Shipping Corporation Of India Showing Expected Up-Side Momentum
Company has reduced debt.
Company has delivered good profit growth of 24.4% CAGR over last 5 years
Strengths
Long track record of operations along with diversified business segment
SCIL is one of the largest shipping companies in India with an operational track record of around six decades. It benefits from the experienced management of qualified professionals and nominees of GOI. The long track record has helped them establishing relationships with major PSUs in India like IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, ONGC, etc. The company have diversified business segments which includes crude oil/product tankers, dry bulk, offshore services, and container operations, and has a presence in passenger vessels, chemicals, and gas transportation. SCIL currently has the largest fleet size of 59 vessels; a relatively younger fleet, with an average age of around 11-12 years which helps them in getting better charter rates and achieving higher operating efficiency. Vessels on behalf of third parties, primarily Public-Sector Units (PSUs)/Government Departments/Union Territories are also managed for service income. Currently, SCIL are managing 53 third party vessels.
Acuité believes that SCIL will continue to benefit from its long operational track record and established relationship with the PSU's./b]
Strategic importance to Government of India
With more than six decades of operational track record, SCIL, remains strategically important to the Government of India. The company have been playing a pivotal role towards supplying vessels for the Indian Government key operations such as Mars Orbitter Mission of ISRO (Indian Space and Research Organisation) and other defence missions via agreement with DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation). Furthermore, SCIL have created strategic alliances with other governments such as Maldives, Andaman & Nicobar Islands for providing maritime services among islands. They have also been serving projects of national importance by partnering with ONGC and Geological Survey of India (GSI) for offshore services. Apart from that, the company deployed its container vessel on direct "India - Middle East Shipping Service" which connects East & West Coast of India with Middle East ports of Jebel Ali and Hamad and will also cater to other ports in Persian Gulf.
Stable business operations
The business operations of the company remained stable over the years marked by healthy growth in revenue from operations by -25% CAGR over FY21-23 period. The consolidated company achieved revenues of Rs.5794.01 Cr. in FY23 compared against Rs.4988.08 Cr. in FY22 and Rs.3698.09 in FY21. The improvement in revenue is attributable to significant improvement in liner freight indices and bulk segment due to significant improvement in charter rates. A surge in the tanker charter hire rates helped the Tanker Segment to post significant profits. The dry bulk segment is still recovering from historically bad period and loss of key cargoes such as iron ore exports from India, resulting in long non-profitable ballast legs thereby putting pressure on earnings. Although, in later parts of 2020, dry bulk trade recovered remarkably well on account of stimulus packages given by various governments and with China, the main driver of dry bulk demand, recovering quickly from COVID-19 crisis. Simultaneous occurrence of multiple factors conducive for the dry bulk shipping business, viz., spike in dry bulk materials demand, strong trade in grain, coal and iron ore segments, low active fleet growth maintaining tonnage balance etc. gave a good push to the dry bulk rates. Also. strong trade growth and tapering dry bulk carrier deliveries bode well for the near future.
Healthy Financial Risk Profile
The financial risk profile of the company remained healthy marked by strong net worth, gearing ratio and comfortable debt protection metrics. The tangible Net worth of the company stood at Rs.6902 crore in FY2023 as against Rs.5974 crore in FY2022. The debt/equity of the company improved and stood comfortably at 0.37x and 0.53x as on 31 March 2023 and 31 March 2022 respectively. The TOL/TNW of the company improved and stood low at 0.66x as on 31 March 2023 compared against 0.82 times as on 31 March 2022 respectively. The debt protection matrices of the compar mained comfortable marked by interest- coverage-ratio of 9.45x and Debt-service e ratio of 2.30x for FY2023.
Acuité believes that financial risk profile of SCIL may remain strong owing to no major capex plans and stable profit accretions.
Company has delivered good profit growth of 24.4% CAGR over last 5 years
Strengths
Long track record of operations along with diversified business segment
SCIL is one of the largest shipping companies in India with an operational track record of around six decades. It benefits from the experienced management of qualified professionals and nominees of GOI. The long track record has helped them establishing relationships with major PSUs in India like IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, ONGC, etc. The company have diversified business segments which includes crude oil/product tankers, dry bulk, offshore services, and container operations, and has a presence in passenger vessels, chemicals, and gas transportation. SCIL currently has the largest fleet size of 59 vessels; a relatively younger fleet, with an average age of around 11-12 years which helps them in getting better charter rates and achieving higher operating efficiency. Vessels on behalf of third parties, primarily Public-Sector Units (PSUs)/Government Departments/Union Territories are also managed for service income. Currently, SCIL are managing 53 third party vessels.
Acuité believes that SCIL will continue to benefit from its long operational track record and established relationship with the PSU's./b]
Strategic importance to Government of India
With more than six decades of operational track record, SCIL, remains strategically important to the Government of India. The company have been playing a pivotal role towards supplying vessels for the Indian Government key operations such as Mars Orbitter Mission of ISRO (Indian Space and Research Organisation) and other defence missions via agreement with DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation). Furthermore, SCIL have created strategic alliances with other governments such as Maldives, Andaman & Nicobar Islands for providing maritime services among islands. They have also been serving projects of national importance by partnering with ONGC and Geological Survey of India (GSI) for offshore services. Apart from that, the company deployed its container vessel on direct "India - Middle East Shipping Service" which connects East & West Coast of India with Middle East ports of Jebel Ali and Hamad and will also cater to other ports in Persian Gulf.
Stable business operations
The business operations of the company remained stable over the years marked by healthy growth in revenue from operations by -25% CAGR over FY21-23 period. The consolidated company achieved revenues of Rs.5794.01 Cr. in FY23 compared against Rs.4988.08 Cr. in FY22 and Rs.3698.09 in FY21. The improvement in revenue is attributable to significant improvement in liner freight indices and bulk segment due to significant improvement in charter rates. A surge in the tanker charter hire rates helped the Tanker Segment to post significant profits. The dry bulk segment is still recovering from historically bad period and loss of key cargoes such as iron ore exports from India, resulting in long non-profitable ballast legs thereby putting pressure on earnings. Although, in later parts of 2020, dry bulk trade recovered remarkably well on account of stimulus packages given by various governments and with China, the main driver of dry bulk demand, recovering quickly from COVID-19 crisis. Simultaneous occurrence of multiple factors conducive for the dry bulk shipping business, viz., spike in dry bulk materials demand, strong trade in grain, coal and iron ore segments, low active fleet growth maintaining tonnage balance etc. gave a good push to the dry bulk rates. Also. strong trade growth and tapering dry bulk carrier deliveries bode well for the near future.
Healthy Financial Risk Profile
The financial risk profile of the company remained healthy marked by strong net worth, gearing ratio and comfortable debt protection metrics. The tangible Net worth of the company stood at Rs.6902 crore in FY2023 as against Rs.5974 crore in FY2022. The debt/equity of the company improved and stood comfortably at 0.37x and 0.53x as on 31 March 2023 and 31 March 2022 respectively. The TOL/TNW of the company improved and stood low at 0.66x as on 31 March 2023 compared against 0.82 times as on 31 March 2022 respectively. The debt protection matrices of the compar mained comfortable marked by interest- coverage-ratio of 9.45x and Debt-service e ratio of 2.30x for FY2023.
Acuité believes that financial risk profile of SCIL may remain strong owing to no major capex plans and stable profit accretions.