Rating Rationale
August 26, 2019 | Mumbai
Hindustan Unilever Limited
Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1000 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AAA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AAA/Stable' rating on the long-term bank facilities of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). The rating continues to reflect the company's market leadership across segments in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, strong brands, robust financial risk profile, and high operating efficiency. These strengths are partially offset by intensifying competition in the FMCG industry.

HUL is among the largest FMCG companies in India with strong brands across categories and price points. The brands have high visibility and have sustained their market leadership, backed by an extensive distribution network and strong advertising and marketing support.

HUL reported a comparable domestic consumer growth of 12% in fiscal 2019 over the previous fiscal, because of 10% volume growth. Comparable EBIDTA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) margin (adjusting for the impact of the Goods and Services Tax) improved by 130 basis points, supported by a cost-saving programme. CRISIL believes HUL will sustain healthy business and financial risk profiles because of its focused effort on brand strengthening, increased advertising, and focus on building premium offerings. Expected synergies from the acquisition of Adityaa Milk and the proposed merger of GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd (GSKCH) will support HUL's business risk profile over the medium term. The business risk profile will also be backed by strong distribution network and healthy product mix with supply chain efficiencies. CRISIL believes HUL will sustain its healthy operating profitability despite the slight increase in input cost, which remains a monitorable.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at its rating, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of HUL and its subsidiaries.

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
* Leading market position across categories in the FMCG industry: HUL is one of the largest FMCG companies in India. Five of its brands generate annual turnover of over Rs 2,000 crore each and 7 brands generate annual turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore each. The company's brands hold the top two spots in most categories that it has presence in, in terms of market share. Its product portfolio includes home care and personal care products, foods, and refreshments. HUL's brands have high visibility and have sustained their leadership over decades, backed by an extensive distribution network and strong advertising and marketing support. HUL has been leveraging its distribution strengths to adapt its channel strategy for its products and market segments.

The proposed acquisitions will enhance HUL's product portfolio in foods and refreshments, and will increase revenue diversity. The proposed amalgamated entity will also benefit from the complementarity of the existing businesses of HUL and GSKCH, thus diversifying the product portfolio.

* Robust financial risk profile: On a consolidated basis, the financial risk profile is supported by strong net cash accrual of Rs 1,143 crore in fiscal 2019 and low gearing of 0.01 time as on March 31, 2019. The company has ample liquidity, indicated by cash and bank balance of Rs 6,000 crore as on March 31, 2019. The company also has considerable financial flexibility because of negligible debt and largely unutilised bank lines. It has an aggressive dividend payout policy. In the three fiscals through 2019, it paid dividend of 94% or more of its profit after tax (95% in fiscal 2019). However, the company has funded capital expenditure and debt obligation through internal accrual. The transaction with GSKCH is an all-equity deal with 4.39 shares of HUL exchanged for every 1 share of GSKCH, and will not impact HUL's financial risk profile.

* Healthy operating efficiency: HUL has high operating efficiency because of its strong distribution network, geographically diversified production facilities, and strong linkages with the parent, Unilever Plc (Unilever; rated 'A+/Stable/A-1' by S&P Global Ratings). Due to a good mix of owned factories and outsourced production facilities across the country, HUL saves significantly on freight cost. The supply chain has been strengthened by cost saving, and inventory management using artificial intelligence. The company is gradually deploying hand-held-based selling systems across distributors.

Weakness
* Susceptibility to intense competition: The Indian FMCG industry has both organised and unorganised players across segments and products. HUL continues to face stiff competition, with the entry of new players, including multinationals, in segments such as soaps and detergents, personal care products, and packaged foods.
Liquidity

Liquidity is likely to remain ample over the medium term. Net cash accrual was healthy at Rs 1,143 crore in fiscal 2019, and annual cash accrual is expected to remain healthy over Rs 1,000 crore, against no debt obligation. Bank limits remain unutilised and the company had liquid funds of over Rs 6,000 crore in mutual funds, bank deposits, bonds, and debentures as on March 31, 2019.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes HUL will maintain its strong financial risk profile and its leading position in the domestic FMCG industry over the medium term. The company's cash flow is sufficient to fund capital expenditure requirement.

Rating Sensitive factors
* Moderation in business risk profile due to changes in key market segments.

About the Company

HUL is among India's largest FMCG companies with a diverse product portfolio including soaps and detergents, personal care products, and food and beverages. The company has 28 owned factories and many outsourced production facilities across the country.

In the 1990s, HUL opted for growth through acquisitions. In 1998, group company Pond's India Ltd was merged with HUL. The company also acquired the Lakme brand, its factories, and Lakme Ltd's 50% stake in Lakme Lever Ltd in 2008. In April 2016, HUL acquired Kerala-based hair oil brand, Indulekha, for Rs 330 crore. Indulekha has a strong presence in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

On September 26, 2018, the Company completed the acquisition of the brand 'Adityaa Milk' and its front-end distribution network from Vijaykant Dairy and Food Products Limited. The deal comprised the acquisition of the brand 'Adityaa Milk', customer relationship, technical know-how, Property, Plant and Equipment, working capital and other intangible assets for a total consideration of Rs. 65 crores and a deferred consideration of Rs. 18 crores. Adityaa Milk brings in distribution and portfolio synergies to Kwality Wall's across Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala.

In December 2018, HUL announced the merger of GSKCH with itself. The domestic transaction is valued at Rs 31,700 crore (EUR 396 crore). While GSKCH's Boost, Viva, and Maltova brands are being acquired by HUL, the Horlicks brand will be acquired by Unilever. The transaction, which is expected to be completed in one year, subject to regulatory approvals, is an all-equity merger with 4.39 shares of HUL being allotted for every share in GSKCH.

Key Financial Indicators (Based on consolidated financials)
As on/for the period ended March 31 2019 2018
Operating Income Rs crore 39,310 35,545
Adjusted profit after tax Rs crore 6,060 5,227
PAT margin % 15.4 14.7
Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth Times 0.01 NA
Adjusted Interest coverage Times 283.3 299.3

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 Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits NA NA NA 527 CRISIL AAA/Stable
NA Working Capital Demand Loan^ NA NA NA 473 CRISIL AAA/Stable
^HUL is authorised by its board to borrow up to Rs 1,000 crore under a multiple banking arrangement and this amount is interchangeable with overdraft, export packing credit, pre-shipment credit, letter of credit, and bank guarantee 
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Sr.No Subsidiary Companies Subsidiary/Joint Venture Extent of consolidation
1 Unilever India Exports Limited Subsidiary 100%
2 Pond's Exports Limited Subsidiary 90%
3 Lakme Lever Private Limited Subsidiary 100%
4 Unilever Nepal Limited Subsidiary 80%
5 Daverashola Estates Private Limited Subsidiary 100%
6 Jamnagar Properties Private Limited Subsidiary 100%
7 Levers Associated Trust Limited Subsidiary 100%
8 Levindra Trust Limited Subsidiary 100%
9 Hindlever Trust Limited Subsidiary 100%
10 Hindustan Unilever Foundation Subsidiary 76%
11 Bhavishya Alliance Child Nutrition Initiatives Subsidiary 100%
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  1000.00  CRISIL AAA/Stable      05-12-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable  31-03-17  CRISIL AAA/Stable      CRISIL AAA/Stable 
            14-05-18  CRISIL AAA/Stable           
            27-04-18  CRISIL AAA/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 Fund-Based Bank Limits 527 CRISIL AAA/Stable Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 527 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Working Capital Demand Loan^ 473 CRISIL AAA/Stable Working Capital Demand Loan^ 473 CRISIL AAA/Stable
Total 1000 -- Total 1000 --
^HUL is authorised by its board to borrow up to Rs 1,000 crore under a multiple banking arrangement and this amount is interchangeable with overdraft, export packing credit, pre-shipment credit, letter of credit, and bank guarantee 
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
Rating Criteria for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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