Singapore, October 16, 2017 -- Moody's Investors Service has confirmed Lodha Developers Private Limited's
(LDPL) B2 corporate family rating.
At the same time, Moody's has also confirmed the B2 backed senior
unsecured debt rating of the US dollar denominated bonds issued by Lodha
Developers International Limited and guaranteed by LDPL.
The outlook on all ratings is stable.
The rating action on the CFR and senior unsecured rating concludes a review
for downgrade initiated on 27 July 2017 and follows the announcement by
the company that it has completed the refinancing of its bridge loan for
the Grosvenor Square development in London.
RATINGS RATIONALE
"The confirmation of the ratings reflects the alleviation of the
refinancing risk following the establishment of a loan that will mature
in 40 months to fund construction for the Grosvenor Square development,"
says Saranga Ranasinghe, a Moody's Assistant Vice President and
Analyst.
Despite the reduction in immediate refinancing risk, LDPL has a
weak liquidity profile.
It will be reliant on external sources of funding, given its high
level of short-term debt maturities in India.
At 30 June 2017, it had around INR146 billion of short term debt
maturities in India, out of which around INR20 billion is due in
the next 12 months. This compares to INR 5.7 billion of
cash on hand at 30 June 2017.
However, we expect the company to continue to have access to project
construction loans to refinance these borrowings because of its track
record of successful refinancing in India and its position as one of the
leading developers in India.
At the same time, the ratings factor in the recent improvements
in the company's operating performance.
We expect LDPL's credit metrics to improve from fiscal 2018,
once it starts recognizing sales from projects launched over the last
two to three years in India. At the same time, LDPL will
recognize revenue and earnings from its developments in London,
which will further improve its credit metrics. We expect adjusted
debt/homebuilding EBITDA to improve to around 4.8x in fiscal 2018
from around 5.3x in fiscal 2017. Our calculation for debt
includes the debt at the London entities.
"The stable outlook reflects our expectation that LDPL will sustain
the recent improvements in operating sales and collections,"
adds Ranasinghe, who is also Moody's lead analyst for LDPL.
Reorganization of the group is likely to be completed by January 2018,
following which the London properties will become a part of the restricted
group.
Moreover, the two London properties have secured long-term
construction funding that will cover construction costs, interest
during construction and any contingencies.
Following the reorganization, LDPL will own at least 75%
of the two London entities, which have a combined discounted cash
flow value of around GBP567 million
Bondholders will benefit from the diversification to the London real estate
market as well as from having access to the cash flows from the London
properties.
B2 rating reflects LDPL's position as the largest developer of residential
properties in India, the high quality of its projects under construction
and its strong execution capability. At the same time, the
rating is constrained by the weak liquidity profile given the short term
nature of debt and historically weak credit metrics.
The ratings could be upgraded if LDPL is able to demonstrate sustained
improvements in its sales performance and positive free cash flow generation.
We would also look to an improvement in its liquidity profile with solid
liquidity in the form of cash balances and committed facilities to cover
short-term debt maturities.
The credit metrics that will support an upgrade include adjusted debt/homebuilding
EBITDA below 4.0x and adjusted homebuilding EBIT/interest coverage
above 2x on a sustained basis.
At the same time, the ratings could be downgraded if the company's
operating performance and liquidity position fail to improve, or
if it engages in any material debt-funded land acquisitions.
Credit metrics indicative of such downward pressure include: 1)
adjusted debt/homebuilding EBITDA above 5.5x and/or 2) homebuilding
EBITA/interest below 1.5x.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Homebuilding And Property
Development Industry published in April 2015. Please see the Rating
Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this
methodology.
Lodha Developers Private Limited is the largest real estate developer
in India by sales of residential apartments.
LDPL is focused on residential development in the Mumbai Metropolitan
Region, with some projects in nearby Pune. Recently,
the company and its promoters expanded into the London market by acquiring
two properties, now in the process of development.
LDPL is privately held by the Lodha family.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series or category/class of debt,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series
or category/class of debt or pursuant to a program for which the ratings
are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's
rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider,
this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation
to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to
each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their
credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating.
For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory
disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and
in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to
the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction
structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive
rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further
information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the
respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action,
and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action,
the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Saranga Ranasinghe
Asst Vice President - Analyst
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
50 Raffles Place #23-06
Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 48623
Singapore
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Laura Acres
MD - Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Singapore Pte. Ltd.
50 Raffles Place #23-06
Singapore Land Tower
Singapore 48623
Singapore
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077