Rating Rationale
June 25, 2019 | Mumbai
Gulf Petrochem India Private Limited
Rating outlook revised to 'Negative', rating reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.233 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL A-(SO)/Negative (Outlook revised from 'Stable' and rating reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has revised its outlook on the bank facilities of Gulf Petrochem India Private Limited (GPIPL; part of Gulf Petrochem group) to 'Negative' from 'Stable' and reaffirmed the rating at 'CRISIL A-(SO)'.

The rating continues to be driven by an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee, and an additional undertaking provided by the company's parent, Gulf Petrochem FZC (GPFZCH; part of gulf petrochem group; rated 'CRISIL A-/Negative/CRISIL A2+').

The outlook revision reflects a similar rating action on the parent, Gulf Petrochem FZC, the flagship entity of the Gulf Petrochem group. The outlook revision reflects CRISIL's expectation that Gulf Petrochem group's financial risk profile may weaken over the medium term if there is delay in correcting the high leverage. The group's leverage has remained high, contrary to CRISIL's earlier expectation of an improvement. The group reported debt/EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) of 5.91 times as on December 31, 2018 as compared to 5.79 times as on December 31, 2017. The leverage remained high due to increase in working capital requirement as a result of higher scale of operations. Higher working capital requirements also led to modest debt protection metrics; interest coverage was at 2.9 times for 2018.

Analytical Approach

An unconditional and irrevocable guarantee and an additional undertaking has been provided by the company's parent, GPFZCH. The guarantee and the undertaking cover the entire principal and interest payment obligations on the guaranteed bank facilities. The ratings are supported by a payment mechanism to ensure the fulfilment of the debt obligations on the rated instruments. The ratings on the bank facilities of GPIPL thus reflect the credit strengths and weaknesses of Gulf Petrochem group.

For arriving at the GPFZC's ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of GPFZCH and all its subsidiaries. That's because all these companies, together referred to as the Gulf Petrochem group, have significant operational linkages in the form of intra-group sales, and financial linkages through funding support, and corporate guarantees extended for some of the subsidiary companies.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Strong business risk profile: Group's scale of operation is large with presence in multiple segments including trading, oil storage terminals, bunkering, shipping and manufacturing of lubricants, grease and bitumen. The group has healthy geographical diversification with presence in Middle East, Africa, India, Singapore and Europe. Established relationship with major suppliers and bulk purchases at group enhances the group's ability to procure efficiently.

Revenues of the group has increased at 43% in CY 18, driven by sharp increase bunkering operations and distillates trading.

* Efficient risk management practices: The group follows strong risk management practises to mitigate its exposure to volatility in crude oil and related products. The hedging operations are centralised and managed from UAE for the entire group.

Weakness
* Exposure to intense competition in the petroleum trading business and to volatility in the prices of crude-related products
The group largely operates as a trader of crude oil-based products. The prices of these products have been extremely volatile in the past, exposing the group to price risk. Any sustained decline in the crude prices in absence of volume growth could adversely affect performance leading to decline in profitability. Profitability of the group declined continuously over the past three years through 2018. The decline in margins is because of adverse market conditions, higher proportion of trading in products with low margin and funding issues in the Middle East. Operating performance is expected to remain susceptible over the medium term to crude price variations and intense market competition. However, the group has good risk-mitigating measures through hedging of majority of inventory in hand which partially mitigate this risk

* Adequate financial risk profile: The group continues to have a healthy capital structure and healthy net worth. However, debt protection metrics are weak with interest coverage ratio of 2.9 times for 2018, and NCATD (net cash accruals to total debt) of 0.11 times.
Liquidity

GPIPL is dependent on liquidity support from Gulf Petrochem FZC and the Gulf group for meeting its debt obligations and capex requirements. GPIPL has term debt payments of Rs 20 crore in fiscal 2020. CRISIL expects support from promoters and internal accruals to be sufficient to meet its repayment obligations. GP Group has adequate liquidity driven by expected cash accruals of more than Rs 800 crore per annum in calendar year 2019 and 2020 as against term debt obligations of around Rs 140 crore. CRISIL expects internal accruals to be sufficient to meet its capex, and repayment obligations.  The group also has unutilized bank lines which will be utilized to fund incremental working capital requirements.

Outlook: Negative

CRISIL believes the Gulf Petrochem group's elevated debt levels may moderate its financial risk profile over the medium term. The conclusion of transaction on securitisation of receivables may improve the debt/EBITDA to 5 times.

Downside scenario:
* Delay in improvement in leverage (debt/EBITDA) to around 5 times
* Increase in working capital intensity, considerable debt-funded capital expenditure or acquisitions which weakens the capital structure or debt protection metrics
* Continued deterioration in operating profitability, leading to lower than expected cash generation

Upside scenario:
* Improvement in profitability, leading to significant improvement in EBITDA and cash accruals
* Improvement in financial risk profile.

About the Company

GPIPL was incorporated by GPFZCH as its wholly-owned subsidiary in 2011. The company started commercial operation of its 250,000-kilolitre capacity at Pipavav port, Gujarat, in October 2015; this will be used for storage and distribution of bulk petroleum, oil, and lube liquids. The primary business is leasing of storage tanks on rent to third parties.
 
About the Group
Gulf Petrochem group is promoted by Mr Ashok Goel and Mr Sudhir Goel. The promoter family has presence in the petroleum and petroleum-related businesses across the world.
 
GPFFZC, group parent company, was established in 1998 as a Free Zone Establishment and was reconstituted as a Free Zone Company (FZC) in 2006. It operates in the UAE under an industrial licence issued by the Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (Sharjah). The company is largely an oil trading entity with diversified presence in Oil, Bitumen & grease manufacturing, and Oil Storage Terminals. The group also has presence in bunkering, Shipping, Lubricant manufacturing, warehousing and Oil Storage terminals through its subsidiaries in Middle East, Africa India, Singapore and Europe.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars (As on 31st December) Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 10 8
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore -27 -29
PAT Margin % -245 -323
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.77 0.82
Interest coverage Times 0.2 0.1

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL 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.Cr)
Rating Assigned  with Outlook
NA Term Loan NA NA Jul-2021 35 CRISIL A-(SO)/Negative
NA Term Loan NA NA Mar-2022 100 CRISIL A-(SO)/Negative
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 98 CRISIL A-(SO)/Negative
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  233.00  CRISIL A-(SO)/Negative  16-01-19  CRISIL A-(SO)/Stable  05-04-18  CRISIL A-(SO)/Stable  12-01-17  CRISIL A-(SO)/Stable  29-01-16  CRISIL A-(SO)/Stable  CRISIL A-(SO)/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
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 98 CRISIL A-(SO)/Negative Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 14 CRISIL A-(SO)/Stable
Term Loan 135 CRISIL A-(SO)/Negative Term Loan 219 CRISIL A-(SO)/Stable
Total 233 -- Total 233 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Criteria for rating instruments backed by guarantees
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
Rating Criteria for Petrochemical Industry
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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