Rating Rationale
May 28, 2020 | Mumbai
Sarda Dairy & Food Products Limited
Rating Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.72.5 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BB-/Stable (Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its rating on the long term bank facilities of Sarda Dairy & Food Products Limited (SDFPL) at 'CRISIL BB-/Stable'.

CRISIL has also taken into cognizance, moratorium being granted by the bankers in debt servicing (of term loan as well as working capital facilities) for a period of 90 days, as permitted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which should contain the risk of default.

The measures taken by various central and state governments towards containment of COVID-19 are not expected to significantly impact the business risk profile of SDFPL, as the company's operations are classified as essential and plant is operational.

Rating continues to reflect operational and fund support from the promoters and promoter group companies along with moderately leveraged capital structure. These strengths are partially offset by weak operating performance and debt protection metrics.

Analytical Approach

CRISIL has treated unsecured loan from promoters (Rs 53.49 crore as on March 31, 2019) as neither debt no equity as these are expected to remain in business.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Operational and fund support from the promoters and promoter group companies: SDFPL's facilities are surrounded by around 650 acres of land which is under agriculture and part of which will be used to meet fodder requirements of the company's dairy business leading to significant savings. This land is controlled by the Sarda family and some promoting companies. Further promoters have provided timely support in form of equity infusion and unsecured loans. Equity infusion was around Rs 31 crore in fiscal 2020.

* Moderately leveraged capital structure: Company has moderate networth estimated at over Rs 14 crore and total outside liabilities to tangible networth of sub 1 times as on March 31, 2020.

Weakness:
* Weak operating performance: Company is estimated to report lower than expected revenue of Rs 80.91 crore with an operating level loss in fiscal 2020 on account of slow ramp up in operations. However, revenue is expected to increase in fiscal 2021 backed by increased sale of value added products as well as addition of new geographies.

* Weak debt protection metrics: Operating level loss has resulted in weak debt protection metrics with reliance on funding from promoters to meet debt obligations.
Liquidity Stretched

SDFPL has stretched liquidity marked by marginal cash and cash equivalents of Rs. 1.04 crore as on March 31, 2019. Company continues to have cash loss and has term debt obligations of Rs.14-15 crore per annum in fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2022. The firm has access to fund based limits of Rs. 6 crore, which are utilized at over 26% for last 12 months ended February 2020. The liquidity gap is expected to be met by funding support from promoters and promoter group companies in the form of unsecured loans which stood at Rs 64 crore as on March 31, 2020.  There was equity infusion of Rs 31 crore in fiscal 2020.  Timely fund support from promoters and promoting companies to remain critical and a key rating sensitivity factor. Further, company has also availed moratorium for term loan as well as working capital facilities for a period of 90 days, as permitted by the RBI. 

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes SDFPL's credit profile will be continue to be supported by support from promoters and promoting companies.
 
Rating Sensitivity Factor
Upward factor
* Sustained increase in scale of operations by at least 40% leading to operating profits and higher cash accruals
* Significant improvement in debt protection metrics and liquidity position

Downward factor
* Continued subdued capacity utilisation resulting in continued operating losses of above 25 crores or stretch in working capital cycle with gross current assets of over 150 days
* Any change in stance of support by the promoter to fund losses and meet other operational and financial requirement, resulting in reliance of external debt and sustained leverage levels.

About the Company

Incorporated in December 2011, SDFPL has a milk processing unit with handling capacity of 3.52 lakhs litres per day (lpd) and a dairy farm for 1900 cows/herds in Kharora village in Raipur (Chhattisgarh). The company's product profile will comprise milk and value-added products such as skim milk powder, dairy whitener, paneer, khowa, buttermilk, lassi, ghee and curds.

SDFPL is a part of the Chhattisgarh-based Sarda group of companies promoted by Mr Kamal Kishore Sarda and family; Sarda Energy and Metals Ltd (Rated: CRISIL A+/Stable/CRISIL A1') is the group's flagship company. The group's business interests include steel, ferroalloys, captive mines, and power. Chhattisgarh Investments Ltd, Parvatiya Power Ltd and Mr Sarda are the principal promoters of SDFPL.

Key Financial Indicators
As on/for the period ended March 31 2019 2018
Revenue Rs.Crore 95.18 86.31
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs.Crore -39.36 -43.51
PAT Margin % -41.4 -50.4
Adjusted debt/Adjusted networth Times 5.7 1.2
Adjusted Interest coverage Times -1.48 -2.38

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 Cash Credit NA NA NA 6 CRISIL BB-/Stable
NA Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 11.5 CRISIL BB-/Stable
NA Term Loan NA NA Dec-2023 55 CRISIL BB-/Stable
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
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  72.50  CRISIL BB-/Stable      09-10-19  CRISIL BB-/Stable  30-05-18  CRISIL BB-/Stable  08-02-17  CRISIL BB-/Stable  CRISIL BB-/Stable 
            20-08-19  CRISIL BB-/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
Cash Credit 6 CRISIL BB-/Stable Cash Credit 6 CRISIL BB-/Stable
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 11.5 CRISIL BB-/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 25.62 Withdrawn
Term Loan 55 CRISIL BB-/Stable Term Loan 66.5 CRISIL BB-/Stable
Total 72.5 -- Total 98.12 --
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
Rating Criteria for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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