TRIS Rating Co., Ltd. has affirmed the company and current issue ratings of Mitr Phol Sugar Corporation Ltd. (MPSC) at “A+”. At the same time, TRIS Rating has assigned the rating of “A+” to MPSC’s proposed issues of up to Bt8,000 million in senior debentures. The outlook remains “stable”. The proceeds from the new debentures will be used to fund MPSC’s investment in sugar business in Australia and other expansion plans of the MPSC Group. The ratings reflect the company’s strong market position in the sugar industry, a well-accepted brand name, efficient sugar mill operations, diversification into related businesses, and the ability to maintain an acceptable leverage level. The ratings also take into consideration the company’s exposure to the regulatory and operational risks of its overseas sugar operations, as well as the volatility of sugar prices and sugarcane supply. The “stable” outlook reflects TRIS Rating’s expectation that the MPSC Group will maintain its leading position in both the Thai and Chinese sugar industries. With its lengthy experience in the sugar business and more diversified sources of cash flow from its sugar and related businesses, the company should be able to weather the wide fluctuations in world sugar prices and the unpredictable government measures in China. Despite planning for a large amount of capital expenditures during FY2012-FY2014, MPSC is expected to maintain its debt to capitalization ratio at less than 55% in the medium term.
TRIS Rating reported that MPSC was established in 1946 by the Vongkusolkit family. The company is the leader in the Thai sugar and sugarcane industry. The Vongkusolkit family collectively holds 100% of the company’s shares through Mid-Siam Sugar Co., Ltd. MPSC operates sugar mills in Thailand and China. The MPSC Group’s sugar production in Thailand and China for the 2010/2011 growing season was 2.9 million tonnes. For Thailand operation, with the sugar production of 1.9 million tonnes, MPSC has been number one with a 19.3% market share. The cane crushing yield of MPSC was 106.10 kilograms (kg.) per cane tonne, higher than the industry average of 101.33 kg. per cane tonne. The MPSC Group has maintained the largest market share in terms of sugarcane procured at 18.5%, followed by the Thai Roong Ruang Group (17.2%), the Thai Ekkalak Group (12%), the Wangkanai Group (7.7%), and the KSL Group (6.5%). Apart from the sugar business in Thailand, MPSC currently owns and operates seven sugar mills in China which produced 1.03 million tonnes of sugar for the 2010/2011 period. The company is currently the second largest sugar producer in China, with a 9.80% market share and a crushing yield of 124.21 kg. per cane tonne in the 2010/2011 period. In fiscal year 2011 (FY2011), November 2010-October 2011, MPSC’s total sales were Bt74,261 million and total earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) were Bt17,542 million. Because of favorable sugar prices in China, the sugar business of MPSC in China accounted for 41.2% of the Group’s total revenue and contributed 50.5% of the Group’s total EBITDA.
TRIS Rating said, MPSC has expanded along the sugar value chain to maximize the utilization of sugarcane. MPSC’s related businesses include electricity generation, ethanol production, particle board production, and paper production. Currently, MPSC’s ethanol plants in Thailand have production capacity of 690,000 liters per day. The EBITDA from the ethanol business continued to increase, rising to Bt3,420 million in FY2011 from Bt2,860 million in FY2010 and Bt1,815 million in FY2009.
MPSC’s total revenue reached a record high of Bt74,261 million in FY2011, up by 34.9% from Bt55,060 million in FY2010. The growth was due mainly to higher sugar prices in Thailand and China. The operating income before depreciation and amortization to sales ratio improved from around 16% during FY2008-FY2009 to 20% in FY2010 and 22.3% in FY2011. Cash flow protection throughout FY2010 and FY2011 strengthened as the ratio of funds from operations (FFO) to total debt rose to 41.3% in FY2010 and 50.7% in FY2011 from 21.6% in FY2009. MPSC’s financial leverage improved as the total debt to capitalization ratio lowered to around 39% at the end of FY2010 and FY2011 from 50.9% in FY2009 and 55.7% in FY2008.
In late 2010, MPSC purchased a 19.99% stake in MSF Sugar Ltd. (MSF), the third largest sugar miller in Australia. Currently, MPSC holds 98.57% of MSF. MPSC expects to fully acquire MSF by the first quarter of 2012. The acquisition cost will total A$313 million or Bt9,700 million. MSF owns four sugar mills located in Far North and South East Queensland with sugar production of 550,000 tonnes per year inFY2011. After the acquisition, the MPSC Group’s sugar production will increase to 3.5 million tonnes per year.
Global sugarcane production volumes and sugar prices are both very volatile. For the 2010/2011 season, sugarcane production in Thailand was around 95 million tonnes, a historical record high, due to the favorable weather, more planting area, and larger amount of cane growers. The world price for raw sugar in January 2011 was high at 36.11 cents/pound (lb), as production in Australia declined. The price eased in October 2011 to approximately 28 cents/lb, due to a rise in sugar production in Thailand. In China, sugar prices typically reflect the domestic demand/supply balance and have been managed by the Chinese government. The sugar price in China rose from approximately RMB5,000 per tonne in the 2009/2010 season to around RMB7,400 per tonne in September 2011, said TRIS Rating. - End