Muthoottu Mini Financiers Limited
Issuer Overview
Muthoottu Mini Financiers Ltd (MMFL) was incorporated on March 18, 1998, and operated as an investment company for other group entities until FY06. MMFL then started gold loan advances from FY07 and undertook rapid branch expansions from FY09 onwards. The company was converted to a public limited company on November 27, 2013, and consequently, the name was changed from Muthoottu Mini Financiers Private Limited to MMFL. MMFL also operates as an agent of several money transfer services set-ups, realising agency commission for these services. As on June 30, 2023, the company had a loan portfolio of INR 3,288 crore.
Issuer Highlights
- Business Trajectory: MMFL has over two decades of experience in the gold finance business in the highly competitive markets of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The company has managed multiple cycles in this business through which it has seen several wide fluctuations in gold prices. MMFL's assets under management grew 30.6% yoy to INR32.6 billion at FYE23 (FYE22: up 25.3% yoy; FYE21: 17.9% yoy), leading to the assets under management (AUM) per branch for gold loans increasing to INR35.4 million (FYE22: INR29.8 million; FYE21: INR24 million). Furthermore, MMFL's branch network has improved over the last few years (FY23:861; FY22: 814; FY21: 807). The company is penetrating deeper into the southern states and plans to expand its branch network in the western and northern states of India.
- Steady Profitability: MMFL’s return on assets improved to 2.24% in Q1FY24 (FY23: 1.90%; FY22: 1.61%), supported by the growth in AUM and control over credit costs. MMFL’s opex to average AUM increased to 6.30% in FY23 (FY22: 6.23%; FY21: 6.48%) due to the addition of branches during the year; however, there is significant room for improvement in productivity. MMFL has increased the proportion of bank funding to bolster its margins. Its operating profit buffers have been stable due to benign credit costs. Also, MMFL has a sound track record in the recovery of gold loans through auctions; in FY23, it realised a surplus of 31.7% over outstanding principal (FY22: 22.6%; FY21: 27.1%). MMFL’s blending funding cost reduced to 9.68% in FY23 (FY22: 9.88%; FY21: 11.89%) due to the redemption of high-interest NCDs.
Industry
Financial Services