Rating Rationale
August 31, 2021 | Mumbai
Elgi Equipments Limited
Rating outlook revised to 'Stable'; Ratings reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.431 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL AA/Stable (Outlook revised from 'Negative'; rating reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities

Detailed Rationale

CRISIL Ratings has revised its outlook on the long term bank facilities of of Elgi Equipments Limited (EEL; part of the Elgi group) to ‘Stable’ from ‘Negative’ and has reaffirmed the rating at 'CRISIL AA’ The short term rating has been reaffirmed at ‘CRISIL A1+'.

 

The outlook revision reflects better than expected performance of EEL in fiscal 2021 despite the Covid impact on end use industries, and the expected sustenance of healthy business performance in the near to medium term.

 

In fiscal 2021, sales grew by 6% y-o-y driven by improvement in performance of Indian entity as well as overseas subsidiaries. Operating margins recovered to ~12% from 7.8% in fiscal 2020; operating margins in fiscal 2020 were severely impacted due to one-off costs and addition of key sales team in overseas markets. In fiscal 2021, besides absence of one-off costs, the company not only undertook proactive cost control measures but also put on hold the planned headcounts addition in overseas subsidiaries.

 

While performance in Q1 of fiscal 2022 was again impacted due to supply chain issue caused by covid 2nd wave, it was still much better compared to Q1 of fiscal 2021; the company made Rs 32cr EBITDA in Q1 of FY22 vs Rs 8 crore in Q1 of FY21. With industrial activities picking up both in the domestic market and in global markets, performance of Elgi is also expected to improve from fiscal 2022 onwards. New products introduced in recent years in Waterwell compressors and Oil free compressors segments are gaining significant traction. Subsidiaries are also expected to continue their performance trajectory as the company strives to consolidate its position in each of the markets

The company's financial profile remains healthy, supported by comfortable capital structure, and healthy credit metrics. Liquidity also remains adequate in the form of unutilised bank lines of over Rs.200 crore and cash surplus totalling to Rs.300 crore as on 31st March 2021.

 

 The ratings continue to reflect the Elgi group's established market position and strong brand presence in the Indian air compressor industry, healthy albeit moderate operating efficiencies, and healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to intense competitive pressure, modest, albeit improving, performance of overseas subsidiaries, and cyclical demand from certain end-user industries.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL Rating has combined the business and financial risk profiles of EEL and its wholly owned subsidiaries: ATS Elgi Ltd, Adisons Precision Instruments Mfg Co Ltd, , Elgi Gulf (FZE), Elgi Compressors Do Brasil Imp E Exp Ltda, Elgi Australia Pty Ltd, Elgi Compressors Europe Srl, Rotair S.p.A (Rotair), Elgi Compressors USA, Pattons Inc, Patton's Medical LLC, Michigan Air LLC , PT Elgi Equipments Indonesia and joint ventures have also been proportionately consolidated. All these entities are collectively referred to as the Elgi group.

 

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

Established market position and strong brand: With a market share of around 22%, EEL is one of the largest manufacturers of compressors in India. Product profile includes reciprocating, screw and centrifugal compressors sold under the Elgi brand through an entrenched channel, comprising dealers, direct sales, and spare parts/after-sales segments. The group has exclusive dealerships across India and overseas, and also enjoys a dominant market presence in railway compressor segments. Geographic presence is strengthened through subsidiaries in Europe, USA, Brazil, UAE, Australia, and Indonesia. The recent acquisition of Michigan Air in December 2019 further strengthens its market position in key North American markets.

 

Efficiently run operations: Operating efficiencies are marked by well-run assembly lines and focus on core competence. Furthermore, the group outsources manufacturing of major part of its components. Critical parts, such as air-end, top-block, castings and motors are manufactured in house. This allows the group to benefit from an asset-light model on one hand and ensure product quality for critical parts. Operations also benefit from in-house research and development (R&D) capabilities. Operating margins recovered to ~12% from 7.8% in fiscal 2020 with proactive cost control measures.

 

Healthy financial risk profile: Financial risk profile is healthy. Modest capital expenditure, proactive cost control measures and prudent working capital management, strengthens financial risk profile. Company has gearing of 0.63 times in fiscal 2021, likely to be comfortable over the medium term as well. Interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios were healthy at 16 times and about 0.44 time, respectively, in fiscal 2021, and expected to be comfortable over the medium term as well. Debt/EBITDA which was 2.84 times in fiscal 2020 have reduced in fiscal 2021 to 1.70 times. Expected to be less than 2.0 times over the medium term.

 

Weaknesses

Exposure to risks relating to fluctuations in demand: The group mainly caters to capital-intensive industries such as infrastructure, automotive, and heavy engineering, and hence, depends on the overall economic performance of the country. Product sales are dependent on steady capacity expansion and upgrades in end user industries. A potential slowdown in industrial activity can lead to stagnation in revenue as witnessed between fiscals 2012 and 2015.

 

 High competitive intensity: While capital cost for setting up a compressor manufacturing unit is not high due to the assembly nature of operations, technology plays a major role and acts as an entry barrier. Most large domestic players are subsidiaries of established international companies or have technical collaborations with global players. While the Elgi group, with its indigenous technology, has been able to retain a comfortable market share in the screw compressor segment, it faces stiff competition in the centrifugal segment, which is dominated by multi-national corporations.

Liquidity: Strong

Liquidity remains strong, supported by cash surplus of Rs. 300 crores and unutilised working capital bank lines of over Rs.200 crore over the last 12 months ending July 2021. Cash accruals are expected to improve over the medium term, they will be comfortable to meet modest capital spending and incremental working capital needs, as well as term debt repayments of Rs. 22 crore in fiscal 2022.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes the Elgi group's credit risk will continue to benefit from its established presence in the air compressors segment, gradually improving business conditions, and it’s continuing healthy financial risk profile. The group expected to benefit from sales growth in key markets that it has been investing in recent years

Rating Sensitivity Factors

Upward Factors

  • Better than anticipated revenue growth, supported by improved geographical diversity, and steady operating profitability, cash accruals of over Rs.250 crores
  • Maintaining healthy financial risk by exhibiting financial prudence, while pursuing organic and inorganic growth – for example, gross debt/EBITDA of less ~ 1.0-1.2 time 

 

Downward Factors

  • Steady decline in profitability due to pricing pressure or higher than expected costs for organic expansion in new markets, impacting cash generation
  • Any large, debt funded capex or acquisitions, or stretch in working capital cycle thereby weakening the key debt protection metrics (Gross debt/EBITDA of 2.5-2.75 time)

About the Group

EEL, based in Coimbatore, was set up in 1960 and is one of India's prominent air compressor manufacturers. On a Consolidated basis, EEL derives around -50% of revenue from the domestic market and the rest from overseas markets. The company manufactures a range of reciprocating compressors, screw compressors, and centrifugal compressors, and garage equipment for the automotive segment through its subsidiary, ATS Elgi Ltd.

 

The group has trading and marketing arms, US, Europe, Gulf, Brazil, Indonesia and Australia. On August 30, 2012, it acquired the entire stake in Caraglio-based Rotair, which designs, manufactures, and distributes a variety of compressors and allied products to the construction and industrial sectors. On November 28, 2012, the group acquired the entire stake in Charlotte (US)-based Pattons, which distributes and assembles industrial compressors and air products. In October 2014, the group settled the lawsuit by Pattons against Quincy Compressors LLC, and recorded an exceptional income of Rs 22 crore. It also has a captive foundry that commenced operations in 2013. In August 2018, the group acquired 100% stake in Sydney-headquartered F R Pulford and Son Pty Ltd which is engaged in distribution of industrial compressors.The recent acquisition of Michigan Air in December 2019 further strengthens its market position in key North American markets.

 

On a consolidated basis, net profit was Rs 12 crore in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, on revenue of Rs 490 crore, as against Rs -8 crore and Rs 287 crore, respectively, in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit

2021

2020

Revenue

Rs.Crore

1955

1834

Profit After Tax (PAT)

Rs.Crore

102

43

PAT Margin

%

5.2

2.3

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

0.63

0.76

Interest coverage

Times

16.42

8.82

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. The CRISIL Ratings' complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL Ratings' complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. 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

33

NA

CRISIL AA/Stable

NA

Packing Credit

NA

NA

NA

150

NA

CRISIL A1+

NA

Short Term Bank Facility@

NA

NA

NA

19

NA

CRISIL A1+

NA

Short Term Bank Facility

NA

NA

NA

152.5

NA

CRISIL A1+

NA

Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee^

NA

NA

NA

30

NA

CRISIL A1+

NA

Standby Letter of Credit

NA

NA

NA

21.5

NA

CRISIL AA/Stable

NA

Bank Guarantee

NA

NA

NA

25

NA

CRISIL A1+

^Interchangeable with bill discounting

@Interchangeable between letter of credit and bank guarantee

Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated

Names of Entities Consolidated

Extent of

Consolidation

Rationale for Consolidation

ATS Elgi Ltd

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Adisons Precision Instruments Mfg Co Ltd

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Elgi Gulf (FZE)

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Elgi Compressors Do Brasil Imp E Exp Ltda

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Elgi Australia Pty Ltd

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Elgi Compressors Europe Srl

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Rotair S.p.A (Rotair)

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Elgi Compressors USA

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Pattons Inc, USA

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Patton's Medical LLC

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

PT Elgi Equipments Indonesia

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Elgi Sauer Compressors Ltd

Proportionate (26%)

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Michigan Air LLC

Full

common management, business synergies, and common promoters

Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2021 (History) 2020  2019  2018  Start of 2018
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT/ST 354.5 CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA/Stable   -- 13-05-20 CRISIL AA/Negative / CRISIL A1+ 26-04-19 CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA/Stable 27-04-18 CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA/Stable CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA/Stable
      --   -- 04-05-20 CRISIL AA/Negative / CRISIL A1+   --   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST/LT 76.5 CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA/Stable   -- 13-05-20 CRISIL AA/Negative / CRISIL A1+ 26-04-19 CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA/Stable 27-04-18 CRISIL A1+ / CRISIL AA/Stable CRISIL A1+
      --   -- 04-05-20 CRISIL AA/Negative / CRISIL A1+   --   -- --
Commercial Paper ST   --   --   -- 26-04-19 Withdrawn 27-04-18 CRISIL A1+ CRISIL A1+
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
 
 
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 25 IndusInd Bank Limited CRISIL A1+
Cash Credit 3 Central Bank Of India CRISIL AA/Stable
Cash Credit 30 State Bank of India CRISIL AA/Stable
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee^ 30 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A1+
Packing Credit 150 HDFC Bank Limited CRISIL A1+
Short Term Bank Facility 37.5 The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited CRISIL A1+
Short Term Bank Facility 50 ICICI Bank Limited CRISIL A1+
Short Term Bank Facility 5 IndusInd Bank Limited CRISIL A1+
Short Term Bank Facility 10 Citibank N. A. CRISIL A1+
Short Term Bank Facility@ 19 Central Bank Of India CRISIL A1+
Short Term Bank Facility 50 Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited CRISIL A1+
Standby Letter of Credit 21.5 The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited CRISIL AA/Stable

This Annexure has been updated on 31-Aug-2021 in line with the lender-wise facility details as on 23-Aug-2021 received from the rated entity.

^Interchangeable with bill discounting
@Interchangeable between letter of credit and bank guarantee
Criteria Details
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 Consolidation

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