearing expected around 1.0 time and debt to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) ratio expected around 4 times in fiscal 2021. With the completion of capex, the financial metrics is expected to improve significantly, with gearing expected around 0.75 time by end of fiscal 2022. Operations continue to remain working capital intensive on account of an extensive credit period (75-90 days) while payments to suppliers are made in 35-40 days. Improvement in the financial metrics will remain a key monitorable.   
 
The ratings continue to reflect CPFL's established market position as one of the leading poly film manufacturers in India, experienced management team, moderate operating efficiency supported by strong capacity utilisation and benefits of backward integration into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) chips. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to volatile raw material prices and realisations driven by demand-supply dynamics, and average financial risk profile driven by modest leverage and debt protection metrics. The ratings are also constrained by the company's exposure to project risks related to delays in large, on-going debt funded capex.

Analytical Approach

* CRISIL has taken a standalone approach as business transactions with the Chiripal group are at arm's length and there is no financial fungibility among group companies.
* CRISIL has treated the inter-corporate deposits from promoters as neither debt nor equity as these deposits are subordinated to external debt, have flexible repayment schedule, and will stay in the company till the external term debt is fully repaid.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established market position as one of the leading poly film manufacturers in India: The company manufactures BOPP, biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET), and metallised films, which are extensively used in the flexible packaging industry that caters to end-user industries such as fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, electricals, and textiles. It has a combined capacity of 115,350 tonne per annum (TPA) to manufacture these films (77,550 TPA of BOPP and 37,800 TPA of BOPET), which makes it one of the leading manufacturers in India. In fiscal 2017, the company also started manufacturing PET chips with capacity of 220,000 TPA. Lower commodity prices are expected to result in moderation in revenue over near to medium term.

* Experienced management team: CPFL's management has strong industry experience of over 15 years. Further, CPFL is part of the diversified Chiripal group, which has extensive experience in the textile value chain with presence in textile fabrics and petrochemicals, among others. The management has shown the ability to leverage on this experience to make CPFL a leading domestic manufacturer in terms of combined capacity. Further, the group's presence in the textile value chain mitigates the offtake risk in PET chips as around 60% of the capacity is consumed by the group (either in-house or by group companies). The promoters have infused funds into the company to support rapid expansion; around Rs 450 crore of equity has been infused since the company's inception.

* Moderate operating efficiency supported by strong capacity utilisation and benefits of backward integration into PET chips: While the operating profitability is susceptible to raw material price volatility, the company has been able to keep them range-bound between 8-12% over the last five years, despite strong revenue growth during this period. Diversified product mix, strong customer relationships, savings in raw material and customer freight costs and recent backward integration into PET chips have helped the company maintain high capacity utilization of about 80% and keep its margins less volatile. The company's manufacturing lines (all in Ahmedabad) are located in close proximity to the major west-based suppliers such as Reliance Industries Ltd ('CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+') and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. ('CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+') and customers (West-India contributed to around 60% of revenue in fiscal 2019). Entire requirement of PET chips to manufacture BOPET films is being met in-house from fiscal 2018 onwards, which also mitigates inherent volatility in raw material cost. Going forward, operating profitability is expected to improve to 12% on account of resilient demand for packaging films and steady EBITDA contribution per tonne.

Weaknesses
* Susceptibility to volatile raw material costs and realisations driven by demand-supply dynamics: The BOPP and BOPET business is cyclical; product realisations have fluctuated in the past depending on demand-supply gap. Further, the industry is highly competitive with a few large players aggressively expanding capacities over the past few years, resulting in realisation pressures. Players have tended to add large capacities whenever there is improvement in prices, leading to a fall in product realisations subsequently. Further, the key raw materials, poly propylene granules, pure terephthalic acid (PTA), and mono ethylene glycol are all derivatives of crude and hence, profitability is susceptible to volatility in crude prices. Players have the flexibility to pass on the raw material price fluctuations to customers to an extent.

* Average financial risk profile driven by modest leverage and debt protection metrics: Debt protection metrics are modest, with adjusted interest coverage and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratio estimated at 2.93 times and 0.16 time, respectively, in fiscal 2020. These metrics are likely to peak by the end of fiscal 2021 with capex for setting up the third BOPP line at Telangana. The debt to EBITDA ratio stood at 4.26 times as on March 31, 2020, on account of draw down for capex, which will commercialise operations from December 2020 and lead to improvement in gearing to 0.75 time by the end of fiscal 2022.

. Exposure to project risks related to the delay in large on-going debt-funded capex: The company is setting up a third BOPP line with capacity of 50,600 tpa in Telangana. The project was earlier expected to become operational from fiscal 2020. With delay in funding a tie up, it is now expected to be operational from fiscal 2021.The total cost of this project is about Rs 507 crore, which is being funded in a debt-to-equity mix of 1.84:1. As on date, Rs 150 crore towards machinery has been incurred in fiscal 2018, promoters have infused Rs 149 crore and Rs 31.5 crore of debt has been drawndown. Given the substantial size of the capex (almost 61% of the estimated networth as on March 31, 2020), the company is exposed to risks relating to timely implementation and stabilisation of the project.
Liquidity Adequate

Bank limit utilisation averaged 88% (including Covid-19 lines and allowed interchangeability between fund- and non-fund based facilities) during the past 12 months through May 2020, with peak utilisation of 96% in March 2020 on account of the pandemic-led lockdown; however, the situation has gradually improved thereafter. Further, the company has availed six month moratorium on interest and principal for bank facilities and 10% additional COVID emergency lines amounting to Rs 20.85 crores, thereby easing liquidity pressure. The company's net cash accruals is expected to be adequate to meet repayment obligation of Rs 103 crore in fiscal 2021.

Outlook: Negative

CRISIL believes improvement in CPFL's financial risk profile will be slower than expected due to delay in Telangana capex.

Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
* Improvement in financial metrics with gearing below 0.8 time on a sustained basis
* Significant and sustained improvement in operating performance

Downward Factors
* Deterioration in financial metrics with gearing  above 1 times over the medium term
* Delay in completion and stabilisation of ongoing capex
* Significant weakening of liquidity due to increase in working capital requirement.

About the Company

CPFL, incorporated in 2009, manufactures BOPP, BOPET, and metallised films, which are widely used in the packaging industry. The company is part of the Ahmedabad-based Chiripal group, which has a presence in industries such as textiles, education, real estate, packaging, and chemicals. The company's operations are at Vraj Integrated Textile Park near Ahmedabad. It has plant capacities of 77,550 tpa (2 lines of 38,775 tpa each) and 37,800 tpa, for BOPP and BOPET, respectively. It has also set up a polyester chips manufacturing facility with capacity of 220,000 tpa that was commissioned in March 2017, and a coating film line with capacity of 4,500 tpa that commenced operations in April 2019. CPFL is currently setting up a third BOPP line with capacity of 50,600 tpa in Telangana.

For fiscal 2020 on provisional basis, CPFL recorded revenue of Rs 2020 crores, EBITDA of Rs 205 crores and PAT of Rs 82 crores.

Key Financial Indicators (Standalone)
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs.Crore 2390 1889
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs.Crore 68 50
PAT Margin % 2.8 2.6
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 1.21 1.37
Adjusted interest coverage Times 2.36 2.30

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 Facility Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity date Issue size (Rs.Crore) Complexity Level Rating assigned with outlook
NA Fund-Based Facilities NA NA NA 275 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Non-Fund Based Limit NA NA NA 390 NA CRISIL A2+
NA Term loan 1 NA NA Mar-2021 4.03 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 2 NA NA Mar-2021 2.90 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 3 NA NA Sep-2024 48.93 NA CRISILA-/Negative
NA Term loan 4 NA NA Nov-2021 13.77 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 5 NA NA Dec-2029 43.65 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 6 NA NA Sep-2024 48.93 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 7 NA NA Mar-2027 43 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 8 NA NA Mar-2027 43 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 9 NA NA Dec-2031 86 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 10 NA NA Dec-2031 65 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 11 NA NA Dec-2031 28 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Term loan 12 NA NA Mar-2030 13.56 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
NA Proposed Term Loan NA NA NA 33.49 NA CRISIL A-/Negative
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  749.26  CRISIL A-/Negative  31-01-20  CRISIL A-/Negative      11-10-18  CRISIL A-/Stable      Suspended/ Suspended 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  390.00  CRISIL A2+  31-01-20  CRISIL A2+      11-10-18  CRISIL A2+      Suspended 
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
Fund-Based Facilities 275 CRISIL A-/Negative Fund-Based Facilities 275 CRISIL A-/Negative
Non-Fund Based Limit 390 CRISIL A2+ Non-Fund Based Limit 390 CRISIL A2+
Proposed Term Loan 33.49 CRISIL A-/Negative Proposed Term Loan 33.49 CRISIL A-/Negative
Term Loan 440.77 CRISIL A-/Negative Term Loan 440.77 CRISIL A-/Negative
Total 1139.26 -- Total 1139.26 --
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
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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