Rating Rationale
March 06, 2025 | Mumbai
Kalyani Forge Limited
Ratings reaffirmed at 'Crisil BBB/Stable/Crisil A3+'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities RatedRs.100 Crore
Long Term RatingCrisil BBB/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term RatingCrisil A3+ (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 ‘Crisil BBB/Stable/Crisil A3+’ ratings on the bank facilities of Kalyani Forge Limited (KFL).

 

The ratings continue to reflect the established market position of KFL in the domestic forging and machining industry and its moderate financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to risks posed by intense competition and cyclicality in the automotive sector and volatility in raw material prices, along with a modest return on capital employed (RoCE) and large working capital requirement.

 

Operating income was rangebound at Rs 177.6 crore for the first nine months of fiscal 2025 (April - December 2024), against Rs 236.9 crore in fiscal 2024, and is likely to remain flattish for the full fiscal. Operating margin rose to 9.93% in the nine months fiscal 2025 from 6.5% in fiscal 2024, aided by continued focus on the profitable business, favourable changes in product mix, cost-control measures and improvement in operational efficiency. Growth in revenue and operating margin will remain a key monitorable.

Analytical approach

Crisil Ratings has evaluated the standalone business and financial risk profiles of KFL.

Key rating drivers & detailed description

Strengths:

  • Extensive experience of the promoters and established market position: The four-decade-long experience of the promoters in the domestic forging and machining industry, their strong understanding of market dynamics, and healthy relationships with reputed original equipment manufacturers in the auto segment, should continue to support the business. KFL caters to a diversified clientele, with the top five customers contributing to 30-35% of total revenue.

 

  • Moderate financial risk profile: Financial risk profile shall remain moderate, amidst the ongoing capital expenditure (capex) and should improve further, driven by better operating performance. Gearing and total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratios stood at 0.75 time and 1.46 times, respectively, as on March 31, 2024, supported by a sizeable networth of Rs 81.3 crore. Interest coverage ratio and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratios were comfortable at 2.6 times and 0.16 time, respectively, in fiscal 2024.

 

Weaknesses:

  • Exposure to cyclicality in the auto sector, volatility in raw material prices and intense competition along with modest RoCE: Operating margin remains susceptible to volatility in raw material prices, as any hike in prices is passed onto customers with a time lag. The auto sector, which contributes 70-80% of revenue, also tends to be cyclical. Moreover, intense competition from auto ancillary manufacturers may continue to constrain scalability, pricing power and profitability. Operating margin has ranged between 4.8% and 7.71% over the three years ended March 31, 2024 and has improved during fiscal 2025. RoCE ranged between 2.88% and 7.69% over the past three fiscals.  Improvement in operating margin and ROCE remain monitorable.

 

  • Large working capital requirement: Gross current assets  (GCAs) rose to 199 days as on March 31, 2024, from 175 days a year before, led by increase in payables. GCAs were sizeable, ranging from 175 to 233 days for the past four fiscals. Though collection of receivables has improved, the working capital cycle may remain stretched over the medium term.

Liquidity: Adequate

Liquidity is marked by sufficient cash and cash equivalent. Cash accrual of Rs 11-18 crore, expected per fiscal, should suffice to cover the yearly debt of Rs 3.8-8.6 crore over the medium term. Bank limit of Rs 50 crore was utilised at 88% on an average, for the 13 months through January 2025. Average utilisation rose to 91-98% for the last five months, as payments were made to suppliers. Enhancement in working capital limit remains monitorable.

Outlook: Stable
Crisil Ratings believes KFL will continue to benefit from its established position in the forging and machining industry.

Rating sensitivity factors

Upward factors:

  • Revenue growth of over 25% and stable operating margin, resulting in higher-than-expected net cash accrual   
  • Sustained improvement in the working capital cycle and maintenance of a healthy capital structure

 

Downward factors

  • Decline in revenue or operating margin, leading to cash accrual below Rs 10 crore
  • Large, debt-funded capex or acquisition or any large dividend payout, weakening liquidity and average bank limit utilisation exceeding 90% on a sustained basis

About the company

KFL, established in 1979, manufactures high-quality, hot-warm and cold-forged products at its plants in Koregaon Bhima and Sanaswadi in Pune, Maharashtra. Operations are managed by Mr Viraj Kalyani, the managing director. The company is listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

Key financial indicators

Particulars

Unit

9M 2025

2024

2023

Revenue

Rs crore

177.69

236.97

265.22

Profit after tax (PAT)

Rs crore

6.09

4.55

(0.18)

PAT margin

%

3.43

1.92

(0.07)

Adjusted debt/adjusted networth

Times

NA

0.75

0.49

Interest coverage

Times

3.97

2.69

4.34

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 Instrument Date Of Allotment Coupon Rate (%) Maturity Date Issue Size (Rs.Crore) Complexity Levels Rating Outstanding with Outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 40.00 NA Crisil BBB/Stable
NA Foreign Exchange Facility NA NA NA 1.00 NA Crisil A3+
NA Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 22.00 NA Crisil A3+
NA Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits NA NA NA 34.50 NA Crisil BBB/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA 31-Mar-25 2.50 NA Crisil BBB/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2025 (History) 2024  2023  2022  Start of 2022
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund Based Facilities ST/LT 78.0 Crisil BBB/Stable / Crisil A3+   -- 24-06-24 Crisil BBB/Stable / Crisil A3+ 27-03-23 Crisil BBB+/Stable / Crisil A2   -- Crisil BBB+/Stable / Crisil A2
Non-Fund Based Facilities ST 22.0 Crisil A3+   -- 24-06-24 Crisil A3+ 27-03-23 Crisil A2   -- Crisil A2
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of Bank Lenders & Facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Name of Lender Rating
Cash Credit 20 State Bank of India Crisil BBB/Stable
Cash Credit 20 HDFC Bank Limited Crisil BBB/Stable
Foreign Exchange Facility 1 State Bank of India Crisil A3+
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 10 HDFC Bank Limited Crisil A3+
Letter of credit & Bank Guarantee 12 State Bank of India Crisil A3+
Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 34.5 Not Applicable Crisil BBB/Stable
Term Loan 2.5 State Bank of India Crisil BBB/Stable
Criteria Details
Links to related criteria
Criteria for manufacturing, trading and corporate services sector (including approach for financial ratios)
Basics of Ratings (including default recognition, assessing information adequacy)

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