Rating Rationale
November 17, 2022 | Mumbai
Creative Newtech Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL BBB/Positive/CRISIL A3+'; Rated amount enhanced for Bank Debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.85.25 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.70 Crore)
Long Term RatingCRISIL BBB/Positive (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A3+ (Reaffirmed)
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 reaffirmed its ‘CRISIL BBB/Positive/CRISIL A3+’ ratings on the bank facilities of Creative Newtech Limited (CNL, formerly known as Creative Peripherals And Distribution Ltd).

 

The ratings continue to reflect the extensive experience of the promoter in the distribution of computer peripherals and consumer electronics, the company’s diversified product portfolio, established relationships with principal suppliers, efficient working capital management and above-average financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to intense competition, low operating margin and customer concentration in revenue.

Analytical Approach

Unsecured loan of Rs 1.42 crore as on March 31, 2022, from the promoter has been treated as debt.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Extensive experience of the promoter: The promoter has more than two decades of experience in the consumer electronics business which has helped establish a clientele across multiple channels including small retailers, large format retailers and e-commerce players. The extensive experience helps in stocking decisions and addition of products to increase sales. This has led to steady growth in revenue to Rs 933.1 crore in fiscal 2022 from Rs 451 crore in fiscal 2020. Further the company has reported revenues of Rs. 233 crore in Q1 FY23 and the revenues are further expected to improve over the medium term.

 

  • Diversified product offerings and established relationships with principal suppliers: The company is an exclusive distributor across India for various products for reputed brands such as Cooler Master, GoPro, Honeywell, Olympus, Philips, Samsung, Transcend and Viewsonic across information technology (IT), imaging, lifestyle and security segments. The company has established relations with suppliers and is an exclusive distributor for many of its suppliers which has helped scale up operations. The company also receives compensation for any price revision or obsolesce of products, helping it manage inventory. The diversified product offerings reduce the risk of slowdown in demand for a single product.

 

  • Efficient working capital requirement: The working capital cycle is efficiently managed, as reflected in gross current assets (GCAs) of 89 days as on March 31, 2022, with receivables of 32 days and inventory of 39 days. The quick cash conversion cycle and strong relationships with vendors ensure limited inventory risk. The working capital cycle is partly supported by payables of 27 days. Diversified clientele, limited credit exposure to a single customer and low credit period safeguard against counterparty credit risk.  The working capital cycle is expected to improve and will remain a key monitorable over the medium term.

 

  • Above-average financial risk profile: Networth and total outside liabilities to adjusted networth ratio were comfortable at Rs 75.18 crore and 2.29 times, respectively, as on March 31, 2022. Debt protection metrics were adequate, reflected in interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios of 5.08 times and 0.28 time, respectively, in fiscal 2022. The financial risk profile will remain healthy over the medium term owing to steady accretion to reserve and limited reliance on external borrowing.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Customer concentration in revenue: Though the revenue increased significantly to Rs 933 crore, around 49% comes from a single overseas customer in fiscal 2022 which continues to contribute around 45-50% of revenues in Q1 FY23. Any loss of business or change in strategy in key commercial terms of the principal customer can adversely impact the credit risk profile of CNL.

 

  • Exposure to intense competition: Intense competition in the consumer electronics distribution business because of low entry barriers, as indicated by negligible capital requirement, leads to stiff pricing competition among players, impacting scalability.

 

  • Low operating margin: Operating margin is typically low in the distribution business because of limited value addition. CNL had an operating margin of 2.5-4.0% in the three fiscals through 2022. The low operating margin leaves cash accrual highly vulnerable to changes in operating cost. Revisions in terms with vendors or pressure to enhance margin sharing with the distribution network amid intense competition will remain key monitorable.

Liquidity: Adequate

Cash accrual, expected at Rs 19-20 crore per fiscal over the medium term, will sufficiently cover term debt obligation of Rs 1.1 crore and Rs 1.8 crore in fiscals 2023 and 2024, respectively. The surplus will cushion liquidity. Bank limit utilisation was moderate at 79% on average for the 12 months through May 2022. Cash and bank balance was Rs 5.9 crore as on March 31, 2022. Moderate capital structure and healthy networth support financial flexibility to withstand adverse conditions or downturn in the business.

Outlook: Positive

CRISIL Ratings expects the business risk profile of CNL to improve driven by increasing scale of operations while sustaining operating margins.

Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Reduction in customer concentration to less than 35% from each customer
  • Steady revenue growth and stable operating margin leading to higher cash accrual
  • Continued efficient working capital cycle, strengthening the financial risk profile

 

Downward factors:

  • Stretched working capital cycle, with GCAs above 200 days, weakening the financial risk profile and liquidity
  • Decline in revenue or profitability, leading to lower cash accrual

About the Company

Set up in 1995 by Mr Ketan Patel, CNL is a distributor of consumer electronic goods in the information technology, imaging, lifestyle and security segments for brands such as GoPro, Honeywell, Olympus, Philips, Samsung, Transcend and Viewsonic. The company is based in Mumbai and is listed on the National Stock Exchange.

Key Financial Indicators

As on / for the period ended March 31

 

2022

2021

Operating income

Rs crore

932.59

514.96

Reported profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

17.19

10.75

PAT margin

%

1.84

2.09

Adjusted debt / adjusted networth

Times

0.86

0.82

Interest coverage

Times

4.92

4.32

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.crisil.com/complexity-levels. 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

level

Rating assigned

with outlook

NA

Cash Credit

NA

NA

NA

50

NA

CRISIL BBB/Positive

NA

Letter of Credit

NA

NA

NA

20.5

NA

CRISIL A3+

NA

Working Capital

Demand Loan

NA

NA

Dec-24

5.25

NA

CRISIL BBB/Positive

NA

Electronic Dealer Financing Scheme(e-DFS)

NA

NA

NA

4.5

NA

CRISIL BBB/Positive

NA

Channel Financing

NA

NA

NA

5

NA

CRISIL BBB/Positive

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2022 (History) 2021  2020  2019  Start of 2019
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 64.75 CRISIL BBB/Positive 04-11-22 CRISIL BBB/Positive   -- 23-12-20 CRISIL BBB/Stable   -- Withdrawn
      -- 19-07-22 CRISIL BBB/Positive   -- 26-03-20 CRISIL BBB/Negative   -- --
      -- 10-03-22 CRISIL BBB/Positive   -- 24-02-20 CRISIL BBB/Stable   -- --
      -- 28-01-22 CRISIL BBB/Positive   --   --   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 20.5 CRISIL A3+ 04-11-22 CRISIL A3+   -- 23-12-20 CRISIL A3+   -- --
      -- 19-07-22 CRISIL A3+   -- 26-03-20 CRISIL A3+   -- --
      -- 10-03-22 CRISIL A3+   -- 24-02-20 CRISIL A3+   -- --
      -- 28-01-22 CRISIL A3+   --   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Cash Credit 12 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Positive
Cash Credit 13 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Positive
Cash Credit 20 State Bank of India CRISIL BBB/Positive
Cash Credit 5 State Bank of India CRISIL BBB/Positive
Channel Financing 5 Tata Capital Financial Services Limited CRISIL BBB/Positive
Electronic Dealer Financing Scheme(e-DFS) 4.5 State Bank of India CRISIL BBB/Positive
Letter of Credit 11.5 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A3+
Letter of Credit 9 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL A3+
Working Capital Demand Loan 1.02 State Bank of India CRISIL BBB/Positive
Working Capital Demand Loan 1 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Positive
Working Capital Demand Loan 1.38 Axis Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Positive
Working Capital Demand Loan 1.1 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL BBB/Positive
Working Capital Demand Loan 0.75 Tata Capital Financial Services Limited CRISIL BBB/Positive

This Annexure has been updated on 17-Nov-22 in line with the lender-wise facility details as on 29-Dec-21 received from the rated entity.

Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Criteria for rating trading companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
Rating Criteria for Retailing Industry
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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