Rating Rationale
January 31, 2020 | Mumbai
PVR Limited
Rating upgraded to 'CRISIL AA/Stable'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.823.33 Crore (Enhanced from Rs.648.33 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA/Stable (Upgraded from 'CRISIL AA-/Stable')
 
Non-Convertible Debentures Aggregating Rs.460 Crore (Reduced from Rs.685 Crore) CRISIL AA/Stable (Upgraded from 'CRISIL AA-/Stable')
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has upgraded its rating on the non-convertible debentures and long-term bank facilities of PVR Limited (PVR) to 'CRISIL AA/Stable' from 'CRISIL AA-/Stable'.
 
CRISIL has also withdrawn its ratings on the Rs 225 crore non-convertible debentures as these have been redeemed. The withdrawal is in-line with CRISIL's withdrawal policy.
 
The rating upgrade is driven by CRISIL's expectation of a sustained improvement in PVR's business risk profile leading to strong cash flows. Also, supported by qualified institutional placement (QIP) of Rs 500 crore in October 2019 along with healthy cash accruals, company's financial risk profile has seen a shift with debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) ratio expected to sustain below 1.5 times for fiscal 2020.
 
Operating metrics have improved significantly, which should lead to return on capital employed (RoCE) ratio sustaining above 16%, while cash accruals are likely to remain sufficient to fund the planned 80-100 screen addition.
 
The rating continues to reflect PVR's strong market position and established brand, healthy operating efficiency, and a significantly improved financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by exposure to risks inherent in the film exhibition business.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of PVR, its subsidiaries, PVR Pictures Ltd, P V R Lanka Ltd, Zea Maize Pvt Ltd, and its joint venture Vkaao Entertainment Pvt Ltd. This is because all these entities, collectively referred to as PVR group, are in the same business and have common promoters.

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
* Strong market position and established brand: PVR is the largest multiplex operator in India with a strong brand equity. It has 825 screens and presence in over 173 locations across 71 cities as on January 20, 2020, and has 33% more screens than the second largest player. Addition of screens from SPI Cinemas Pvt Ltd (SPI) has led to significant improvement in market position in South India and helped diversify content as South Indian cinema contributes more than 40% to the overall box office collections. With plans to add 80-100 screens annually, PVR should be able to maintain a strong market position.

* Healthy operating efficiency: Presence in prime locations in major cities helps command a higher average ticket price than peers. Moreover, contribution from high-margin food and beverages and advertisement revenue (together contribute 40% of the total income) remains high.

PVR continues to grow significantly across all operating parameters with occupancy of 36.1% for 9 months ended December 31, 2019 (fiscal 2019: 36%; fiscal 2018: 31%), spend per head (SPH) of Rs 100 (Rs 91; Rs 89) and advertisement revenue of Rs 307 crore (Rs 353; Rs 297). As a result, EBITDA margin was 19.9% for the 9 months ended December 31, 2019 (19%; 17.2%). Company should continue to benefit from its strategic locational advantage and premium market position leading to sustained high operating efficiencies.

* Significantly improved financial risk profile: PVR's financial risk profile is expected to benefit from strong operating efficiencies and significantly enhanced scale of operations. Moreover with QIP of Rs 500 crore in October 2019, debt protection metrics should see a significant shift. Gearing is expected to improve to below 0.6 time, interest coverage to above 5.5 times and debt to EBITDA ratio to below 1.5 times for fiscal 2020 as against 1.24 times, 4.8 times and 2.2 times, respectively, for fiscal 2019.

Company should generate enough cash to sustain planned 80-100 screen addition. Therefore, CRISIL expects debt to EBITDA ratio to sustain below 1.75 times over the medium term. However, any plans of inorganic growth and its consequent impact on financial risk profile needs to be closely monitored.

Weakness
* Exposure to risks inherent in the film exhibition business: Volatility in profitability, inherent in the film exhibition business, will continue to impact PVR, though will be cushioned marginally by large scale of operations and diversification of content. Multiplex players, given their high fixed costs, will remain dependent on occupancy, which is driven by success of films (occupancy was 36.1% and 35.4% in the nine months ending December 31, 2019, and December 31, 2018, respectively). Other forms of entertainment and new content distribution platforms including over the top will continue to expose the company to challenges of sustaining profitability and growth.
Liquidity Strong

PVR has strong liquidity, driven by expected cash accrual of more than Rs 500 crore each in fiscals 2020 and 2021. Company is expected to have debt of Rs 950-1000 crore with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 100-150 crore by the end of fiscal 2020. The company has long-term debt repayment obligation of around Rs 178 crore and Rs 203 crore in fiscals 2020 and 2021, respectively, which should be easily met from internal accruals while capital expenditure of around Rs 450 crore per annum should be prudently funded through mix of debt and internal accruals. Further, strong established brand provides the company access to capital markets and banks to raise additional funds at competitive rates thereby aiding financial flexibility.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes PVR will continue to benefit from its dominant market position and robust brand equity. Financial risk profile should remain supported by strong cash accruals sufficient to fund organic expansion plans.

Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
*Sustained improvement in scale of operations including revenue leading to significant improvement in operating profitability
*Significant reduction in debt leading to debt to EBITDA ratio sustaining around 0.75-0.9 times

Downward Factors
*Sizeable, debt-funded capex or acquisitions, weakening the capital structure with debt to EBITDA ratio sustaining above 2 times
*Sustained weaker-than-expected operating performance.

About the Company

PVR was set up in 1995 as a 60:40 joint venture (JV) between Priya Exhibitors Pvt Ltd and Village Roadshow Ltd (VRL), a world leader in the multiplex business. In the same year, PVR took a single-screen cinema hall, Anupam, at Saket in Delhi, on lease and converted it into a four-screen multiplex. It started operations in 1997 as PVR Anupam and was the first multi-screen cineplex in India. As part of its global business strategy, VRL exited the JV in 2002.
 
In November 2012, PVR acquired Cinemax, strengthening its presence in western India. Cinemax operated in 39 locations with 138 screens. This acquisition made PVR the largest multiplex operator in India. In May 2016, it completed the acquisition of DT Cinemas' 32 screens (29 operational and 3 upcoming) for a consideration of Rs 433 crore. PVR had raised equity of Rs 350 crore in fiscal 2016 to part-fund the acquisition. The balance was to be funded through debt and internal cash accrual. During January 2017, Warburg Pincus Llc acquired 14% stake in the company, 9% from its existing shareholders (Multiples Private Equity Fund I Ltd), and 5% from promoters.

For the nine months ended December 31, 2019, operating income was Rs 2,769 crore and profit after tax Rs 101 crore, against Rs 2,248 crore and Rs 143 crore, respectively, for the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2019 2018
Operating revenue Rs crore 3,086 2,334
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 189 124
PAT Margin % 6.1 5.3
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 1.24 0.87
Interest coverage Times 4.84 5.17
Numbers as reported by the company

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 of instrument Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity date Issue size
(Rs.Cr)
Rating assigned with outlook
INE191H07136 Debentures 16-Oct-14 11.00% 16-Oct-20 25 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07144 Debentures 16-Oct-14 11.00% 16-Oct-21 25 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07177 Debentures 24-Nov-14 11.00% 24-Nov-20 15 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07185 Debentures 24-Nov-14 11.00% 24-Nov-21 20 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07193 Debentures 09-Jan-15 10.75% 08-Jan-21 50 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07201 Debentures 09-Jan-15 10.75% 07-Jan-22 50 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07243 Debentures 12-Jan-17 7.84% 10-Jul-20 50 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07250 Debentures 03-Apr-17 8.05% 02-Apr-21 25 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07268 Debentures 03-Apr-17 8.15% 02-Apr-22 50 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07276 Debentures 18-Aug-17 7.85% 18-Aug-22 50 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07284 Debentures 16-Apr-18 8.72% 16-Apr-21 10 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07292 Debentures 16-Apr-18 8.72% 15-Apr-22 20 CRISIL AA/Stable
INE191H07300 Debentures 16-Apr-18 8.72% 14-Apr-23 20 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Debentures** NA NA NA 50 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA NA Sep-2019 25.73 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA NA May-2024 170.4 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA NA May-2025 127.2 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA NA Sep-2025 100 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA NA Nov-2025 100 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Long-term loan NA NA Dec-2025 100 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Term loan NA NA Oct-2025 175 CRISIL AA/Stable
NA Working Capital Facility NA NA NA 25.00 CRISIL AA/Stable
**Yet not issued
 
Annexure - Details of Rating Withdrawn
ISIN Name of instrument Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity date Issue size
(Rs crore)
INE191H07011 Debentures 01-Jan-10 11.40% 01-Jan-17 2
INE191H07029 Debentures 01-Jan-10 11.40% 01-Jan-18 2
INE191H07037 Debentures 01-Jan-10 11.40% 01-Jan-19 3
INE191H07045 Debentures 01-Jan-10 11.40% 01-Jan-20 3
INE191H07060 Debentures 25-Feb-14 10.95% 25-Feb-19 50
INE191H07078 Debentures 10-Jun-14 10.75% 10-Jun-19 50
INE191H07128 Debentures 16-Oct-14 11.00% 16-Oct-18 25
INE191H07151 Debentures 16-Oct-14 11.00% 16-Oct-19 25
INE191H07169 Debentures 24-Nov-14 11.00% 24-Nov-19 15
INE191H07219 Debentures 29-Jul-16 8.90% 31-Jul-17 16.5
INE191H07227 Debentures 29-Jul-16 8.90% 31-Jul-18 16.5
INE191H07235 Debentures 29-Jul-16 8.90% 31-Jul-19 17
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated
Entity consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
PVR Pictures Ltd Full Consolidation Subsidiaries
P V R Lanka Ltd Full Consolidation Subsidiaries
Zea Maize Pvt Ltd Full Consolidation Subsidiaries
Vkaao Entertainment Pvt Ltd Equity Method Joint Ventures
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
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  410.00
31-01-20 
CRISIL AA/Stable      08-01-19  CRISIL AA-/Stable  06-11-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  26-12-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  CRISIL AA-/Stable 
                17-08-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  10-08-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable   
                    24-03-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable   
                    06-01-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable   
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  823.33  CRISIL AA/Stable      08-01-19  CRISIL AA-/Stable  06-11-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  26-12-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable  CRISIL AA-/Stable 
                17-08-18  CRISIL AA-/Stable  10-08-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable   
                    24-03-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable   
                    06-01-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable   
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
Long Term Loan 623.33 CRISIL AA/Stable Long Term Loan 623.33 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Term Loan 175 CRISIL AA/Stable Working Capital Facility 25 CRISIL AA-/Stable
Working Capital Facility 25 CRISIL AA/Stable -- 0 --
Total 823.33 -- Total 648.33 --
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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