Rating Rationale
May 07, 2019 | Mumbai
Merino Industries Limited
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.260 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA-/Stable
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL ratings on the bank facilities of Merino Industries Limited (MIL; part of the Merino group) continue to reflect an established market position in the laminates industry, a healthy financial risk profile, and sound financial flexibility. These strengths are partially offset by large working capital requirement and exposure to intense competition. 

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of MIL and its subsidiary, Merino Panel Products Ltd (MPPL; rated 'CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+'). That's because both the companies, together referred to as the Merino group, have significant operational and financial linkages.

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
* Established market position: The group has a strong market position among domestic laminates manufacturers. It is one of the largest players in India in the organised segment of the industry. The promoters have been in the business for around five decades and have set up a strong distribution network. The group, over the years, has established a strong brand in both the domestic and export segments. The established market position, strong marketing and distribution network, and well-recognised brand has led to healthy topline growth. Revenue is estimated at around Rs 1,500 crore for fiscal 2019 against Rs 1,212 crore in fiscal 2018.

* Healthy financial risk profile: The networth is estimated to have remained strong at around Rs 700 crore, backed by steady accretion to reserves, and the gearing low at around 0.20 time, as on March 31, 2019, enhancing financial flexibility, especially to cope with sudden changes in business conditions. The gearing is likely to remain low over the medium term despite debt-funded capital expenditure (capex). Debt protection metrics are estimated to have remained strong, with interest coverage ratio of around 14 times and net cash accrual to total debt ratio at 1.05 time for fiscal 2019.

Weakness
* Exposure to intense competition and vagaries in demand in the real estate sector
The decorative laminates, panel boards and laminates industry is intensely competitive, given the numerous domestic unorganised and organised players as well as minor presence of international brands. Besides the smaller brands and companies which cater to the low income section, there is intense competition from established players in the organised sector including Greenlam Industries Ltd and Century Plyboards India Ltd (Century). Competition is expected to intensify with the advent of established foreign brands, and entry of veneer players into laminates. Though the replacement demand continues to support the demand during lean phases, the growth driver remains demand from new users and constructions. Exposure to intense industry competition and cyclicality in demand from end-user segments should continue over the medium term.

* Large working capital requirement
Intense competition necessitates offering substantial credit to distributors, and maintaining large inventory because of sizable number of designs and to minimise delays in delivery to customers. However, gross current assets have reduced to 165 days as on March 31, 2019, from 182 days a year earlier. Improvement in the working capital cycle amid increasing scale will remain a key monitorable over the medium term. 
Liquidity

Liquidity is healthy. Cash accrual is estimated at around Rs 162 crore for fiscal 2019 and Rs 175 crore for fiscal 2020, against limited maturing debt obligation of Rs 14.81 crore per fiscal. The excess cash accrual and cash and cash equivalents of Rs 36 crore as on December 31, 2018, would be available for meeting incremental working capital requirement, thereby keeping reliance on external debt low. Average utilisation of the working capital funds of Rs 195 crore was 56% over the 12 months through December 2018. Low utilisation of bank lines provides healthy financial flexibility to meet short-term exigencies, if any. Despite capex plans, liquidity should remain robust driven by sizeable cash accrual and unutilised bank lines.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Merino group will continue to benefit over the medium term from an established market position, a strong distribution network, and the long track record. 

Upside scenario
* Substantial and sustained improvement in the scale of operations and cash accrual, along with maintenance of the working capital cycle and capital structure, leading to better business and financial risk profiles.

Downside scenario
* Larger-than-expected debt-funded capex, leading to deterioration in the financial profile, especially liquidity
* Stretch in the working capital cycle.

About the Group

The Merino group, set up by the Kolkata-based Lohia family, manufactures decorative laminates, furniture, and panel products (interior solutions for homes, offices, commercial spaces, and public areas), and potato flakes and potato seeds. The group also trades in acrylic solid surface on a small scale. MIL was established in 1965, and MPPL in 1994.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars  Unit 2019* 2018
Revenue Rs crore 1502.21 1212.39
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 116.83 120.53
PAT Margin % 7.8 9.9
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.22 0.29
Interest coverage Times 13.23 13.0
*Estimated numbers

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 instrument Date of
allotment
Coupon
rate (%)
Maturity date Issue size (Rs.Cr) Rating assigned with outlook
NA Cash Credit NA NA NA 78 CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Export Packing Credit NA NA NA 13 CRISIL A1+
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 82 CRISIL A1+
NA Term Loan NA NA Apr-2024 50 CRISIL AA-/Stable
NA Working Capital Demand Loan NA NA NA 37 CRISIL AA-/Stable
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Names of Entities Consolidated Extent of Consolidation  Rationale for Consolidation 
Merino Industries Ltd Fully Consolidated Common management, similar line of business, business synergies, and common promoters
Merino Panel Products Ltd Fully Consolidated Common management, similar line of business, business synergies, and common promoters
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  178.00  CRISIL AA-/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  30-04-19  CRISIL AA-/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  31-01-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable/ CRISIL A1+      28-10-16  CRISIL AA-/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  Suspended 
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  82.00  CRISIL A1+  30-04-19  CRISIL A1+  31-01-18  CRISIL A1+      28-10-16  CRISIL A1+  -- 
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
Cash Credit 78 CRISIL AA-/Stable Cash Credit 60 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Export Packing Credit 13 CRISIL A1+ Export Packing Credit 28 CRISIL A1+
Letter of Credit 82 CRISIL A1+ Letter of Credit 85 CRISIL A1+
Term Loan 50 CRISIL AA-/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 9.5 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Working Capital Demand Loan 37 CRISIL AA-/Stable Term Loan 60.5 CRISIL AA-/Stable
-- 0 -- Working Capital Demand Loan 17 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Total 260 -- Total 260 --
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
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation

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