Rating Rationale
May 28, 2020 | Mumbai
Northern Arc 2019 GL Aurum
(Originator: Muthoottu Mini Financiers Limited)
Rating placed on 'Watch Developing' 
 
Rating Action
Trust Name Details Initial Rated Amount (Rs Cr)  Outstanding Rated Amount
(Rs Cr)*
Original Tenure (Months)# Balance Tenure (Months)# Initial Credit Collateral (Rs Cr) Rating Rating action
Northern Arc 2019 GL Aurum Series A1 PTCs 51.59 35.11 9* 7* 4.93 Provisional CRISIL A1 (SO)/Rating Watch with Developing Implications Placed on 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications'
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
*After March 2020 payouts
# Indicates door to door tenure until final maturity date as defined at the time of securitisation; factoring in the in-principle approval from the investor, the tenure is 3 months longer than at the time of securitisation. Actual tenure will still depend on the level of prepayment in the pool, and exercise of the clean-up call option.
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has placed its ratings on Series A1 pass-through certificates (PTCs) issued by 'Northern Arc 2019 GL Aurum' on 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications' as a slow return to normalcy in operations of Muthoottu Mini Financiers Ltd (MMFL; the originator and the servicer of the gold loan receivables backing the PTCs) could result in asset quality pressures in the pool of receivables backing the PTCs. The rating also factors in the credit support available to the PTCs, and the soundness of the transaction's legal structure and counterparty risks in the structure.
 
The nationwide lockdown (originally till April 14, 2020) declared by the Government of India to contain the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) will have near-term impact on disbursements and collections of companies. The lockdown is now extended till May 31, 2020 and there is high likelihood that eventual lifting of restrictions will be in a phased manner. Any delay in return to normalcy will put pressure on collections and asset quality metrics of Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) and their securitised pools. Additionally, any change in the behaviour of borrowers on payment discipline can affect delinquency levels.
 
As with several NBFCs, MMFL's operations have been severely impacted on account of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing lockdown. Consequently, the NBFC was unable to furnish the servicer reports to the trustee and the investor, and to transfer collected funds into the collection & payout account (CPA) in a timely manner for the last two payouts. Collections pertaining to April 2020 and May 2020 payouts that were due on the 6th of the months, were transferred to the CPA by the originator only on May 16, 2020 as confirmed by the Trustee. CRISIL is yet to receive the detailed payout report for the same.
 
The final maturity of the PTCs is on January 6, 2021 (after considering the extension in maturity from granting of moratorium by the investor), i.e. the residual tenure of the PTCs is currently less than 7 months from now. Consequently, any inordinate delay in the servicer's operations, including collection and auction related processes, returning to normalcy could result in pressure on asset quality of the pool and the servicer's ability to adhere to the transaction terms.
 
Based on the Trustee reports, the performance of the pool remains satisfactory. The PTCs are amortised by 31.9% at the end of Mar'20. Furthermore, the investor has granted consent for extending moratorium to the underlying borrowers in the pool and to amend the terms of May 2020 and June 2020 payments on the PTCs. During the two months, neither principal, nor interest payouts are due; and cash collateral (CC) utilisation is suspended, although the servicer is required to provide the collection reports in a timely manner.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Constraining Factors
  • Heightened servicing risk
  • Any inordinate delay in the operations of the servicer, including collection and auction related processes, returning to normalcy could result in pressure on asset quality and the servicer's ability to adhere to the transaction terms
Supporting Factors
  • Credit support available in the structure
    • In the 2 months post securitisation, the PTC is amortised by 31.9% after Mar'20 payouts which has led to an increase in credit cover available to the future investor payouts to 12.6%.
Liquidity: Strong
  • The credit collateral available in the transaction is Rs 4.93 crore (8.7% of the initial pool principal). The enhancement is in the form of fixed deposit placed with DCB Bank (Rated CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+'). Liquidity is strong given that the credit enhancement available in the structure is sufficient to fully cover promised interest payouts for all the months even with no collections from underlying receivables.
Rating Sensitivity factors

Upward

  • Credit enhancement  (based on both internal and external credit enhancements) available in the structure exceeding 2.1 times the estimated base case shortfalls on the residual cash flows of the pool.
Downward
  • Credit enhancement falling below 1.5 times the estimated base case shortfalls
  • Prolonged lack of collection MIS access by the trustee would hinder its ability to make payments to the PTC-holders
These aspects have been factored by CRISIL in its rating analysis.

Pool Performance Summary (as after March 2020 payouts)
Deal Name Northern Arc 2019 GL Aurum
Outstanding ratings Series A PTCs ' Provisional CRISIL A1 (SO)
Originator MMFL
Asset class Gold loan
Months post securitisation 2
Residual tenure (months) 7
Pool amortisation 38.1%
Cumulative Collection Ratio (CCR)! 100.0%
Average collection ratio across two months 106.4%
Total overdues$ 0.0%
Cash collateral as a % of principal outstanding 12.6%
Cash collateral utilisation 0.0%
Threshold collection ratio* 82.7%
!CCR = {Total collections in the pool/(Total billings + opening overdues at the time of securitisation)}
$Total overdues = (Total overdues in the pool expressed as a percentage of initial pool principal)
*The minimum CCR required on a pool's future cash flows, to be able to service the investor payouts on time.

Counterparty details

Capacity

Counterparty Name

Counterparty Rating/ Track record

Effect on credit ratings in case of non-performance

Originator MMFL 'Not rated by CRISIL' No effect.
Servicer
 
MMFL Not rated by CRISIL' Significant effect, because of change in servicing quality and replacement cost of servicer. However, currently CRISIL does not envisage the need for replacement. Under certain circumstances, the trust or investor has right to change the servicer with an intimation to CRISIL.
Collection and Payout Account Bank DCB Bank Rated 'CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+' Negligible effect. Account bank can be changed without impacting the rating.
Collateral in the form of Fixed deposit DCB Bank Rated 'CRISIL AA-/Stable/CRISIL A1+' Negligible effect. Bank with whom the fixed deposit is maintained can be changed without impacting the rating.
Trustee CTL Adequate past track record Negligible effect. Can be replaced at minimal cost.

About the Originator
MMFL is a non-deposit taking systemically important NBFC in the gold loan sector lending money against the pledge of household gold jewellery ('Gold Loans') in the state of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi and Goa and the union territory of Puducherry.
 
The company also started its microfinance loan segment in 2017 and provides unsecured loans to joint liability group of women customers (minimum of 5 women in one group) who require funds to carry out their business activities through some of its branches in Kerala.
 
As on September 30, 2019 the AUM (Excluding securitization) of the company stood at Rs 1,658 crore (Rs 1385 crore as on March 31, 2019). The AUM (including securitization) stood at Rs 1,741 crore and Rs 1,510 crore respectively as on September 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019. The company has a network of 772 branches and employs around 3200 people as on date spread out over various states in India ' Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi and Goa and the union territory of Puducherry. It has provided loans having a tenor of 9 months to about 3,70,000 accounts worth Rs 1,351 crore. This forms about 98% of the company's total loans and advances as on March 31, 2019. Of the total portfolio outstanding as of June 30, 2019, the company has about 43% in the ticket size bracket of less than Rs 50,000, followed by 39% in the ticket size bracket of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 and 12% in the ticket size bracket of Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 2,00,000. It has provided loans to about 25,749 accounts worth Rs 32.15 crore.as on March 31, 2019.

Past rated pools
CRISIL has ratings outstanding under one PTC transaction originated by MMFL.
Key Financial Indicators - (CRISIL adjusted numbers)
As on / for the period ended March 31   2019 2018
Total Assets Rs crore 1,836 1,984
Total income (net of interest expenses) Rs crore 133.5 140.0
Profit after tax Rs crore 20.96 14.25
Gross NPA % 2.16 2.00
Return on managed assets (annualized) % 1.06 0.66
Adjusted gearing Times 2.12 2.22

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)
Type of Instrument Rated Amount
(Rs Cr)
Date of Allotment Maturity Date# Coupon Rate (%)
(p.a.p.m)
Outstanding
Rating &
Credit collateral
(Rs Cr)
Series A1 PTCs 51.59 21-Jan-20 06-Jan-21 10.25% Provisional CRISIL A1 (SO)/Watch Developing 4.93
#Indicates door to door tenure factoring in the expected 3 month extension in maturity due to granting of moratorium by the investor. Actual tenure will depend on the level of prepayments in the pool, and exercise of the clean-up call option
& Series A1 PTC-holders are entitled to receive timely interest and ultimate principal on a monthly basis. Due to the investor extending the moratorium to the underlying borrowers, the interest and principal are both expected on a monthly basis for the April - June 2020 payouts.
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
Series A1 PTCs ST 35.11 Provisional CRISIL A1 (SO)/Watch Developing 12-02-20 Provisional CRISIL A1 (SO)              
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Links to related criteria
CRISILs rating methodology for ABS transactions
Evaluating risks in securitisation transactions - A primer
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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