Rating Rationale
July 24, 2020 | Mumbai
Electronics Technology Parks- Kerala
Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.593.38 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A/Stable' rating on the long-term bank facilities of Electronics Technology Parks- Kerala (ETP Kerala).
 
The rating continues to reflect the firm's steady cash flow with healthy occupancy and diversified clientele, and strong debt protection metrics, backed by sufficient liquidity. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to risks related to vacancy, volatile interest rates, and project implementation.
 
Considering the measures taken by the central government to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, CRISIL believes that muted economic activity and work-from-home practices adopted by corporates, may lead to increased vacancy in the near term. Disruption in construction activities, during the lockdown, may delay the project. The company also offered temporary relief on payment of rent to its tenants, and this may lead to lower cash accrual. CRISIL will continue to monitor developments related to the pandemic and its impact.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its rating, CRISIL has considered the standalone business and financial risk profiles of ETP Kerala, as the firm has no fungible cash flow with any other entity.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Steady cash flow with full occupancy in phases I and III, diversified clientele, and long-term lease agreements
The firm had completely leased out phases I and III, which have total leasable area of 20.1 lakh square feet (sq ft), and has leased out around 33,000 sq ft of the Kollam IT Park in phase V. The firm has a track record of over 25 years in lease rental collection. The management's proactive approach towards property maintenance, will help maintain tenant stickiness and asset quality. Over 400 tenants occupy phases I and III, ensuring customer diversification. Furthermore, long-term lease agreements, with annual escalation of 5%, provide revenue visibility for the medium term.
 
* Healthy debt protection metrics, backed by strong liquidity
Debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) should remain healthy over the tenure of the lease rent discounting (LRD) loan, supported by steady cash flow and low debt. Average DSCR of 2 times is expected through the debt repayment period. The rating also factors in the tight escrow mechanism, wherein lease rentals of 92 customers are deposited directly into the account, and servicing of the rated LRD loan has the highest priority, after which surplus cash flow will be available to meet operating expenses and capital expenditure (capex), if any. DSCR should remain healthy for the current fiscal, despite relief measures offered to tenants, following an order from the government of Kerala. The firm has waived off rentals of three months, for tenants occupying less than 10,000 sq ft space, and has extended a moratorium of three months to all other tenants. Also, there will be no escalation in rentals for fiscal 2021, Yet the DSCR is expected to remain healthy for the current fiscal. The firm is likely to maintain healthy liquidity at all point of time which will be sufficient to meet one year of debt service obligations.
 
Weaknesses
* Susceptibility to risks related to vacancy and fluctuations in interest rate
With lease rentals and land lease payments being the only sources of revenue for ETP Kerala, there is significant exposure to vacancy risk. However, long-term agreements mitigate this risk. Also, heavy demand allows the firm to maintain a wait list, and enables immediate leasing out of area, if any tenant vacates. Floating interest rate on the debt also exposes the firm to fluctuations.
 
* Modest project implementation risk
Of the five phases under Technopark, phases I, II, and III are fully operational, with traction seen in leasing out of built-up space in phase V in fiscal 2019. Phase IV is currently in the final stage, and likely to be completed by end of fiscal 2021. However, the firm will remain involved in construction activities, and thus, face significant project implementation risk. CRISIL expects debt to remain below Rs 250 crore over the medium term. Timely leasing of phase IV and/or any large debt-funded construction project will remain key rating sensitivity factors.
Liquidity Strong

Liquidity is healthy, with steady cash flow from lease rentals, which will be sufficient to meet debt obligation over the medium term. The firm has ample liquidity in forms of FDs as well as bank balance to meet its daily operations as well as debt servicing obligations. It is likely to maintain sufficient liquidity which will be able to meet one year of debt service obligation throughout the tenor of its loan, which can be used if there is any cash flow mismatch.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes ETP Kerala will benefit from steady cash flow, backed by long-term lease agreements from a diversified clientele, and maintain healthy debt protection metrics and adequate liquidity over the medium term.
 
Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
* Substantial rise in rental income by over 20% per annum, year-on-year, amidst steady cost, strengthening surplus generation and debt protection metrics
* Prepayment of debt, and faster development and leasing of remaining area in the techno park
 
Downward Factors
* Weakening of debt protection metrics, due to lesser-than-expected cash flow, resulting from vacancy of over 10% or lower lease rental rates
* Delays in development of Phase IV or any larger debt-funded capex plans.

About the Company

Set up by the Government of Kerala in 1993, ETP Kerala operates Technopark in Trivandrum. The park is India's first information technology (IT) park, and among the three largest in the country. It is also the first technology park to be assessed at Capability Maturity Model Integration Level 4, and to obtain International Standards Organisation (ISO) 9001:2000 certifications.
 
Technopark houses over 400 companies in the IT and IT-enabled sector, with a total of 46,000 employees. It houses major IT companies such as Allianz, UST Global, Navigant BPM India Pvt. Ltd, Speridian Technologies Pvt., Envestnet Asset Management India Pvt. Ltd, Tata Consultancy Services, Ernst & Young Global Shared Services Center, RR Donnelley Publishing India Pvt Ltd, IBS Software Services, SunTec Business Solutions Pvt Ltd, QBurst Technologies Pvt Ltd,  RM Education Solutions India Pvt Ltd.
 
Annual grants received from the Kerala government, are used for funding capex and land acquisition. The company generated revenue of Rs 120 crore in fiscal 2020 with profit after tax at Rs 37 crore.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 107 97
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 24 11
PAT Margin % 22 10.9
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.16 0.19
Adjusted interest coverage Times 4.41 3.12

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.Cr)
Complexity levels Rating Assigned with Outlook
NA Long-Term Loan 22-Jun-15 NA 31-Jun-27 167.75 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Proposed Long-Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 425.63 NA CRISIL A/Stable
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  593.38  CRISIL A/Stable      28-06-19  CRISIL A/Stable  30-05-18  CRISIL BBB+/Stable  17-02-17  CRISIL BBB-/Positive  CRISIL BB-/Stable 
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
Long Term Loan 167.75 CRISIL A/Stable Long Term Loan 167.75 CRISIL A/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 425.63 CRISIL A/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 425.63 CRISIL A/Stable
Total 593.38 -- Total 593.38 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
CRISILs criteria for rating debt backed by lease rentals of commercial real estate properties
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings

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