Strengths: * Diversified retail lending portfolio with an extensive branch network IIFL Finance group, having consolidated assets under management (AUM) of Rs 37,951 crore as on March 31, 2020 (Rs 34,904 crore as on March 31, 2019), is primarily engaged in secured lending across various retail asset classes. IIFL Finance has two lending subsidiaries - IIFL Home and Samasta, through which the mortgage finance and micro finance businesses are carried out. Retail loans account for almost 88% of the AUM as on March 31, 2020, with a high level of granularity (loans with ticket size below Rs 1 crore). Also, around 43% of the portfolio qualifies under priority sector lending. The group had identified four key segments - home loans, business loans [including loan against property (LAP) and lending to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME)], gold loans and microfinance, as key growth drivers over the medium term. It also operates in two synergistic segments - construction & developer funding and capital market lending. While incremental developer funding will be done on a selective basis to support the home loan business, capital market lending will largely focus on retail clients of IIFL Securities. These four segments form around 87% of the AUM as on March 31, 2020, up from 61% as on March 31, 2016. Further, in line with the strategy to focus on select segments, the group discontinued medical equipment financing from fiscal 2018, and also sold its commercial vehicle (CV) finance portfolio in fiscal 2019. As of March 31, 2020, the IIFL Finance group had a wide network of 2,377 branches spread across 25 states. The group has also made significant investment in technology to effectively benefit from this geographical reach. Going forward, the group plans to leverage business synergies with other IIFL entities for cross-selling of financial products (insurance, mutual funds etc) and other retail loan products, given the already established branch and distribution platform. On a standalone level, IIFL Finance had an AUM of Rs 16,057 crore as on March 31, 2020 (Rs 14,460 crore as on March 31, 2019) primarily towards gold loans (57%), business loans (20%) and developer and construction finance (22%). IIFL Home had an AUM of Rs 18,495 crore as on March 31, 2020 (Rs 18,158 crore as on March 31, 2019) largely toward home loans (67%), followed by loan against property (26%) and construction finance (6%). Samasta had an AUM of Rs 3,400 crore as on March 31, 2020 (Rs 2,285 crore as on March 31, 2019). * Adequate capitalisation The IIFL Finance group is adequately capitalised, with networth, Tier-I, and overall capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of around Rs 4,766 crore, 13.1%, and 17.6%, respectively, as on March 31, 2020 (Rs 4,359 crore, 13.1% and 18.3%, respectively, as on March 31, 2019). Networth coverage for net NPAs was comfortable at around 17 times as on March 31, 2020 (25 times as on March 31, 2019). On-book gearing as on same date was adequate at around 5.2 times; however, CRISIL'adjusted gearing (on-book borrowings + securitization/assignment) was higher at around 7.7 times. Nevertheless, the group has demonstrated its ability to raise capital from long-term marquee investors such as Fairfax and the CDC group (Rs 1000 crore raised from CDC in fiscal 2017). Given the modest growth plans, capitalisation remains adequate for the current scale of operations. However, the ability to raise capital and manage leverage levels over the medium term will be an important factor. As on March 31, 2020, IIFL Finance (standalone) reported net worth and CRISIL- adjusted gearing stood at Rs 3,608 crore and 4.7 times, respectively. It had a Tier-I CAR and overall CAR of 13.1% and 17.6%, respectively, as on same date. Net worth coverage for net NPAs was around 31 times as on March 31, 2020. IIFL Home had a reported net worth and CRISIL - adjusted gearing of Rs 1,780 crore and 9.9 times, respectively, as on March 31, 2020. Its Tier-I and overall CAR stood at 18.4% and 23.7%, respectively, as on same date. The company's net worth coverage for net NPAs was around 11 times as on March 31, 2020. Samasta's reported net worth and CRISIL-adjusted gearing stood at Rs 509 crore and 3.8 times, respectively, as on March 31, 2020. Tier-I and overall CAR stood at 20.9% and 25.9%, respectively, as on same date. Weaknesses: * Limited seasoning of some of the asset classes like home loans and MSME loans IIFL Finance group's loan portfolio (excluding CV finance) has recorded a three-year compound annual growth rate of around 26%. Given the scale up of book in recent years and entry into newer segments, the portfolio remains unseasoned and hence, overall asset quality is yet to be tested through cycles. While certain products have a shorter tenure, and hence, have seen a complete cycle, home loans and MSME lending have limited seasoning so far. Home loans are long tenure products and MSME lending is a relatively recent addition to the product suite. Overall gross NPAs and net NPAs stood at 2.31% and 0.97%, respectively, as on March 31, 2020 (1.96% and 0.63%, respectively, as on March 31, 2019). While increasing focus on small-ticket retail loans will benefit the inherent asset quality over the medium term, ability to underwrite and maintain strong credit practices across asset classes, amid stiff competition from established players, remains to be seen. NPAs in the wholesale book stood while declined, supported partly by write-offs, to 3.8% as on March 31, 2020, from 4.4% a year ago, continued to remain high. Nevertheless, the share of wholesale lending has come down over the past few years and was relatively low at about 11% of the overall AUM as on March 31, 2020. Nevertheless, given the current macro environment, asset quality on exposures such as developer loans and large ticket loans against property would be a key monitorable for all lenders, including IIFL Finance. Borrowers of such loan categories are more sensitive to an environment of prolonged liquidity tightness. RBIs measure on extension of date of commencement of commercial operations (DCCO) for commercial real estate projects should provide some respite. Also, retail asset quality, while has remained under control in the past, could witness an increase in delinquencies from current levels across segments due to the economic slowdown. The lockdown has affected the income generation ability and saving of borrowers, especially of the self-employed and micro finance borrower, who typically have a weaker credit profile. In this context, credit costs are expected to increase in the near term. Gross NPA of IIFL Finance (standalone), IIFL Home and Samasta stood at 3.1%, 1.6% and 1.5%, respectively, as on March 31, 2020 ( 3.4%, 0.9% and 0.4%, respectively, as on March 31, 2019). Any sharp deterioration in asset quality, will also impact profitability and capital, and remains a key rating monitorable. |