Rating Rationale
June 25, 2020 | Mumbai
Coal India Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.5550 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Corporate Credit Rating CCR AAA/Stable (Renewed & Reaffirmed)
Rs.150 Crore Short Term Debt CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has renewed and reaffirmed its 'CCR AAA/Stable' corporate credit rating on Coal India Limited (CIL) and reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AAA/Stable/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the company's bank facilities and short-term debt.
 
The ratings continue to reflect CIL's strategic role in helping India meet its energy requirement, its near-monopoly status, healthy profitability and strong financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility to regulatory risks and socio-political factors, and constraints in the coal distribution and evacuation infrastructure in India.

Analytical Approach

CIL coordinates the operations, pricing and treasury functions of its subsidiaries: Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, Central Coalfields Ltd, Eastern Coalfields Ltd, Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, Northern Coalfields Ltd, South Eastern Coalfields Ltd, Western Coalfields Ltd, Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Ltd, and Coal India Africana Ltd. Hence, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries to arrive at the ratings. Coal India Ltd and all its subsidiaries are together referred as CIL.

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:
* Strategic importance in meeting India's energy requirement: Given India's abundant coal reserves and non-availability of other sustainable sources of fuel, coal will continue to play a dominant role in meeting the country's energy requirement. CIL accounted for an estimated 85% of domestic coal production in fiscal 2020. Total production by the company and offtake during the fiscal were 602 and 582 million tonne, respectively (607 and 608 million tonne respectively, in the previous fiscal). Around 80% of its supplies were to the power sector.
 
* Continued near-monopoly status: CIL possesses 48% of India's proven reserves in its command area and accounts for the bulk of the domestic coal production. While the government recently launched auctions for 41 coal mines for commercial mining by private sector players, implementation will take time, and therefore, CIL may continue to enjoy its monopoly over the medium term.
 
* Healthy profitability: Favourable geological conditions and improving productivity in terms of output per man-shift through increased outsourcing and capital expenditure (capex) kept the operating margin healthy over the past decade. Application of coal cess from December 2017 and increase in price in January 2018 resulted in higher profitability in fiscal 2019. However, the profitability was impacted in fiscal 2020 by lower offtake (especially by the power sector) and depressed e-auction premiums. Production declined 0.8% while offtake fell 4.3% during fiscal 2020, driven by a 5.5% drop in demand from the power sector. OPBDIT (operating profit before depreciation, interest and taxes) margin was 22.2% in the nine months through December 2019 compared with 23.6% during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.
 
Offtake and profitability are expected to be lower in the first half of fiscal 2021 with power demand being constrained due to the national lockdown during the first quarter to control the Covid-19 pandemic. However, with expected recovery of demand from the power sector, volume and profitability should increase from the third quarter and remain healthy over the medium term. Meanwhile, reduced demand will continue to constrain e-auction premiums in fiscal 2021 before recovering in 2022.
 
* Strong financial risk profile: Gearing is estimated below 0.1 time and liquidity is robust around Rs 29,000 crore as on March 31, 2020 (around Rs 33,000 a year earlier). While the debt is estimated to be higher at around Rs 2,400 crore as on March 2020 than last year (Rs. 2,210 crore), lower-than-expected dividend payout of Rs 7,400 crore (excluding dividend distribution tax) kept the capital structure sound. The government reduced its shareholding to 66.13% during the year from 70.96% a year ago.
 
CIL recently allowed usance letters of credit (LCs) as a form of payment for coal supplies. This is expected to increase receivables by Rs 4,000-5,000 crore during fiscal 2021, subsequently increasing the working capital borrowings. With muted realisations and increasing debt, the gearing is expected to increase but remain comfortable below 0.2 time as on March 31, 2021.
 
CIL will undertake capital expenditure (capex) of Rs 20,000 - 23,000 crore in fiscals 2021 and 2022, primarily to increase mining and coal washing capacity and improve rail infrastructure. The company plans to set up solar power and thermal power plants, and revive fertiliser plants. However, these plans are in the preliminary stage, with no significant investment expected over the medium term.
 
Despite the proposed capex, share buyback and large dividend payout, financial risk profile and liquidity will remain strong over the medium term, backed by robust capital structure, sizeable liquid surplus and healthy cash accrual. Any larger-than-expected capex, adversely impacting cash position, will remain a key monitorable.
 
Weaknesses:
* Exposure to socio-political and regulatory risks: Despite improving productivity, CIL's coal output has been constrained by delays in obtaining environmental and forest approvals, especially in greenfield projects, and lack of adequate logistic infrastructure. Flexibility is also restricted by socio-political factors, which mandate development activities in coal mining areas, thereby impacting the cost structure. CIL plays an important role in ensuring the country's energy security, and domestic coal has a discounted price compared to imported coal. Private players entering the business under the commercial mining route will take time to start production, thus keeping CIL's near-monopoly status and strategic importance to the Government of India intact. Operational flexibility has improved in the past two years with environmental and forest clearances enabling faster implementation of stuck projects for coal evacuation. Any change in the regulatory regime or socio-political factors will impact the business.
 
* Constraints in coal distribution and evacuation infrastructure: In the past, volume was hit by shortage of adequate rakes for transportation of coal and lack of last-mile connectivity in pitheads. Nonetheless, there has been progress in implementation of previously stuck projects, with better coordination among stakeholders. Consequently, two critical rail links (Tori-Shivpur, Tori-Balumath) for transporting coal from CIL's mines were commissioned in fiscal 2019. CIL is focussing on improving the rail infrastructure in Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Also, some of the major rail projects (Shivpur-Kathotia and Tentuloi-Budhapunk) will be implemented over the next couple of years to ease evacuation constraints and increase the share of railways in transporting coal. Any delay in the completion of these links may impact production.
Liquidity Superior

Liquidity is backed by large cash and bank balance of around Rs 29,000 crore as on March 31, 2020. Working capital limit of Rs 140 crore was largely unutilised during fiscal 2020, and the company funded working capital requirement largely through overdraft. Though working capital borrowing will increase in fiscal 2021 as the company has allowed usance LCs as payment for coal, liquidity should remain robust backed by healthy cash accrual. Long-term debt remains negligible.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes CIL will maintain its dominant position in the domestic coal industry over the medium term, driven by strong capital structure and surplus liquidity.

Rating Sensitivity factors
Downward factors:
* Any material adverse impact of changes in India's coal policy
* Significant weakening of financial risk profile and liquidity
About the Company

CIL was incorporated in 1973 as Coal Mines Authority Ltd after the nationalisation of the coal sector. It was reconstituted as a formal holding company with the present name in November 1975. The company has eight wholly owned Indian subsidiaries: Bharat Coking Coal Ltd, Central Coalfields Ltd, Eastern Coalfields Ltd, Western Coalfields Ltd, Northern Coalfields Ltd, Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, South Eastern Coalfields Ltd, and Coal Mines Planning and Development Institute Ltd. It has a wholly owned subsidiary in Mozambique, Coal India Africana Ltd.
 
CIL was conferred the Maharatna status by the Indian government in April 2011. The status provides operational and financial autonomy. Additionally, seven of its nine wholly owned subsidiaries have been accorded the Miniratna status, leading to decentralisation of operations and decision-making. In October 2010, the government divested 10% stake in CIL for Rs 15,200 crore through an initial public offering (IPO). After the IPO, CIL was listed on the domestic stock exchanges. Over the years, the government has divested stake through offer for sale, by way of placement of shares in Central Public Sector Exchange Traded Fund and buyback of shares through offer for sale. Government shareholding as on March 31, 2020, was 66.13%.
 
In fiscal 2020, CIL produced 602 million tonne of coal against 607 million tonne in the previous fiscal.

The company had PAT of Rs 12,075 crore and total income of Rs 72,704 crore during the nine months through December 2019, compared with Rs 11,438 crore and Rs 75,055 crore, respectively, for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators
As on/for the period ended March 31   2019 2018
Operating income Rs crore 99,547 86,650
Profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 17,463 7038
PAT margin % 17.5 8.1
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.09 0.08
Interest coverage Times 91 22

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
Levels
Rating assigned
with outlook
NA Cash Credit & Working Capital demand loan NA NA NA 250 NA CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee^ NA NA NA 2290 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Foreign Exchange Forward NA NA NA 10 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Short Term Debt NA NA 7-365 days 150 Simple CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed Long Term
Bank Loan Facility
NA NA NA 3000 NA CRISIL AAA/Stable
^Out of this Rs.1990 Crore is outside consortium non-fund based limits
 
Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Names of entities consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
Bharat Coking Coal Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business linkages
Central Coalfields Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business linkages
Eastern Coalfields Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business linkages
Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business linkages
Northern Coalfields Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business linkages
South Eastern Coalfields Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business linkages
Western Coalfields Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business linkages
Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business linkages
Coal India Africana Ltd Fully consolidated Strong financial and business 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
CCR  0.00  CCR AAA/Stable      04-06-19  CCR AAA/Stable  04-09-18  CCR AAA/Stable  10-07-17  CCR AAA/Stable  CCR AAA 
                04-06-18  CCR AAA/Stable  31-03-17  CCR AAA/Stable   
--  CCR  0.00  Withdrawal    --    --    --    --  -- 
Short Term Debt  ST  150.00  CRISIL A1+      04-06-19  CRISIL A1+  04-09-18  CRISIL A1+  10-07-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
                04-06-18  CRISIL A1+  31-03-17  CRISIL A1+   
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  3260.00  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+      04-06-19  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  04-09-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  10-07-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+ 
                04-06-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  31-03-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable/ CRISIL A1+   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  2290.00  CRISIL A1+      04-06-19  CRISIL A1+  04-09-18  CRISIL A1+  10-07-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
                04-06-18  CRISIL A1+  31-03-17  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
Cash Credit & Working Capital demand loan 250 CRISIL AAA/Stable Cash Credit & Working Capital demand loan 250 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Foreign Exchange Forward 10 CRISIL A1+ Foreign Exchange Forward 10 CRISIL A1+
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee^ 2290 CRISIL A1+ Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee^ 2290 CRISIL A1+
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 3000 CRISIL AAA/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 3000 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Total 5550 -- Total 5550 --
^Out of this Rs.1990 Crore is outside consortium non-fund based limits
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 Mining Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Entities Based on Government Support

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