Rating Rationale
December 29, 2020 | Mumbai
Indian Immunologicals Limited
Rating outlook revised to 'Positive'; ratings reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.350 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL AA/Positive (Outlook revised from 'Stable' and rating reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to Annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has revised its outlook on the long term bank facilities of Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) to 'Positive' from 'Stable' and has reaffirmed the rating at 'CRISIL AA'. The short term rating has been reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A1+'.
 
The outlook revision follows CRISIL's expectation that IIL's business risk profile will strengthen over the medium term marked by steady revenue growth and continued healthy operating profitability. Revenue grew 48% year-on-year in fiscal 2020, due to healthy realisations in both animal and human health vaccines, and ramp up in sales of Abhayrab (anti-rabies vaccine) and Pentavalent (pediatric vaccine) in both domestic and export markets. Revenue is expected to grow by 15% per annum over the medium term, driven by scale-up in the human health vaccine, specifically 'Abhayrab' in both domestic and international market, given its acute shortage.
 
Operating profitability improved significantly to 43.4% in fiscal 2020 from 20% in fiscal 2018, driven by steady improvement in realisation, benefit from improved efficacy of raw materials and cost optimization measures. With steady revenue growth and continued healthy realisations, operating margin is expected to sustain above 30% over the medium term, despite debt-funded capital expenditure (capex) plans.
 
Financial risk profile is expected to remain comfortable backed by strong capital structure and adequate liquidity. The rating factors in sizeable capex of around Rs 150 crore in fiscal 2021 towards enhancing capacity in both animal and human vaccines. The company is also planning to set up facility for Covid-19 and dengue vaccines for around Rs 75 crore, including development, civil construction and machinery cost. Nonetheless, given healthy cash accrual of over Rs 250 crore expected per annum, gearing should remain below 0.2 time along with healthy debt protection metrics. Liquidity is supported by unencumbered cash balances of Rs 131 crore as on March 31, 2020.
 
The ratings reflect IIL's established position in the animal and human vaccine segments in India, strong research and development (R&D) capability, comfortable financial risk profile and strong financial support from National Dairy Development Board (NDDB). These strengths are partially offset by high revenue concentration in two vaccine brands, Raksha FMD and Abhayrab, large working capital requirement and high dependence on government business.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL has applied its criteria for notching up ratings for support from the parent, NDDB.

CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of IIL and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pristine Biologicals (NZ) Ltd. This is because the two entities, herein referred to as IIL, have operational and financial synergies and common management.

Please refer Annexure - Details of Consolidation, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established market position in the animal and human vaccine segment in India: The animal (includes cattle feed) and human health vaccine segments accounted for around 40% and 60% of IIL's turnover, respectively, in fiscal 2020. The company is the largest manufacturer of FMD vaccines, catering to almost 60% of the country's requirement. It is also ranked fourth in the domestic human vaccine market, with the anti-rabies vaccine, Abhayrab, as its flagship brand, in which it commands a market share of about 35% in retail segment and overall at around 50% including government segment.
 
* Strong R&D capabilities: The R&D division develops products and processes, focusing on new vaccines and monoclonal antibodies against various diseases. The aim is to bring out economical products in the healthcare segment. The R&D centre at Hyderabad has nearly 60 dedicated scientists from various disciplines, such as microbiology, immunology, pharmacy, and biochemistry. IIL has been spending around 2% of its revenue on R&D over the years, and this has enabled it to introduce and establish new products, and reduce cost. The company is also developing COVID-19 vaccine, in collaboration with Grifith University, Australia. Using the latest codon de-optimization techonology, this single dose vaccine is expected to have long lasting protection and enhanced safety measures. The vaccine is at the animal trial stage in Australia.
 
* Comfortable financial risk profile: Networth rose to Rs 604 crore as on March 31, 2020, from Rs 352 crore a year earlier due to healthy profitability. This along with low debt helped gearing reduce to 0.23 time as on March 31, 2020, from 0.42 time a year earlier. Debt protection metrics were comfortable, as reflected in interest coverage and net cash accrual to total debt ratios of 25.2 times and 2.06 times, respectively, for fiscal 2020. The financial risk profile will remain comfortable over the medium term, with gearing below 0.2 time, despite debt-funded capex plans.
 
* Support from NDDB: IIL was set up by NDDB with a mandate of providing FMD vaccines to domestic farmers at affordable prices, for enhancing the quality of livestock. NDDB offers term loans and working capital debt at competitive rates to IIL, to support these initiatives. As on March 31, 2020, debt from NDDB accounted for 70% of overall debt. Given that IIL will remain strategically important to NDDB, IIL will continue to receive timely need-based financial support from NDDB in addition to any short-term requirement in case of any financial exigency.
 
Weaknesses
* Concentration of revenue from two vaccine brands: Abhayrab and Raksha FMD are IIL's top-selling vaccines, and contributed around 60% to the total sales in fiscal 2020. While Pentavalent's sales (sold under brand name 'Vaxtar 5') have picked up in the past few years, , these brands will remain key revenue contributors over the medium term. Significant decline in revenue from these products will have an adverse impact on cash accrual and hence, are key rating monitorables.
 
* Large working capital requirement: About 50-60% of sales are to various governments, which are tender-based. Delay in receiving payments from governments, leads to a stretched working capital cycle. Higher revenue contribution from the export segment coupled with delay in distribution and subsequent confirmation certificate from delivery centers due to lockdown, led to elongation in receivable cycle (receivables increased to 93 days as on March 31, 2020 from 68 days as on March 31, 2019). The company builds up sizeable inventory of FMD vaccines in anticipation of government orders for the FMD control programme, which usually peaks in the last quarter of the fiscal. However, the company gets support from its creditors which partly offsets to an extent. Nonetheless, working capital intensity will remain high, given the nature of its operations and clientele. .
Liquidity Strong

Liquidity is supported by unencumbered cash and equivalent of Rs 131 crore as on March 31, 2020. Annual cash accrual expected at more than Rs 250 crore over the medium term, should comfortably cover annual term debt repayment of Rs 9-15 crore in fiscals 2021 and 2022. Fund-based limit of Rs 165 crore (including Rs 90 crore of working capital limit from NDDB) was moderately utilised at 65% on an average during the 12 months through September 2020. Furthermore, liquidity is also aided by timely financial support from NDDB, which should continue, whenever required.

Outlook: Positive

CRISIL believes IIL will continue to benefit from its established market position in the animal and human vaccine segments, continued healthy operating performance its strategic importance to NDDB. Financial risk profile should improve, backed by the healthy accretion to reserves, and improving cash generation.
 
Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
* Steady revenue growth, with operating profitability above 30%-35% on a sustained basis
* Comfortable capital structure, backed by prudent working capital management and capital spend
 
Downward Factors
* Moderation in revenue or material decline in operating margin below 20%
* Higher-than-expected borrowing, due to large working capital requirement or capex, resulting in gearing above 0.75 times
* Weakening of the parent's credit risk profile or delay in financial support.

About the Company

IIL was set up by NDDB in 1983, to manufacture FMD vaccines and make them available to farmers at affordable prices. The technology to manufacture this vaccine was obtained from Wellcome Foundation Ltd, UK. Raksharab, launched in 1989, was the first tissue culture animal rabies vaccine developed in India. Since then, the company has developed many biologically derived vaccines through its own R&D initiatives. It is among the largest animal health players in India. IIL is one of the top five vaccine manufacturers in India and the market leader in veterinary biologicals in India. It operates one of the largest plants in the world for veterinary vaccines, in Hyderabad. It has World Health Organization-Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-9001 certifications. The company also exports to South-East Asia, Africa, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the Gulf region.
 
IIL is also a major player in the human vaccine market in India, focusing on the pediatric and rabies vaccine segments. IIL is also a major supplier of pediatric vaccines to India's large Universal Immunization Programme. It was the second company in the world to launch the purified vero-cell rabies vaccine for use in human beings; this product is sold under the Abhayrab brand.
 
The company has three manufacturing locations located in Karakapatla, Gachibowli (Telangana) and Ooty (Tamilnadu).
 
In fiscal 2011, IIL acquired the cattle-feed business of Mother Diary Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd (a 100% subsidiary of NDDB). In fiscal 2018, this was hived off to NDDB.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 906 614
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 254 88
PAT Margin % 28.0 14.3
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.23 0.4
Interest coverage Times 25.20 12

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 65.00 NA CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Cash credit# NA NA NA 10.00 NA CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Cash credit NA NA NA 90.00 NA CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Long-term loan NA NA Nov-21 9.44 NA CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Long-term loan NA NA Sep-24 9.20 NA CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Long-term loan NA NA Aug-22 13.76 NA CRISIL AA/Positive
NA Letter of credit and bank guarantee NA NA NA 60.00 NA CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed term loan NA NA NA 92.6 NA CRISIL AA/Positive
*Interchangeable with export packing credit and working capital demand loan
#Interchangeable with export packing credit, working capital demand loan and letter of credit/bank guarantee
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Name of company Extent of consolidation Reason
Pristine Biologicals Ltd Full 100% subsidiary; business synergies
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2020 (History) 2019  2018  2017  Start of 2017
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Commercial Paper  ST    --    --  04-09-19  Withdrawal  21-08-18  CRISIL A1+  22-11-17  CRISIL A1+  -- 
            07-08-19  CRISIL A1+           
Short Term Debt (Including Commercial Paper)  ST                  30-08-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  290.00  CRISIL AA/Positive      04-09-19  CRISIL AA/Stable  21-08-18  CRISIL AA/Stable  22-11-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  CRISIL AA-/Stable 
            07-08-19  CRISIL AA/Stable      30-08-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable   
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  60.00  CRISIL A1+      04-09-19  CRISIL A1+  21-08-18  CRISIL A1+  22-11-17  CRISIL A1+  CRISIL A1+ 
            07-08-19  CRISIL A1+      30-08-17  CRISIL A1+   
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
 
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Name of Lender Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Cash Credit* HDFC Bank Limited 65 CRISIL AA/Positive
Cash Credit# Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited 10 CRISIL AA/Positive
Cash Credit National Dairy Development Board 90 CRISIL AA/Positive
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee HDFC Bank Limited 30 CRISIL A1+
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited 30 CRISIL A1+
Long Term Loan HDFC Bank Limited 18.64 CRISIL AA/Positive
Long Term Loan National Dairy Development Board 13.76 CRISIL AA/Positive
Proposed Term Loan Not Applicable 70 CRISIL AA/Positive
Proposed Term Loan Not Applicable 22.6 CRISIL AA/Positive

This Annexure has been updated on 7-Sep-2021 in line with the lender-wise facility details as on 23-Aug-2021 received from the rated entity.

*Interchangeable with export packing credit and working capital demand loan
#Interchangeable with export packing credit, working capital demand loan and letter of credit/bank guarantee

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
Rating Criteria for the Pharmaceutical Industry
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
Criteria for Notching up Stand Alone Ratings of Companies based on Parent Support
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings

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