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Lanka Rating Agency
Press Release

Date
13-May-24

Analyst
Savindri Hansamala Kuruppu
savindri@lra.com.lk
+94 114 500099
www.lra.com.lk

Applicable Criteria

  • Methodology | Non-Banking Finance Companies Rating | Jun-22

Related Research

  • Sector Study | Leasing & Finance Companies | Aug-23

Disclaimer
This press release is being transmitted for the sole purpose of dissemination through print/electronic media. The press release may be used in full or in part without changing the meaning or context thereof with due credit to LRA

LRA Maintains Entity Rating of Vallibel Finance PLC, Outlook improves to "Stable".

Rating Type Entity
Current
(13-May-24)
Previous
(28-Feb-23)
Action Maintain Initial
Long Term BBB+ BBB+
Outlook Stable Negative
Rating Watch - -

Vallibel Finance PLC (“VFIN” or “the Company”) is a licensed finance company primarily focusing on leases, vehicle loans, auto drafts, and gold loans in Sri Lanka. It is a mid-sized player in the LFC industry with assets comprising ~5.2% of the total industry. The rating reflects the Company's extensive outreach, superior asset quality (VFIN NPLs are well below the industry average) and improving profitability. Although VFIN's profitability has improved on YoY basis, it still remains below its profitability in FY22. The profitability is expected to remain stable given reduced interest rates and potential repricing of assets/liabilities leading to better interest margin. On the product mix side, auto drafts, vehicle loans and leases make up ~73% of the total lending portfolio as at 9MFY24. The Company intends to build its vehicle loan and gold loan portfolio further as a strategic move. The gross NPL remains lower than the industry, but the NPL of the leasing portfolio remains relatively high due to stagnation of the product. Majority of the loan portfolio is short-term in nature and would be repriced accordingly. Rating incorporates adequate capitalization and Tier I Capital Adequacy ratio (~15.2%) and total Capital Adequacy ratio (~19.8%) during 9MFY24, which is above the regulatory requirement but is on the lower end when compared to industry average. The gearing ratio remains high (9MFY24: ~6.1; FY23: ~6.2x). The asset liability mismatch is positive in the short where ~35% of advances and ~78% of the investment in government securities are maturing, while it is negative in the long-term reflecting short-term nature of the advances portfolio.
The rating outlook has improved to "Stable" considering better profitability, sustained asset quality and other indicators including ROE and ROA. The lending portfolio was stagnant in FY23 while it has grown by ~4% in 9MFY24. The Company continues to maintain its deposits base with high retention rate.
The rating is dependent on sustaining the asset quality and improving the profitability of the Company. Strengthening capitalization and adhering to prudent lending will be critical while VFIN expands its branch network and advances portfolio. Any significant decline in profitability or adverse interest rate or market price movement leading to revaluation losses would impact the rating negatively.

About the Entity
Vallibel Finance PLC is a public limited liability company incorporated and domiciled in Sri Lanka and listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. Subsequent to the acquisition by Vallibel Investment (Pvt.) Limited in 2005, it became Vallibel Finance. The principal activities of VFIN are accepting deposits, granting finance leases, vehicle loans, auto drafts, gold loans, and other credit facilities. The Board of Directors consists of six members of which three are Non-Executive and Independent Directors. The Managing Director acts as an Executive Director and heads the management team, he has held the current position since 2007.

The primary function of LRA is to evaluate the capacity and willingness of an entity to honor its obligations. Our ratings reflect an independent, professional and impartial assessment of the risks associated with a particular instrument or an entity. LRA's comprehensive offerings include instrument and entity credit ratings, insurer financial strength ratings, fund ratings, asset manager ratings and real estate gradings. LRA opinion is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a security, in as much as it does not comment on the security's market price or suitability for a particular investor.