Fitch rates Singer's proposed senior debentures at 'A(lka)'
Fitch Ratings Lanka has assigned Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC's (Singer)
proposed three-year senior unsecured redeemable debentures of up to
Rs1billion a National Long-Term rating of 'A(lka)'.
The outlook is stable. The rating reflects Singer's market position
as one of Sri Lanka's largest consumer durables retailers, as well as
its established franchise and extensive distribution network.
The rating also reflects the company's multi-brand product portfolio
that is diversified across price points and its well managed financing
operations. Also, Singer has good access to credit from local banks, and
regularly accesses capital markets to raise debt which has broadened its
funding avenues.
Singer expects to utilise part of the issue proceeds to repay
maturing debentures, while the remainder will help restructure its
balance sheet by lengthening the maturity profile of its debt.
The debenture will have a bullet repayment of principal at maturity,
which is in three years post-issuance, and quarterly coupon payments at
either a fixed or floating rate.
Singer's financial leverage (adjusted debt net of cash/operating
EBITDAR), excluding debt of its subsidiary Singer Finance (Lanka) PLC
(SFL, 'BBB+(lka)'/stable), was low at around 2.4 x, and well below the
4.5 x threshold for its current rating. The company's liquidity was
sufficient at end-June 2012, with cash reserves of Rs 362 m and
unutilised but approved bank lines of Rs 2.1billion covering term-debt
due within a year of Rs610 million.
A further Rs 5billion of Singer's company-level debt consists of
short-term facilities, and is used to fund its working capital
requirements. Fitch does not expect its working capital dynamics to
deteriorate materially in the near term given Singer's strong market
position and strong bargaining power with its suppliers and
distributors.
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