Press Release
JCR-VIS Assigns Ratings to Deharki Sugar Mills (Pvt.) Limited
Karachi, June 08, 2016: JCR-VIS Credit Rating Company Limited (JCR-VIS) has assigned initial entity ratings of ‘A-/A-2’ (Single A Minus/A-Two) to Deharki Sugar Mills (Private) Limited (DSML). Outlook on the assigned ratings is ‘Stable’.
The ratings assigned to DSML take into account its association with JDW Sugar Mills Limited (JDWSML), the largest sugar manufacturing group in the country. Being a wholly owned subsidiary of JDWSML, the company draws various benefits from its parent including operational integration while JDWSL has also extended advances to DSML to meet working capital requirement. The ratings also draw comfort from the availability of personal guarantees of parent’s directors on borrowings availed by DSML.
DSML operates with an installed capacity of 13,000 tons/day. Production data for the 2015-16 crushing seasons reflect healthy growth in sugar production while recovery rates have also remained stable. Various functions are shared between JDWSML and DSML including information technology, audit and finance. In addition to this, senior management team of JDWSML also manages DSML operations.
Net sales have depicted steady growth in the recent years while margins have remained a function of procurement price of sugarcane and retail sugar prices. Management expects margin to improve during the ongoing year on account of improvement in retail prices. Inline with reduction in benchmark rates and lower average borrowings, finance cost has trended downwards. Management has projected the profitability to grow at 10% per annum over the next five years.
Capital structure of the company witnessed improvement on account of retention of profits translating into decline in debt leverage and gearing indicators. Long term debt represented around 43% of total borrowings while remaining borrowing pertains to working capital requirement with varying outstanding levels during the year. Given current debt levels, cash coverages are expected to remain adequate.
For further information on this rating announcement, please contact the undersigned (Ext: 501) or Mr. Mohammed Khalid Ali (Ext: 508) at 35311861-70 (10 lines) or fax to 35311873.
Javed Callea
Advisor
Applicable Rating Criteria: Industrial Corporates October 2003
http://www.jcrvis.com.pk/images/IndustrialCorp.pdf