Fitch Ratings has today assigned India's Ankur Drugs and Pharma Ltd (ADPL) a 'BBB(ind)' National Long-term rating. The Outlook is Stable. Fitch has also assigned 'BBB(ind)' ratings to ADPL's term loans amounting to INR2,500m and fund based working capital limits amounting to INR3,250m, and a 'F2(ind)' rating to ADPL's non-fund based limits amounting to INR550m.
The ratings reflect ADPL's demonstrated and rapid growth over FY02-FY08, its established relationships with key customers, and the size of its manufacturing capacity. The ratings primarily derive strength from the relatively de-risked nature of its business, whereby it functions as a contract manufacturer for a variety of products. Raw material price risks are partly offset by the company's transparent contract pricing strategy, where high-value inputs are purchased typically after discussions with the buyer, reflected in its stable operating margins at around 16% over the past four years. The company's focus on a non-compete strategy with regard to its customers as well as its good quality of manufacturing adds to its strengths.
ADPL's product portfolio mainly consists of products that cover the general therapeutic segment - the betalactum and cephalosporin segments. Although the current product profile is primarily in the form of solid dosages, the company has recently established new capacities for higher value dosage forms such as injectables, rapid films and transdermal patches for its existing products. The company has also expanded its capacity for its existing portfolio with the view of expanding its customer base. The risks to future cash flows from these investments are partly offset by the company's demonstrated ability to realise benefits from similar expansions in the past few years.
The rating is constrained by the liquidity pressure likely to be faced by ADPL in the short-term due to the large working capital requirements to support growth. This historically has resulted in negative cash flows for the company, near-full utilisation of its fund based working capital limits limiting its liquidity support. Key concerns to the rating also emanate from the debt-led nature of the company's on-going capex. Negative CFO, coupled with large capex (INR5.1bn over FY06-FY08) has resulted in large negative free cash flows, financed mostly through debt, which has resulted in high financial leverage; the trend is likely to continue over the near term. ADPL's Debt/EBITDA has increased to 5.8x in FY08 from 3.6x in FY05. Although concerns with regard to ADPL's ability to manage this rapid growth exist, the agency notes that it is working towards improving its internal systems, processes and management, which when in place, should address these concerns.
For FY08, the company recorded revenues of INR6,687m and a net profit of INR634m. In the 9M09 revenues were INR7,222m, up 90% from 9M08. Profitability margins also saw an increase - EBITDA margin was 19% (9M08: 15%) though net profit margin was 7% (9M08: 9%), mainly as a result of interest, deprecation and marked to market losses on account of Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds due in 2011-2012.
ADPL was incorporated in 1995, and as a loss making company, was taken over by current promoter, Purnandu Jain, in 2001. In 2007 ADPL merged operations with Vaibhav healthcare Pvt, an associate company. The company manufactures pharmaceutical formulations in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid orals and dry syrups and has facilities located in Daman and Baddi (Himachal Pradesh).
Note to editors: Fitch's National ratings provide a relative measure of creditworthiness for rated entities in countries with relatively low international sovereign ratings and where there is demand for such ratings. The best risk within a country is rated 'AAA' and other credits are rated only relative to this risk. National ratings are designed for use mainly by local investors in local markets and are signified by the addition of an identifier for the country concerned, such as 'AAA(ind)' for National ratings in India. Specific letter grades are not therefore internationally comparable.
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