Rating Rationale
March 12, 2020 | Mumbai
Total Transport Systems Limited
Long-term rating reaffirmed; short-term rating withdrawn
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs 22.25 Crore (Reduced from Rs.44 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL BB/Stable (Reaffirmed)
Short Term Rating CRISIL A4+ (Withdrawn)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its 'CRISIL BB/Stable' rating on the long term bank facilities of Total Transport Systems Limited (TTSL). CRISIL has also withdrawn its rating on Rs.21.75 crore of proposed fund based facility, proposed non fund based facility and working capital demand loan of TTSL following a request from the company. The rating action is in line with CRISIL's policy on withdrawal of bank loan ratings
 
CRISIL ratings on the bank facilities of TTSL continue to reflect TTSL's established presence in the freight forwarding industry, and a moderate financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by the exposure to intense competition and the susceptibility to variations in the economic cycles.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Established presence in freight forwarding industry
TTSL was incorporated in 1994 and has been executing freight forwarding for about two decades. The company benefits from the extensive experience of the promoters and their business relationship with major carriers. It is a non-vessel operating common carrier with 18 offices all over India and one office each in Nepal and Bhutan. TTSL has positioned itself as an end-to-end logistics solutions provider offering services such as consolidation of less than container load (LCL) cargo, full container load (FCL), and de-consolidation. In the freight forwarding business, the company handles 1,500-2,000 containers per month pan India. Benefits from the strong market position should continue to support the business.
 
* Moderate financial risk profile
Financial risk profile has been comfortable and may remain so over the medium term as well. Networth increased to Rs 46.2 crore as on March 31, 2019, from Rs 37.7 crore a year ago, while the total outside liabilities to adjusted networth ratio was low at 0.77 time as on March 31, 2019. Debt protection metrics were strong, with interest coverage and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratios of 8.85 times and 0.52 time, respectively, for fiscal 2019.
 
Weaknesses
* Exposure to intense competition in freight forwarding and logistics industry
TTSL operates in the highly fragmented logistics industry that has low entry barriers and comprises numerous players; large players provide end-to-end logistics solutions to customers, while small players restrict themselves to certain segments of the industry. Though mitigated to an extent by longstanding relationship with customers, intense competition may continue to constrain scalability, pricing power and profitability.
 
* Susceptibility to variations in the economic cycles
The key segment of the company, freight forwarding, is directly linked to India's global export and import (EXIM) position. Any adverse economic cycle will negatively affect the performance of freight forwarders. Volumes have dropped significantly and the freight rates fell to their lowest levels in the past. As the country integrates itself with the rest of the world, the globalisation of trade will drive growth in the EXIM market, thus benefiting TTSL's key business segments. However, till then, variations in the economic cycles will continue to impact the business.
Liquidity Adequate

Liquidity has been healthy and should remain so going forward as well, supported by the absence of any large, debt-funded capital expenditure (capex). Cash accrual ' projected at Rs 8-9 crore per annum over the medium term ' should comfortably meet the yearly maturing debt of Rs 0.18-0.22 crore; the surplus cash will be used as working capital. Bank limit utilisation averaged 87% during the 12 months through December 2019, with cash credit limit of Rs 22.25 crore. Current ratio was strong at 2.19 times as on March 31, 2019, with unencumbered cash and bank balance moderate at Rs 2.69 crore.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes TTSL will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of the promoters and a comfortable financial risk profile.
 
Rating Sensitivity Factors
Upward Factors
*Substantial increase in revenue, with the operating margin steady at above 7%, leading to more-than-expected cash accrual
*Prudent working capital management, reflected by a significant decrease in debtors
 
Downward Factors
*Operating margin dropping to less than 4% or a steep decline in revenue, resulting in lower-than-expected cash accrual
*Further stretch in the working capital cycle, with no timely enhancement in the bank limit, or any large, debt-funded capex.

About the Company

TTSL, incorporated in 1994, is a Mumbai-based company that is a logistics service provider involved in multimodal transport operations. It provides logistics services such as consolidation of LCL, FCL, and de-consolidation.

Key Financial Indicators
As on/for the period ended March 31 Unit 2019 2018
Operating income Rs crore 248.08 207.98
Reported profit after tax (PAT) Rs crore 8.50 8.02
PAT margins % 3.4 3.86
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.40 0.41
Interest coverage Times 8.85 5.54

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 22.25 CRISIL BB/Stable
NA Working Capital
Demand Loan
NA NA Jan 2020 0.55 Withdrawn
NA Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits NA NA NA 6.19 Withdrawn
NA Proposed Non Fund-Based Bank Limits NA NA NA 15.01 Withdrawn
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  22.25  CRISIL BB/Stable  06-02-20  CRISIL BB/Stable  14-02-19  CRISIL BB/Stable      29-11-17  CRISIL BB+/Stable  CRISIL BB+/Negative 
        28-01-20  CRISIL BB/Stable               
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  15.01  Withdrawn  06-02-20  CRISIL A4+  14-02-19  CRISIL A4+          CRISIL A4+ 
        28-01-20  CRISIL A4+               
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 22.25 CRISIL BB/Stable Cash Credit 22.25 CRISIL BB/Stable
Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 6.19 Withdrawn Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 6.19 CRISIL BB/Stable
Proposed Non Fund based limits 15.01 Withdrawn Proposed Non Fund based limits 15.01 CRISIL A4+
Working Capital Demand Loan .55 Withdrawn Term Loan .55 CRISIL BB/Stable
Total 44 -- Total 44 --
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 Commercial Vehicle Industry
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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