Product Quantum (Rs. Cr) Long Term Rating Short Term Rating
Bank Loan Ratings 66.00 ACUITE BBB | Positive | Reaffirmed | Stable to Positive -
Bank Loan Ratings 4.00 - ACUITE A3+ | Reaffirmed
Total Outstanding 70.00 - -
Total Withdrawn 0.00 - -
 
Rating Rationale

­Acuite has reaffirmed its long-term rating of ‘ACUITE BBB’ (read as ACUITE triple B) and short-term rating of ‘ACUITE A3+’ (read as ACUITE A three plus) on Rs.70.00 Cr. bank facilities of NIF Ispat Limited (NIFIL). The outlook is revised from 'Stable' to 'Positive'.

 Rationale for Rating
NIF Ispat Limited had appealed the rating reaffirmed on the existing bank facilities to it on May 19th, 2025, and had provided incremental information based on which the rating outlook has been revised.  The information provided clarity about the sustainability of the scale of operations as evident from the installation of ductile iron plant in FY26 which is expected to augment operations. Furthermore, the provisional FY25 financials provided clarity on business risk profile of the company.  The rating also draws comfort from the long operational track record of decades, extensive experience of the promoters and diversified geographical presence and product portfolio. The rating also factors the healthy financial position of the company characterized by moderate networth and comfortable capital structure and debt protection metrics. The liquidity position is adequate reflected by sufficient net cash accruals against debt repayments, moderate current ratio and absence of debt funded capex plans. However, these strengths are partially offset by the working capital-intensive nature of operations, volatility in raw material prices and the exposure to the foreign exchange rate fluctuations.


About the Company
Incorporated in 1955, NIF Ispat Limited (NIFIL) is based in West Bengal and is headed by Mr. Girish Kumar Madhogaria and Mr. Sugam Madhogaria. The company is ISO 9001:2008 certified and is engaged in the manufacturing of cast iron and ductile iron castings.
 
Unsupported Rating
­Not Applicable
 
Analytical Approach
­­Acuité has considered the standalone business and financial risk profile of NIFIL to arrive at the rating.
 
Key Rating Drivers

Strengths

Long operational track record and experienced management
NIFIL was incorporated in 1955 and has a long operational track record of more than six decades in the cast iron and ductile iron manufacturing business. The promoters, Mr. Girish Kumar Madhogaria, Mr. Sugam Madhogaria and Mrs. Pushpa Madhogaria manages the operations of the company. The company has a long-standing presence in cast-iron and ductile iron casting segment. NIFIL serves the real estate sector, supplying key clients such as L&T and Godrej, as well as airport projects across India. The company has a broad market presence, exporting to 35 countries, including the USA, Canada, and various European countries. Acuite believes that the long track of operations and the extensive experience will continue to benefit the company going forward.

­Increase in revenue and improving margins in FY25 (Prov.)
The company achieved an operating income of Rs.189.09 Cr in FY25 (Prov.) as against Rs. 171.81 Cr. in FY24. The increase in revenue was because of marginal increase in volume sales. The order in hand mainly comprises export orders of ~Rs.40.00 Cr.  and domestic orders of ~Rs.4.00 Cr. as of June 2025 which will be executed within 10 weeks with a rolling pipeline of new orders. The EBITDA margins stood at 16.50 percent in FY25 (Prov.) as against 13.43 percent in FY24. The increase was due to reductions in raw material costs. The PAT Margin stood at 8.79 percent in FY25 (Prov.) as against 5.99 percent in FY24 due to reduced interest costs. Acuite believes that the scale of operations will improve over the medium term backed by order flow and expansion plans.

Healthy Financial Risk Profile
The company has a healthy financial risk profile marked by increase in net worth, improved gearing ratio and healthy debt protection metrics. The tangible net worth of the company stood at Rs.78.29 Cr. in FY25 (Prov.) as against Rs. 61.68 Cr. in FY24 due to accretion of reserves. The gearing stood below unity at 0.65 times in FY25 (Prov.) as against 0.92 times in FY24. The unsecured loans from body corporate stood at Rs.11.63 Cr. in FY25 (Prov.) as against Rs.12.98 Cr. in FY24. These are interest bearing at a rate of 9% to 12% but company has a plan to refund these by FY27. TOL/TNW ratio stood at 0.81 times in FY25 (Prov.) as against 1.03 times in FY24. The interest coverage ratio and debt service coverage ratio stood at 8.47 times and 6.59 times respectively as of March 31, 2025 (Prov.). Acuite believes that the financial risk profile remains healthy supported by healthy cash accruals even though the company is expected to incur capex.


Weaknesses

­Intensive working capital cycle 
The working capital-intensive nature of operations of the company is marked by Gross Current Assets (GCA) of 166 days for FY25 (Prov.) as against 172 days for FY2024 on account of receivables days followed by inventory days. The debtor days of the company stood at 87 days for FY25 (Prov.) as against 86 days for FY2024. The credit terms on an average are ~2months. The credit terms with their export customers is on average of 90 days. Further, the inventory days of the company stood at 60 days in FY2025 (Prov.) as against 74 days in FY2024. The company stores 4 to 7 weeks of work in progress goods and 30 days of raw materials for any kind of buffer. Against this, the company has minimal dependence on its suppliers to support the working capital; creditors stood at 14 days for FY2025(Prov.) as against 7 days for FY2024. NIFIL make advance payments for more than 50% of the purchases of  pig iron. Acuite believes that working capital cycle will remain on similar lines over the medium term.

Rating Sensitivities

­­­Movement in revenue and profitability margins
Working capital cycle
Timely completion of capex and its stabilization

 
Liquidity Position
Adequate

The company has adequate liquidity marked by the steady net cash accruals of Rs.21.88 Cr. as on March 31, 2025 (Prov.), as against Rs.0.19 Cr. long term debt obligations over the same period. The cash and bank balance stood at Rs. 1.26 Cr. for FY 2025 (Prov.). Further, the current ratio of the company stood comfortable at 1.68 times in FY2025 (Prov.). NIFIL has installed a ductile iron plant which will be operational from FY26 and has plans of setting up a processing unit to enhance their operations. These are funded through internal cash accruals. Moreover, the bank limit of the company has been ~84.15 percent utilized for the last six months ended February 2025. However, the working capital-intensive nature of operations of the company is marked by Gross Current Assets (GCA) of 166 days for FY25 (Prov.) as against 172 days for FY2024. Acuite believes that the liquidity of the company is likely to remain similar on account of improving cash accruals, comfortable current ratio and absence of debt funded capex plans over the medium term.

 
Outlook: Positive
­
 
Other Factors affecting Rating
­None
 

Particulars Unit FY 25 (Provisional) FY 24 (Actual)
Operating Income Rs. Cr. 189.09 171.81
PAT Rs. Cr. 16.62 10.28
PAT Margin (%) 8.79 5.99
Total Debt/Tangible Net Worth Times 0.65 0.92
PBDIT/Interest Times 8.47 5.14
Status of non-cooperation with previous CRA (if applicable)
Not Applicable
 
Any other information
­None
 
Applicable Criteria
• Default Recognition :- https://www.acuite.in/view-rating-criteria-52.htm
• Manufacturing Entities: https://www.acuite.in/view-rating-criteria-59.htm
• Application Of Financial Ratios And Adjustments: https://www.acuite.in/view-rating-criteria-53.htm

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument

Date Name of Instruments/Facilities Term Amount (Rs. Cr) Rating/Outlook
19 May 2025 Bank Guarantee (BLR) Short Term 4.00 ACUITE A3+ (Reaffirmed)
Bills Discounting Long Term 20.00 ACUITE BBB | Stable (Reaffirmed)
Proposed Long Term Bank Facility Long Term 4.80 ACUITE BBB | Stable (Reaffirmed)
PC/PCFC Long Term 17.00 ACUITE BBB | Stable (Reaffirmed)
PC/PCFC Long Term 24.20 ACUITE BBB | Stable (Reaffirmed)
05 Mar 2024 Bank Guarantee (BLR) Short Term 3.00 ACUITE A3+ (Upgraded from ACUITE A3)
Letter of Credit Short Term 3.00 ACUITE A3+ (Upgraded from ACUITE A3)
Proposed Long Term Bank Facility Long Term 3.00 ACUITE BBB | Stable (Upgraded from ACUITE BBB- | Stable)
PC/PCFC Long Term 44.00 ACUITE BBB | Stable (Upgraded from ACUITE BBB- | Stable)
PC/PCFC Long Term 17.00 ACUITE BBB | Stable (Upgraded from ACUITE BBB- | Stable)
Proposed Packing Credit Long Term 8.05 ACUITE Not Applicable (Withdrawn)
Proposed Packing Credit Long Term 11.00 ACUITE Not Applicable (Withdrawn)
Proposed Working Capital Term Loan Long Term 0.95 ACUITE Not Applicable (Withdrawn)
04 Jan 2023 Bank Guarantee (BLR) Short Term 3.00 ACUITE A3 (Reaffirmed)
PC/PCFC Long Term 25.20 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Reaffirmed)
Covid Emergency Line. Long Term 5.89 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Reaffirmed)
Proposed Packing Credit Long Term 8.05 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Reaffirmed)
Term Loan Long Term 15.04 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Reaffirmed)
Covid Emergency Line. Long Term 4.30 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Reaffirmed)
Proposed Packing Credit Long Term 11.00 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Reaffirmed)
PC/PCFC Long Term 17.00 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Reaffirmed)
Proposed Long Term Bank Facility Long Term 0.52 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Reaffirmed)
08 Nov 2022 PC/PCFC Short Term 25.20 ACUITE A3 (Assigned)
Proposed Packing Credit Short Term 8.05 ACUITE A3 (Assigned)
Bank Guarantee (BLR) Short Term 3.00 ACUITE A3 (Assigned)
Proposed Packing Credit Short Term 11.00 ACUITE A3 (Assigned)
PC/PCFC Short Term 17.00 ACUITE A3 (Assigned)
Covid Emergency Line. Long Term 5.89 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Assigned)
Term Loan Long Term 15.04 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Assigned)
Covid Emergency Line. Long Term 4.30 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Assigned)
Proposed Long Term Bank Facility Long Term 0.52 ACUITE BBB- | Stable (Assigned)
­

Lender’s Name ISIN Facilities Date Of Issuance Coupon Rate Maturity Date Quantum
(Rs. Cr.)
Complexity Level Rating
HDFC Bank Ltd Not avl. / Not appl. Bank Guarantee (BLR) Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. 4.00 Simple ACUITE A3+ | Reaffirmed
State Bank of India Not avl. / Not appl. Bills Discounting Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. 20.00 Simple ACUITE BBB | Positive | Reaffirmed | Stable to Positive
State Bank of India Not avl. / Not appl. PC/PCFC Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. 24.20 Simple ACUITE BBB | Positive | Reaffirmed | Stable to Positive
HDFC Bank Ltd Not avl. / Not appl. PC/PCFC Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. 17.00 Simple ACUITE BBB | Positive | Reaffirmed | Stable to Positive
Not Applicable Not avl. / Not appl. Proposed Long Term Bank Facility Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. Not avl. / Not appl. 4.80 Simple ACUITE BBB | Positive | Reaffirmed | Stable to Positive

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