Rating Rationale
November 02, 2020 | Mumbai
Uflex Limited
Ratings removed from 'Watch Developing'; Ratings Reaffirmed
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.1980 Crore (Reduced from Rs.2200 Crore)
Long Term Rating CRISIL A/Stable (Removed from 'Rating Watch with Developing implications'; Rating Reaffirmed) 
Short Term Rating CRISIL A1 (Removed from 'Rating Watch with Developing implications'; Rating Reaffirmed)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has removed its ratings on the bank facilities of Uflex Limited (Uflex; part of Uflex group) from 'Rating Watch with Developing Implications' and reaffirmed the ratings at 'CRISIL A/CRISIL A1' and assigned its 'Stable' outlook.
 
CRISIL has also withdrawn its rating on the proposed bank facilities of Uflex of Rs 220 crore at company's request. This is in line with CRISIL's withdrawal policy.
 
The rating action follows the complete clarity shared by the management on the impact of Covid on the business profile and of the announced capital expenditure plans on the financial profile of the group.
 
The business risk profile is expected to improve based on the addition of capacities in various geographies and increase in demand of packaged foods across geographies in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic. This is reflected in Q1 FY21 results of the group wherein revenue grew by 2% on a y-o-y basis but the EBIDTA improved by 52% for the same period. The increase in profitability was supported largely by decline in raw material prices of which the major portion are crude derivatives and increase in demand, providing a strong bargaining power to the packaging players.
 
With demand expected to outpace supply (till the time new capacities across the industry commence operations), operating profitability is expected to remain healthy and better compared to previous years. Subsequently, cash accrual generation is also expected to remain healthy supporting the financial risk profile, esp. liquidity.
 
However, the rating continues to remain constrained by subdued return on capital employed (RoCE) of 9.0-10.2% since last 8 years which is expected to remain around the mentioned range over the medium term because of the company being under continuous capex mode.
 
The ratings continue to reflect an established presence in the flexible packaging industry, diversified customer and product profiles, and a comfortable financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by working capital-intensive operations, subdued RoCE, and susceptibility to the cyclical and commoditised nature of the packaging films industry.

Analytical Approach

For arriving at the ratings, CRISIL has combined the business and financial risk profiles of Uflex and all its Indian and foreign subsidiaries, and step down subsidiaries and joint ventures, together referred to as the Uflex group, on account of operational, management and financial linkages among them.

Please refer Annexure - Details of Consolidation, which captures the list of entities considered and their analytical treatment of consolidation.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Established market position in the flexible packaging industry: The Uflex group is one of the largest players in the flexible packaging industry with a strong market presence in both the domestic and overseas markets through subsidiaries in Egypt, Dubai, Mexico, the US and Poland. Revenue of the group was around Rs 7393 crore in fiscal 2020 as against Rs 7909 crore in the previous fiscal.
 
* Diversified product and customer profiles: The group has a presence throughout the value chain in flexible packaging. It provides complete end-to-end packaging solutions ranging from , flexible packaging intermediate products (packaging machines, holograms, inks & adhesives, cylinders)  to end or final products (packaging films, multilayer laminates and liquid packs). Over the years, it has developed a reputed and diversified customer base, catering to leading players in the packaging films, flexible packaging and FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) industries. Also, customer concentration risk is low.
 
* Comfortable financial risk profile: The capital structure was comfortable with the gearing at 0.78 times and 0.50 times and as on March 31, 2020, and March 31, 2019, respectively. Debt protection metrics were strong, with interest coverage ratio at 5.0 times and 4.4 times for fiscal 2020 and 2019, respectively.
 
Weaknesses:
* Working capital-intensive operations: Gross current assets were 175 days, driven by debtors of 98 days and inventory of 50 days, as on March 31, 2020. Working capital requirement is partially supported by credit of 70-90 days from suppliers.
 
* Exposure to demand-related risks for the new liquid packaging plant: The plant for liquid packaging products in Gujarat started operations in March 2018, but is yet to fully stabilise and generate profits. The demand-related risks for the plant are high as the group needs long-term tie-ups with customers in order to turn profitable and support overall liquidity. Though it has tied up with a few customers, significant volume ramp up is needed over the medium term.
 
* Cyclical and commoditised nature of the packaging films industry: The BOPP (biaxially-oriented polypropylene) and BOPET industry is cyclical. Product realisations have fluctuated in the past, depending on the demand-supply gap. Moreover, the industry has a tendency to add large capacities when there is an improvement in prices, resulting in overcapacity and hence, pressure on realisations. Also, because of the commoditised nature of the packaging business, players have little scope for passing on increase in raw material costs (accounting for 65-75% of net sales), making them highly susceptible to volatility in raw material prices. Thus, the operating margin is susceptible to fluctuations in both product realisations and input costs.
Liquidity Strong

Bank limit utilisation was moderate with fund-based limit utilisation averaging at 71% for last 9 months through September 2020. The current ratio was at 1.4 times as on March 31, 2020. The group also had healthy unencumbered cash balance of over Rs 330 crore as on March 31, 2020.
 
To support liquidity profile, the group did avail moratorium for its Indian operations.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes the Uflex group will continue to benefit from its established market position in the packaging industry and a comfortable financial risk profile over the medium term.
 
Rating sensitivity factors:
Upward factors:
* Significant and sustained improvement in the operating performance, leading to higher cash accrual
* Improvement in RoCE to over 12% on a sustained basis
 
Downward factors:
* Lower-than-expected cash accrual on account of reduction in the operating margin or weaker demand
* Gross debt to EBIDTA remaining over 3 times on a sustained basis

About the Group

Promoted and founded in 1985 by Mr Ashok Chaturvedi, the Uflex group offers end-to-end flexible packaging solutions including films (BOPET, BOPP, CPP [cast polypropylene]  and metallised), flexible laminates, holographic films, aseptic liquid packaging, packaging and printing machines, and inks and adhesives, catering mainly to the FMCG industry. The company is headquartered at Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and has manufacturing facilities in India, Dubai, Mexico, Egypt, Poland and the US.

Key Financial Indicators - consolidated
Particulars Unit 2020 2019
Revenue Rs crore 7393 7909
Profit after tax Rs crore. 371 315
PAT margin % 5.0 4.0
Adjusted debt/adjusted Networth Times 0.78 0.5
Interest coverage Times 5.0 4.34

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments and are included (where applicable) in the Annexure -- Details of Instrument in this Rating Rationale. For more details on the CRISIL complexity levels, please visit www.crisil.com/complexity-levels.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of instrument Date of allotment Coupon
rate (%)
Maturity date Issue size
(Rs crore)
Complexity Level Rating assigned with outlook
NA Long Term Loan NA NA Mar-29 878.38 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Fund-Based Facility NA NA NA 400.0 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Letter of Credit NA NA NA 10.0 NA CRISIL A1
NA Non-Fund Based Facility NA NA NA 375.0 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Proposed fund based limits NA NA NA 220.0 NA Withdrawn
NA Proposed fund based limits NA NA NA 292.84 NA CRISIL A/Stable
NA Working Capital Demand Loan NA NA NA 23.78 NA CRISIL A/Stable
 

Annexure - List of entities consolidated
Names of entities consolidated Extent of consolidation Rationale for consolidation
Uflex Ltd Full consolidation Holding company
USC Holograms Pvt Ltd Full consolidation Subsidiary
UFLEX Packaging Inc. Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex Middle East FZE Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex Films Europa Sp. Z.o.o. Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex Films (USA) Inc Full consolidation Subsidiary
UFlex Europe Ltd Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex P. Films Egypt S.A.E. Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex Films Rus LLC Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex Films Africa Pvt Ltd Full consolidation Subsidiary
UPET Holdings Ltd Full consolidation Subsidiary
Upet (Singapore) Pte Ltd Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex Films Europa KFT Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex Americas S.A. de C.V. Full consolidation Subsidiary
Flex Chemicals (P) Ltd LLC Full consolidation Subsidiary
Digicyl Pte Ltd Full consolidation Joint Venture
Digicyl Ltd Full consolidation Joint Venture
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  1595.00  CRISIL A/Stable  18-08-20  CRISIL A/Watch Developing  14-05-19  CRISIL A/Stable    --    --  -- 
        28-05-20  CRISIL A/Watch Developing               
        24-02-20  CRISIL A/Watch Developing               
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  385.00  CRISIL A/Stable/ CRISIL A1  18-08-20  CRISIL A1/Watch Developing  14-05-19  CRISIL A1    --    --  -- 
        28-05-20  CRISIL A1/Watch Developing               
        24-02-20  CRISIL A1/Watch Developing               
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
Fund-Based Facilities 400 CRISIL A/Stable Letter of Credit 25 CRISIL A1/Watch Developing
Letter of Credit 10 CRISIL A1 Long Term Loan 923 CRISIL A/Watch Developing
Long Term Loan 878.38 CRISIL A/Stable Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 477 CRISIL A/Watch Developing
Non-Fund Based Limit 375 CRISIL A/Stable Working Capital Facility 775 CRISIL A/Watch Developing
Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 292.84 CRISIL A/Stable -- 0 --
Proposed Fund-Based Bank Limits 220 Withdrawn -- 0 --
Working Capital Demand Loan 23.78 CRISIL A/Stable -- 0 --
Total 2200 -- Total 2200 --
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 Bank Loan Ratings
CRISILs Criteria for Consolidation
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt
The Rating Process
Understanding CRISILs Ratings and Rating Scales

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