Long operational track record and experienced management
OSSAPL has a long operational track record in the iron & steel industry of two decades. Mr. Dinesh S. Bharuka started his career in the year 1986 with his family business of dealing in scrap metal to various steel processing plant in Maharashtra. In the year 2003, he along with his brother Mr. Rajendra Bharuka created this company and entered into steel business. Acuité believes that the long operational track record of OSSAPL and promoters’ extensive understanding and expertise will support the company’s growth plans going forward.
Improving business risk profile
The company’s revenue improved and stood at Rs.1317.62 crore in FY2022 compared to revenue of Rs.791.84 crore in FY2021. The improvement in the revenues in FY2022 is due to the increase in the capacity in FY2021 as well as increase in the price realization of products. In 9MFY23, the company’s revenue stood at Rs.1027 crores. The operating profit margin of the company declined marginally and stood at 8.42 percent in FY2022 compared against 9.26 percent in FY2021. The company has acquired ‘Sanvijay Alloys and Power Limited’ in FY2023 as a part of their backward integration initiative. SAPL is engaged in the manufacturing of sponge iron, a key raw material of the company. Further. the company has undertaken a capex to expand its production capacity for both MS billets and TMT bars by installing furnaces and rolling mills at a total project cost of ~Rs.150 crore of which Rs.80 crore is funded through term loan and balance from promoters’ sources. Majority of the capital expenditure has already been completed and the benefits of the same is expected to be reflected in the revenues from FY2024. Along with this, the company has also purchased a power plant in FY2023, and this is expected to benefit the company through the reduction of the power costs.
Such acquisition and capacity expansion will help the company to reduce its costs, further leading to better margins in medium term. Acuité believes that the business risk profile will improve in the medium term.
Healthy financial risk profile
The company’s financial risk profile is marked by healthy networth base, moderate gearing and strong debt protection metrics. The tangible net worth of the company stood at Rs.224.29 crore as on 31 March 2022 as against Rs.163.36 crore as on 31 March 2021. The increase in the networth is due to accretion of profits to reserves. The management follows a moderately aggressive financial policy reflected by its peak gearing levels at 1.13 times as on 31 March 2022 as against 0.54 times as on 31 March 2021. The total debt of the company stood at Rs.254.05 crore as on 31 March 2022. It comprised of long-term debt of Rs.78.33 crore, unsecured loans of Rs.53.83 and short-term debt of Rs.116.12 crores as on 31 March 2022. The company, for the debt funded capacity expansion plans and acquisitions the company has availed Rs.56.00 crore loan in FY2022 leading to higher gearing levels in FY2022. The Interest Coverage Ratio (ICR) of the company stood at 7.62 times for FY2022 against 8.29 times for FY2021. The Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) stood at 5.01 times for FY2022 against 6.79 times for FY2021. The total outside liabilities to tangible net worth (TOL/TNW) of the company stood at 1.59 times for FY2022 as against 1.02 times in FY2021. Acuité believes that going forward, the financial risk profile of the company is likely to remain healthy backed by steady accruals.
Efficient working capital management
The company has efficient working capital operations as evident from Gross Current Asset (GCA) of 77 days as on March 31, 2022 as against 80 days as on March 31, 2021. The inventory levels have improved and stood at 32 days for FY2022 compared against 37 days for FY2021. Average inventory holding period for the raw materials is around 2 months and the inventory holding period for finished goods is around 10-15 days. The debtor days stood at 21 days for FY2022 against 33 days for FY2021. The average credit period allowed to the customers is around 30-40 days. The creditor days of the company stood at 18 days for FY2022 as against 17 days for FY21. The average credit period received from the customers is around 5-7 days. The average utilization of the bank limits of the company remains high at ~96 percent in last six months ended November’ 2022. Acuité believes that the working capital operations of the company will remain at same level as evident from efficient collection mechanism and comfortable inventory levels over the medium term.
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Intense competition and inherent cyclical nature of the steel industry
The steel rolling industry remains fragmented and unorganised. The company is exposed to intense competitive pressures from large number of organised and unorganised players along with its exposure to inherent cyclical nature of the steel industry. Additionally, prices of raw materials and products are highly volatile in nature. Business operations also face competition from cheaper Indonesian and Chinese imports. Substantial increase in imports may adversely impact realisation and volumes, and hence, remains a key monitorable.
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