Rating Rationale
November 13, 2024 | Mumbai
Expo Gas Containers Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL B-/Stable/CRISIL A4'; Rated amount enhanced for Bank Debt
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.55 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.40 Crore)
Long Term RatingCRISIL B-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A4 (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 B-/Stable/CRISIL A4 ratings on the bank loan facilities of Expo Gas Containers Limited (EGCL).

 

The ratings reflect the working capital-intensive operations, below average debt protection metrics and susceptibility of the operating performance to the inherent risks faced by the companies in tender based businesses. These weaknesses are partially offset by the extensive experience of the promoters.

Analytical Approach

Unsecured loans from the promoters of Rs 5.60 crore as on March 31, 2024, have been treated as debt.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Weaknesses:

  • Working capital-intensive operations: Gross current assets are sizeable at 326 days as on March 31, 2024, driven by high inventory of 253 days. Inventory days continue to remain high due to sizeable work in progress. This has resulted in high utilization of its fund-based bank limits. Operations are expected to remain working capital intensive over the medium term.

 

  • Below average debt protection metrics: EGCL’s debt protection metrics continues to remain below average as indicated by the interest cover and net cash accrual to adjusted debt (NCAAD) of 1.31 and 0.03 times respectively as on March 31, 2024. The debt protection is expected to improve with the increase in scale of operations and profitability over the medium term.

 

  • Susceptibility of operating performance to tender based nature of operations along with cyclicality in capital expenditure patterns in end-user industry: Although the revenue of the company had increased by over 70% in fiscal 2022 the operations continue to remain modest, also the operating performance of the company remains vulnerable to tender based nature of business and cyclical demand from its major end user industries namely oil, gas and petrochemical industries.

 

Strength:

  • Extensive experience of the promoters and reputed clientele: The promoters have around 4 decades of experience in the fabrication and Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) industry resulting into better understanding of the industry dynamics and established track record for manufacturing wide range of process plant equipment’s leading to better relations with clients.

Liquidity: Poor

The liquidity is driven by expected net cash accruals of Rs 1.39-1.5 crores in fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026 against the repayment obligation of Rs 0.60-0.68 crores annually. The bank limits are utilized at 94% on average for the past 12 months ending August 2024. Current ratio remains at 1.36 times as on March 2024.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes EGCL will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of its promoters and their established relationships with customers.

Rating sensitivity factors

Upward factors

  • Improvement in debt protection metrics with interest coverage above 1.5 times
  • Improvement in the working capital cycle, leading to better liquidity

 
Downward factors

  • Further stretch in working capital cycle leading to gross current assets higher than 350 days
  • Large debt funded capex weakening the financial risk profile

About the Company

EGCL was established in 1982 and is promoted by Mr Murtuza S Mewawala and Mr Hasanain S. Mewawala. The company manufactures a wide range of process plant equipment such as coded pressure vessels and deaerators and undertakes turnkey projects and in-plant piping. It is based in Mumbai.

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

 

2024

2023

Operating income

Rs crore

75.70

80.22

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

0.74

-2.29

PAT margins

%

1.00

-2.75

Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth

Times

1.70

1.79

Interest coverage

Times

1.31

1.40

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.crisilratings.com. 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 Levels Rating Outstanding with Outlook
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 19.50 NA CRISIL A4
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 19.61 NA CRISIL B-/Stable
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 0.50 NA CRISIL A4
NA Overdraft Facility NA NA NA 13.65 NA CRISIL B-/Stable
NA Proposed Cash Credit Limit NA NA NA 1.74 NA CRISIL B-/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2024 (History) 2023  2022  2021  Start of 2021
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities LT 35.0 CRISIL B-/Stable 04-11-24 CRISIL B-/Stable 24-11-23 CRISIL D 30-08-22 CRISIL BB-/Stable 18-06-21 CRISIL BB-/Stable CRISIL BB-/Stable
      -- 11-10-24 CRISIL B-/Stable   --   --   -- --
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 20.0 CRISIL A4 04-11-24 CRISIL A4 24-11-23 CRISIL D 30-08-22 CRISIL A4+ 18-06-21 CRISIL A4+ CRISIL A4+
      -- 11-10-24 CRISIL A4   --   --   -- --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Bank Guarantee 12.74 Saraswat Bank CRISIL A4
Bank Guarantee 4 Saraswat Bank CRISIL A4
Bank Guarantee 2.76 Saraswat Bank CRISIL A4
Cash Credit 6.5 Deutsche Bank CRISIL B-/Stable
Cash Credit 13.11 Saraswat Bank CRISIL B-/Stable
Letter of Credit 0.5 Saraswat Bank CRISIL A4
Overdraft Facility 4.88 Saraswat Bank CRISIL B-/Stable
Overdraft Facility 8.77 Saraswat Bank CRISIL B-/Stable
Proposed Cash Credit Limit 1.74 Saraswat Bank CRISIL B-/Stable
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
CRISILs Approach to Recognising Default

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