India Ratings and Research affirmed Khaitan Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (NSE:KHAICHEM) bank loan facilities at IND BBB-/Stable/IND A3 on 19 August 2026, covering facilities of INR5,363.1 million, while simultaneously resolving the earlier Rating Watch with Developing Implications.
Key Highlights
- India Ratings affirmed bank loan facilities of INR5,363.1 million at IND BBB-/Stable/IND A3, removing the Rating Watch with Developing Implications that was previously in place.
- KCFL received an additional sanction of INR400.7 million under the ECLGS 5.0 scheme in the first quarter of FY27, supporting near-term liquidity.
- EBITDA per tonne from sulphuric acid sales rose to INR5,280/tonne in 1QFY27, up from INR3,395/tonne in FY26 and INR1,977/tonne in FY25.
- Net leverage improved sharply to 3.3x in FY26 from 15.8x in FY25, and interest coverage rose to 3.44x from 0.77x over the same period.
About the Company
Khaitan Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (NSE:KHAICHEM), incorporated in FY82 and headquartered in India, manufactures single super phosphate fertilisers and sulphuric acid. The company operates six plants across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, with an installed SSP capacity of 1.13 million tonnes per annum and SA capacity of 0.27 million tonnes per annum.
Announcement in Detail
Pursuant to Regulation 30 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, KCFL disclosed on 19 August 2026 that India Ratings and Research has affirmed its bank loan facilities at IND BBB-/Stable/IND A3, covering a total facility size of INR5,363.1 million. The Rating Watch with Developing Implications, which was previously active, has been resolved as part of this rating action.
The affirmation is supported by three factors cited by India Ratings: positive EBITDA from SSP sales using spent sulphuric acid to manage input costs; improved profitability in SA sales, with EBITDA per tonne at INR5,280 in 1QFY27; and the ECLGS 5.0 sanction of INR400.7 million. India Ratings uses a standalone analytical approach for KCFL. FY26 consolidated EBITDA stood at INR1,130 million against INR231 million in FY25, on revenue of INR10,016 million.
Impact on Investors
Investors will note that the resolution of the Rating Watch removes a degree of near-term credit uncertainty, with the stable outlook reflecting India Ratings' view that current metrics are sustainable at the affirmed level. The filing shows interest coverage at 3.44x in FY26, above the agency's stated negative trigger of 2.0x, providing some headroom.
Shareholders will observe that the rating report flags sustained pressure on SSP segment profitability as a key monitorable, given sulphur prices at USD800-900 per tonne in 1QFY27, up from USD150-160 per tonne in FY25. The working capital cycle, at 244 days in FY26, remains elongated, and fund-based limit utilisation averaged 84% over the 12 months ended June 2026, which the filing identifies as ongoing risk factors.
Sector / Market Context
India's SSP fertiliser sector operates under the government's Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme, which links subsidy payouts to declared nutrient rates rather than fixing retail prices. The Department of Fertilisers periodically revises NBS rates; delays in revision directly affect working capital for SSP manufacturers when raw material costs spike, as seen with sulphur in FY26 and 1QFY27.