RATING RATIONALE
27Apr2021

Avon Steel Industries Pvt. Ltd.

Brickwork Ratings reaffirms the ratings for the Bank Loan Facilities of Rs. 146.65 Crs. of Avon Steel Industries Pvt. Ltd.

Particulars
Facilities** Amount (Rs.Crs.) Tenure Rating#
Previous Present Previous
(23 Mar 2020)
Present
Fund Based 43.14 46.65 Long Term BWR BBB (Stable)
Downgrade
BWR BBB /Stable
Reaffirmation
Non Fund Based 100.00 100.00 Short Term BWR A2
Downgrade
BWR A2
Reaffirmation
(30.00) (30.00)
Grand Total 143.14 146.65 (Rupees One Hundred Forty Six Crores and Sixty Five lakhs Only)
#Please refer to BWR website www.brickworkratings.com for definition of the ratings
**Details of Bank Loan facilities,consolidation or instruments are provided in Annexure


RATING ACTION / OUTLOOK

While reaffirming the ratings of Avon Steel Industries Pvt. Ltd (ASIPL or the company) BWR has factored in its sustained financial performance in FY20, stability in its major financial parameters, likelihood of improvement in its revenues and profitability margins in FY21 and FY22, owing to significant increase in demand for steel products leading to a surge in steel prices over the past 8 to 9 months. The company’s gearing ratio is expected to remain comfortable in the absence of any proposed capex programme making its future financial risk profile relatively predictable, although the profitability is highly vulnerable to volatility in the raw material prices. Further, the company’s long operational track record, lineage to the well established ‘Avon’ Group and promoters’ experience continue to support the ratings. On the other hand, factors such as low product differentiation, cyclicality in the steel industry and intense competition from market participants continue to offset the rating strengths.

OUTLOOK: STABLE

BWR believes that the business risk profile of ASIPL will be maintained over the medium term. The ‘Stable’ outlook indicates a low likelihood of rating change over the medium term. The outlook may be revised to positive in case the revenues and profitability margins show a sustained improvement. It may be revised to negative if the revenues go down and profitability margins show lower than expected figures.

KEY RATING DRIVERS


Credit Strengths:


Credit Risks:

  • Susceptibility of margins to volatility in raw material prices: :

    ASIPL procures majority of its raw material from Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), prices of which are released every month. Raw material cost constitutes ~ 80-85% of the selling price of the finished products. Any adverse fluctuation in these prices increases the susceptibility of margins of the company, as the steel industry is highly competitive in nature and the market players enjoy only limited pricing powers for their products. The adverse movement in prices have hit the Company's profitability in FY19 and FY20.

  • Moderate Debt Service Coverage Ratio and cyclicality in steel sector :

    The Company's debt coverage ratio stood at 0.94x and 1.0x in FY19 and FY20 respectively. Due to the company booking inventory loss owing to unfavorable prices during these years, the cash accruals were tightly matched to the maturing debt repayments. However, the demand in the steel sector is cyclical and majority of the players tend to benefit in the upside as is the case currently. The company is expecting higher profits and thus a higher DSCR in FY21.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH - Standalone

The ratings of Avon Steel Industries Pvt. Ltd. are arrived at on a standalone basis after independent evaluation of its financial risk profile. For arriving at its ratings, BWR has applied its rating methodology as detailed in the rating criteria detailed below (hyperlinks provided at the end of this rationale).

RATING SENSITIVITIES

Upward:Rating may be upgraded if the company's margins improve to over 5% and net margins sustain at more than 2% levels. Besides, the company must also register improvements in DSCR to at least 1.5x while it continues to maintain its growth in revenues at current levels.

Downward:Other than a significant deterioration in company's profitability, any stretch on the company's liquidity parameters may result in a rating downgrade.

LIQUIDITY INDICATORS - Adequate

Liquidity position of the company has improved to ‘adequate’ as reflected in improved cash accruals in FY21 (estimated) against a low maturing debt of ~ Rs. 2.5-3 Crores during the year. The company's utilisation of cash credit limits stood low at ~ 26% in the last 9 months while the LC limit utilisation stood at ~65%. If the steel prices stay firm for a longer period, the accruals in FY22 are likely to remain adequate in servicing the maturing debt obligations of Rs 8-9 Crs. Further, the company does not plan to incur large scale debt funded capex in FY22, which supports the liquidity profile in the short to medium term.

ABOUT THE ENTITY

Avon Steel Industries Pvt ltd., ASIPL was incorporated in 1999 as a public limited company. It was converted into a private limited company in 2008. Its registered office is located at Phase VIII, Focal Point, Chandigarh Road, Ludhiana-141010. ASIPL is engaged in the manufacturing of hot rolled coils and steel tubes at its plant in Ludhiana. The company sells its products under the brand name of “AVON” which has been in the industry for more than six and a half decades and is widely recognized in the local market. Mr Chetan Pahwa, who is the Managing Director of ASIPL is also a director in Avon Rims Pvt Ltd. which manufactures rims for cycles. ASIPL procures the majority of the raw material required (steel slabs/ blooms) from Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL).

KEY FINANCIAL INDICATORS (Standalone)
Key Parameters Units FY 19-20
(Audited)
FY 18-19
(Audited)
Operating Revenue Rs.Crs. 551.97 639.66
EBITDA Rs.Crs. 16.62 16.04
PAT Rs.Crs. -5.29 -4.59
Tangible Net Worth Rs.Crs. 86.29 91.48
Total Debt/Tangible Net Worth Times 0.25 0.39
Current Ratio Times 1.00 0.98

STATUS OF NON-COOPERATION WITH PREVIOUS CRA

CARE, vide its rationale dated 10 Apr 2020, placed the rating of ASIPL under ‘Issuer Not Cooperating Category’ while assigning a rating of CARE BB (Stable)/A4.

RATING HISTORY FOR THE PREVIOUS THREE YEARS (including withdrawal and suspended)
Facilities Current Rating (2021) 2020 2019 2018
Type Tenure Amount
(Rs.Crs.)
Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating
Fund Based LT 46.65
BWR BBB/Stable
(Reaffirmation)
23Mar2020
BWR BBB (Stable)
(Downgrade)
06Mar2019
BWR BBB+ (Stable)
(Assigned)
NA
NA
Non Fund Based ST 100.00
BWR A2
(Reaffirmation)
23Mar2020
BWR A2
(Downgrade)
06Mar2019
BWR A2+
(Assigned)
NA
NA
NFB SubLimit ST (30.00)
BWR A2
(Reaffirmation)
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
Grand Total 146.65 (Rupees One Hundred Forty Six Crores and Sixty Five lakhs Only)
COMPLEXITY LEVELS OF THE INSTRUMENTS - NA

BWR complexity levels are meant for educating investors. The BWR complexity levels are available at www.brickworkratings.com / download / ComplexityLevels.pdf. Investors queries can be sent to info@brickworkratings.com.

Hyperlink/Reference to applicable Criteria
Analytical Contacts

Sumit Saharan

Senior Rating Analyst Board : +91 172 5032 295 / 6 sumit.s@brickworkratings.com

Ashwini Mital

Director - Ratings Board : +91 172 5032 295 / 6 ashwinimital@brickworkratings.com
1-860-425-2742 | media@brickworkratings.com
Avon Steel Industries Pvt. Ltd.
ANNEXURE-I
Details of Bank Facilities rated by BWR
SL.No. Type Of Facilities Long Term(Rs.Crs.) Short Term(Rs.Crs.) Total(Rs.Crs.)
1 Cash CreditSanctioned 10.00 _ 10.00
2 Inland Letter of Credit (ILC)Sanctioned _ 55.00 55.00
3 Term LoanOut-standing 10.59 _ 10.59
4 Cash CreditSanctioned 20.00 _ 20.00
5 Inland Letter of Credit (ILC)Sanctioned _ 45.00 45.00
Sub-Limit (Bank Guarantee) Sanctioned (30.00)
6 Covid -19 Emergency Line CreditOut-standing 6.06 _ 6.06
Total 46.65 100.00 146.65
TOTAL (Rupees One Hundred Forty Six Crores and Sixty Five lakhs Only)
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