Rating Rationale
July 08, 2024 | Mumbai
KSE Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'CRISIL A-/Stable/CRISIL A2+'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.96 Crore
Long Term RatingCRISIL A-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCRISIL A2+ (Reaffirmed)
 
Rs.25 Crore Fixed DepositsCRISIL A-/Stable (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 ratings on the bank facilities and fixed deposit of KSE Limited (KSE) at CRISIL A-/Stable/CRISIL A2+.

 

The rating continues to reflect KSEs established regional market position in the cattle feeds industry and healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by susceptibility of operating margin to volatility in raw material prices, and intense competition.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description

Strengths:

  • Established market position: KSE is a leader in the cattle feeds segment, with a strong market share in Kerala. Exclusive distribution network of over 700 dealers, high-quality products, and efficient customer support through services such as on-call veterinary doctor, should help the company maintain its market position. This is reflected in healthy revenue of Rs.1687 crore in fiscal 2024.

 

  • Healthy Capital structure: Financial risk profile is marked by healthy capital structure and robust debt protection metrics. Capital structure is leveraged marked by low total outside liabilities to tangible networth (TOL/TNW) ratio and gearing of 0.23 time and 0.08 time, respectively, as on March 31, 2024. Debt protection metrics were robust as reflected by the interest coverage ratio (ICR) and net cash accruals adjusted debt (NCAAD) of over 10 time and 1 time, respectively, in fiscal 2024.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Susceptibility of operating margins to volatility in raw material prices: Operating margin has fluctuated between -0.1% and 9.1% over the last four fiscals through March 2024, driven by volatility in key raw material prices. Company has reported negative EBIDTA in H1 of FY 24 due to increased raw material prices. This is because of lower ability to pass on sharp volatility in input prices with state governments indirectly regulating milk prices via co-operatives, and typically hesitate to hike prices, considering the social aspect of milk and its effect on food inflation. An increase in input cost for the dairy farmer, via higher cattle-feed prices, without a commensurate increase in milk realisations, will discourage cattle feed purchase, especially from premium players like KSE. Therefore, the ability to improve volume and realisations remains critically dependent on prices of milk and raw materials such as maize, rice bran, and coconut oil cake. In the current fiscal raw material prices have moderated with company reporting EBIDTA of 1.92 percent in Q3 of FY 24 and 6.31 percent in Q4 of FY 24. Sustenance of EBITDA margin at over 2 percent will remain key rating monitorable.

 

  • Exposure to intense competition: KSE faces intense competition from state-run players such as Kerala Feeds Ltd and Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, and other small, unorganised players. The company may also face competition from strong players in markets where it plans to expand its reach.

Liquidity: Adequate

Bank limit utilisation is unutilized in the last 6 months ended May 2024. Cash accrual are expected to be in the range of Rs.28 to 36 crore per annum. Against that, there is no term debt obligation. Further, liquidity is supported by unencumbered cash and cash equivalents of close to Rs.60 crore as of April 2024

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL Ratings believes KSE will maintain its established market position in Kerala, over the medium term.

Rating Sensitivity Factors

Upward Factors:

  • Strong revenue growth and sustained EBITDA margin of more than 4% leading to higher cash accruals
  • Sustenance of healthy financial risk profile

 

Downward Factors:

  • Sharp decline in revenues or sustained reduction in margin to less than 0.75%.
  • Any large debt funded capital expenditure, adversely impacting the financial risk profile.

About the Company

KSE (formerly, Kerala Solvent Extractions Ltd) was set up by the late Mr K L Francis, the late Mr T O Paul, the late Mr P V Devassy, and Mr M C Paul in 1963, as a closely-held public limited company. It manufactures cattle feed and undertakes milk-processing and solvent-extraction. The company is the leader in the cattle feeds industry in Kerala. The company is listed on Bombay Stock Exchange.

Key Financial Indicators

As on/for the period ended March 31

Unit

2023

2022

Operating income

Rs crore

1,611.47

1,672.51

Reported profit after tax

Rs crore

-2.38

6.57

PAT margins

%

-0.15

0.39

Adjusted Debt/Adjusted Networth

Times

0.09

0.09

Interest coverage

Times

-0.64

6.83

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 the instrument Date of
Allotment
Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity
Date
Issue size
(Rs.Crore)
Complexity
Level
Rating assigned
with outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 60 NA CRISIL A-/Stable
NA Line of Credit NA NA NA 2 NA CRISIL A2+
NA Line of Credit NA NA NA 33 NA CRISIL A2+
NA Proposed Short Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 1 NA CRISIL A2+
NA Fixed Deposit NA NA NA 25 Simple CRISIL A-/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/ST 96.0 CRISIL A2+ / CRISIL A-/Stable 05-03-24 CRISIL A2+ / CRISIL A-/Stable 25-05-23 CRISIL A2+ / CRISIL A-/Stable 21-06-22 CRISIL A2+ / CRISIL A-/Stable 02-09-21 CRISIL A2+ / CRISIL A-/Stable CRISIL A2+ / CRISIL A-/Stable
      --   --   --   -- 18-08-21 CRISIL A2+ / CRISIL A-/Stable --
Fixed Deposits LT 25.0 CRISIL A-/Stable 05-03-24 CRISIL A-/Stable 25-05-23 CRISIL A-/Stable 21-06-22 CRISIL A-/Stable 02-09-21 F A/Stable F A/Stable
      --   --   --   -- 18-08-21 F A/Stable --
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Cash Credit 60 ICICI Bank Limited CRISIL A-/Stable
Line of Credit 33 ICICI Bank Limited CRISIL A2+
Line of Credit 2 ICICI Bank Limited CRISIL A2+
Proposed Short Term Bank Loan Facility 1 Not Applicable CRISIL A2+
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
The Rating Process
CRISILs criteria for rating fixed deposit programmes
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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