Rating Rationale
October 01, 2019 | Mumbai
SRF Limited
Ratings Reaffirmed 
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1000 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA+/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1+ (Reassigned)
 
Rs.300 Crore Non Convertible Debentures CRISIL AA+/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Rs.400 Crore Commercial Paper CRISIL A1+ (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale
CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL AA+/Stable/CRISIL A1+' ratings on the long term facilities and commercial paper of SRF Limited (SRF). CRISIL has reassigned its 'CRISIL A1+' rating to the short-term bank facility of the company.

CRISIL's rating on SRF continues to reflect its strong business risk profile, driven by market leadership, diversified revenue, and superior operating efficiency. The ratings also factor in healthy financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by high capital intensity with continuous enhancement in the capacity in the speciality chemical and packaging films segment.

On July 4, 2019, CRISIL had assigned its 'CRISIL AA+/Stable' for the long term bank facilities of SRF.
Analytical Approach

For arriving at its ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of SRF and all its subsidiaries, as all the entities have the same management and operate in similar businesses.

Please refer Annexure - List of entities consolidated, for details of the entities considered and their analytical treatment for consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Market leadership
SRF is the market leader in most of its businesses. Due to extensive experience in handling fluorine, it is the sole producer of some key refrigerants in India. In the fluoro-specialities segment, continuous investment in research and development (R&D), and improved manufacturing capability have made it a one-of-its-kind player, exporting from India products that find application in pharmaceutical and agro-based products. In the technical textiles business (TTB), the company is the largest nylon tyre cord fabric manufacturer in India, and addition of new value-added products in the belting fabric segment (a part of the TTB) should further assist its market position. The market position in the packaging films business (PFB) is supported by large capacity and high volume of value-added products. The company is likely to sustain its healthy market share, given its leadership position, established track record, and large R&D capability leading to technical expertise.
 
* Diversified revenue and superior operating efficiency
The company has a presence in TTB (24% of the revenue in the first quarter (Q1) of fiscal 2020, against 30% in the corresponding part of the previous fiscal), chemicals business (CB; 33% against 28%), and PFB (38% against 38%). The management has successfully diversified the geographical presence through investments in the PFB in South Africa, Thailand and Hungary (upcoming), among other countries. The diversified revenue protects against downswing in any one business, and keeps the operating margin steady. Furthermore, cost efficiency measures in the TTB and PFB, strong R&D capability in fluoro-specialities, and market leadership in refrigerants has kept the margin higher than that of peers. The earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) margin improved to 20.0% in Q1 of fiscal 2020 from 18.7% in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. The operating performance is likely to remain stable over the medium term, supported by diversity in revenue.
 
* Healthy financial risk profile
The financial risk profile is backed by robust tangible net-worth of Rs 4,016 crore as on March 31, 2019, with comfortable gearing of 0.93 time. The debt to EBITDA ratio improved to 2.74 times for fiscal 2019, compared to 3.25 times in fiscal 2018. This is because of the returns from the capital expenditure (capex) incurred during fiscal 2018 on the speciality chemicals and packaging films segments. With benefits from the capex accruing further, gross debt to EBITDA ratio is expected to remain below 2.75 times for fiscal 2020 and will remain a key monitorable going forward.  Gearing is expected to remain below 1.0 time. Low cost of borrowing and moderate gearing has kept the interest coverage ratio over 6.0 times in the past three fiscals.

Weakness
* High capital intensity
The company is continuously incurring capex in its speciality chemicals segment of the CB and is also expanding manufacturing facilities in the PFB in foreign geographies. The company incurred capex of around Rs 1,160 crore during fiscal 2019, and plans to invest Rs 1,200-1,500 crore during fiscal 2020. Over the past four years, the capital employed in the CB business increased at a compound annual growth rate of 18%, driven primarily by capex in fluoro-specialities. The profitability of a molecule in this segment depends on successful commercialisation and acceptability. Hence, return on capital employed for the segment was 9.6% during fiscal 2019 and 8.5% in fiscal 2018.
 
Liquidity: Strong
Liquidity is likely to remain strong, driven by cash and bank balance of Rs 299 crore and ample annual cash accrual of about Rs 925 crore during fiscal 2019. Liquidity is further supported by working capital lines of Rs 3,580 crore, utilisation of which averaged 56% as on March 31, 2019. The capex for the next two years is expected at Rs 1,600-2,000 crore, and should be funded by a mix of internal accrual and debt. The repayment obligation for the fiscal 2020 is Rs 440 crore, which is expected to be easily met by the internal accrual.
Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes SRF will continue to benefit from the market leadership and healthy operating efficiency while financial risk profile should remain comfortable with adequate cash accrual.

Rating sensitivity factor
Upward Factor
* Sustaining a gross debt/EBITDA ratio of below 1.0 time
* Substantial increase in revenue and profitability

Downward Factor
* Gross debt/EBITDA rises to more than 3.5 times
* Steep decline in revenue and profitability, or any large, debt-funded capex plan.

About the Company

SRF started with a nylon tyre cord plant in Manali, India in 1970. It is currently present in the TTB, CB, and PFB business verticals. Under the TTB segment, the company manufactures nylon tyre cord fabrics, belting fabrics, and industrial yarns. In the CB segment, it manufactures fluoro-chemicals (including blends, chloromethanes, and refrigerant gases) and fluoro-specialty chemicals.

It has 11 manufacturing units in India, one in South Africa, one in Thailand and an upcoming unit in Hungary. Company has sales spread across more than 75 countries, and has a workforce of about 7000 employees.

Revenue and profit after tax (PAT) were Rs 1,828 crore and Rs 189 crore, respectively, during Q1 of fiscal 2020, against Rs 1,676 crore and Rs 134 crore during the corresponding part of the previous fiscal.

Key Financial Indicators
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2019 2018
Revenue Rs crore 7,693 5,610
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 642 462
PAT Margin % 8.3 8.2
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.93 1.04
Interest coverage Times 6.83 8.0

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
NA Working Capital Facility NA NA NA 173.0 CRISIL AA+/Stable
NA Working Capital Facility^ NA NA NA 150.0 CRISIL A1+
NA Proposed Working Capital Facility NA NA NA 504.0 CRISIL AA+/Stable
NA External Commercial Borrowings NA NA NA 173.0 CRISIL AA+/Stable
INE647A07033 Non-convertible debentures 30-Jun-2017 7.33% 30-Jun-2020 300.0 CRISIL AA+/Stable
NA Commercial paper NA NA 7-365 days 400.0 CRISIL A1+
^Interchangeable with Rs 10 crores of overdraft, Rs 50 crore of working capital demand loan, Rs 150 crore of letter of credit and Rs 50 crore of bank guarantee
 
Annexure - List of Entities Consolidated 
Names of entities consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
SRF Holiday Home Limited Fully consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
SRF Global BV Fully consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
SRF Overseas Limited Fully consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
SRF Industries (Thailand) Limited Fully consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
SRF Industex Belting (Pty) Limited Fully consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
SRF Flexipak (South Africa) (Pty) Limited Fully consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
SRF Europe Kft Fully consolidated Strong business and financial linkages
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
Commercial Paper  ST  400.00  CRISIL A1+  04-07-19  CRISIL A1+  06-07-18  CRISIL A1+  22-09-17  CRISIL A1+    --  -- 
                02-06-17  CRISIL A1+       
Non Convertible Debentures  LT  300.00
30-09-19 
CRISIL AA+/Stable  04-07-19  CRISIL AA+/Stable  06-07-18  CRISIL AA+/Stable  22-09-17  CRISIL AA+/Stable    --  -- 
                02-06-17  CRISIL AA+/Stable       
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  1000.00  CRISIL AA+/Stable/ CRISIL A1+  04-07-19  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
External Commercial Borrowings 173 CRISIL AA+/Stable External Commercial Borrowings 173 CRISIL AA+/Stable
Proposed Working Capital Facility 504 CRISIL AA+/Stable Proposed Working Capital Facility 504 CRISIL AA+/Stable
Working Capital Facility^ 150 CRISIL A1+ Working Capital Facility 323 CRISIL AA+/Stable
Working Capital Facility 173 CRISIL AA+/Stable -- 0 --
Total 1000 -- Total 1000 --
^Interchangeable with Rs 10 crores of overdraft, Rs 50 crore of working capital demand loan, Rs 150 crore of letter of credit and Rs 50 crore of bank guarantee
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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