MIRA INFORM REPORT

 

 

Report No. :

497219

Report Date :

17.03.2018

 

 

 

IDENTIFICATION DETAILS

 

Name :

BARCODIAM LTD.

 

 

Registered Office :

1 Jabotinsky Street Diamond Exchange, Maccabi Bldg. Ramat Gan 5252001

 

 

Country :

Israel

 

 

Financials (as on) :

2016 (Summarised)

 

 

Date of Incorporation :

22.01.1998

 

 

Com. Reg. No.:

51-258985

 

 

Legal Form :

Private Limited Company

 

 

Line of Business :

Buyers –from import and from local suppliers- and marketers of diamonds.

 

 

No. of Employees :

1,200

 

 

RATING & COMMENTS

(Mira Inform has adopted New Rating mechanism w.e.f. 23rd January 2017)

 

MIRA’s Rating :

A

 

Credit Rating

Explanation

Rating Comments

A

Acceptable Risk

Business dealings permissible with moderate risk of default

 

Status :

Satisfactory

 

 

Payment Behaviour :

No Complaints

 

 

Litigation :

Clear

 

NOTES :

Any query related to this report can be made on e-mail : infodept@mirainform.com while quoting report number, name and date.

 

 

ECGC Country Risk Classification List

 

Country Name

Previous Rating

(30.09.2017)

Current Rating

(31.12.2017)

Israel

B1

B1

 

Risk Category

ECGC Classification

Insignificant

 

A1

Low Risk

 

A2

Moderately Low Risk

 

B1

Moderate Risk

 

B2

Moderately High Risk

 

C1

High Risk

 

C2

Very High Risk

 

D

 


 

ISRAEL - ECONOMIC OVERVIEW

 

Israel has a technologically advanced free market economy. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and pharmaceuticals are among its leading exports. Its major imports include crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Israel usually posts sizable trade deficits, which are offset by tourism and other service exports, as well as significant foreign investment inflows.

 

Between 2004 and 2013, growth averaged nearly 5% per year, led by exports. The global financial crisis of 2008-09 spurred a brief recession in Israel, but the country entered the crisis with solid fundamentals, following years of prudent fiscal policy and a resilient banking sector. Israel's economy also weathered the 2011 Arab Spring because strong trade ties outside the Middle East insulated the economy from spillover effects.

 

Slowing domestic and international demand and decreased investment resulting from Israel’s uncertain security situation reduced GDP growth to an average of roughly 2.8% per year during the period 2014-17. Natural gas fields discovered off Israel's coast since 2009 have brightened Israel's energy security outlook. The Tamar and Leviathan fields were some of the world's largest offshore natural gas finds in the last decade. Political and regulatory issues have delayed the development of the massive Leviathan field, but production from Tamar provided a 0.8% boost to Israel's GDP in 2013 and a 0.3% boost in 2014. One of the most carbon intense OECD countries, Israel generates about 57% of its power from coal and only 2.6% from renewable sources.

 

Income inequality and high housing and commodity prices continue to be a concern for many Israelis. Israel's income inequality and poverty rates are among the highest of OECD countries, and there is a broad perception among the public that a small number of "tycoons" have a cartel-like grip over the major parts of the economy. Government officials have called for reforms to boost the housing supply and to increase competition in the banking sector to address these public grievances. Despite calls for reforms, the restricted housing supply continues to impact the well-being of younger Israelis seeking to purchase homes. Tariffs and non-tariff barriers, coupled with guaranteed prices and customs tariffs for farmers kept food prices high in 2016. Private consumption is expected to drive growth through 2018 with consumers benefitting from low inflation and a strong currency.

 

In the long term, Israel faces structural issues, including low labor participation rates for its fastest growing social segments - the ultraorthodox and Arab-Israeli communities. Also, Israel's progressive, globally competitive, knowledge-based technology sector employs only about 8% of the workforce, with the rest mostly employed in manufacturing and services - sectors which face downward wage pressures from global competition. Expenditures on educational institutions remain low compared to most other OECD countries with similar GDP per capita.

 

Source : CIA

 


Company name and address

 

BARCODIAM LTD.

 

Telephone      972 3 575 23 52

Fax                972 3 575 23 51

Email: shirley@nirugroup.com

1 Jabotinsky Street

Diamond Exchange, Maccabi Bldg.

RAMAT GAN 5252001 ISRAEL

 

 

HISTORY & LEGAL FORMATION

 

A private limited company, incorporated as per file No. 51-258985-4 on the 22.01.1998.

 

 

SHARE CAPITAL

 

Authorized share capital of NIS 34,300.00, divided into:

                   34,300 ordinary shares of NIS 1.00 each,

of which 125 shares amounting to NIS 125.00 were issued.

 

 

SHAREHOLDERS

 

1.    NIRU DIAMONDS ISRAEL (1987) LTD., 96.8%, owned by Ranjeet Barmecha,

2.    Ramsujhdas Governdes, 3.2%.

 

 

DIRECTORS

 

1.    Ranjeet Barmecha, General Manager (also of NIRU DIAMONDS),

2.    Ramsujhdas Governdes.

 

 

BUSINESS

 

Buyers –from import and from local suppliers- and marketers of diamonds.

 

All sales are local (having no export).

 

Operating from the premises of NIRU DIAMONDS Group (serving predominantly NIRU) in 1 Jabotinsky Street, Diamond Exchange, Maccabi Building (22nd floor, room 2246), Ramat Gan. The premises, on an area of 450 sq. meters, are owned by the shareholders of NIRU.

 

Having no employees in subject. Subject receives services from the 31 employees serving NIRU DIAMONDS in Israel.

 

 

MEANS

 

Financial data not forthcoming, however enjoying the solid financial standing of parent company NIRU DIAMONDS.

NIRU DIAMONDS is a Diamond Trading Company (DCT) Sightholder from DE BEERS for many years.

 

There are no charges registered on the company's assets.

 

 

Sales

 

2015 sales claimed to be NIS 30,000,000.

Later sales figures not forthcoming.

 

NIRU DIAMONDS ISRAEL (1987) LTD. sales:

2014 sales were US$ 160,000,000, 85% were for export.

2015 sales were US$ 165,000,000, 85% were for export.

2016 sales were US$ 165,000,000, 85% were for export.

Later sales figures not forthcoming.

 

 

OTHER COMPANIES

 

NIRU DIAMONDS ISRAEL (1987) LTD., parent company, established in 1987, continuing activities originally founded in 1979, traders, importers processors, cutters, exporters and marketers of diamonds, dealing with rough and polished diamonds. Having over 1,500 employees serving NIRU Group worldwide (including manufacturing facility in Sri Lanka with 1,200 employees).

 

Other foreign sister companies, part of NIRU DIAMONDS Group:

NIRU (NY) LTD., New York,

NIRU (SWISS) SA, Switzerland,

NIRU DIAMONDS (H.K) LTD, Hong Kong,

NIRU DIAMONDS (M.E) LLC, Dubai (activities were sold in last period),

Also: DIAMOND CUTTERS LTD., NIRO LANKA EXPORT LTD. (both in Sri Lanka), BLANCHE SA (non-active); La4ve LTD.; SIM DIAM PVT. LTD. (India), AMORE JEWELS PVT LTD.

 

AZORES TRADE & INVESTMENTS LTD. a local real estate company.

 

 

BANKERS

 

Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd., Diamond Business Center Branch (No. 466), Ramat Gan.

 

 

CHARACTER AND REPUTATION

 

Nothing unfavorable learned.

 

Subject’s CFO did not update sales data so far, asking for an email with our request, which we sent. In case they return with fresh figures, we shall update you accordingly.

 

Parent company NIRU DIAMONDS is a veteran business, well-known and among the leading in the diamond branch. NIRU DIAMONDS is a Diamond Trading Company (DCT) Sightholder from DE BEERS for many years.

In December 2014 NIRU DIAMONDS was awarded the Ministry of Economy & Industry's 'Outstanding Exporter' award for 2013 by the President of Israel and the Ministry's Minister, being one of the 9 Israeli export companies that were awarded for the remarkable rise in sales for export.

According to the reports published by the Israel Supervisor on Diamonds in the Ministry of Economy, NIRU DIAMONDS was ranked 3rd in the 2017 list of Israel's largest polished diamonds exporters, with sales for export (of polished diamonds) of US$ 116 million. NIRU was ranked 2nd in the 2016 list, 3rd in 2015 list, 4th in the 2014 and 2013 lists, 5th in 2012, 6th in 2011, 10th in 2010 list.

 

Export (net) of polished diamonds from Israel in the first 9 months of 2017 totaled US$ 3,383 million, which represents 11.8% decrease compared to the parallel period in 2016, while export of net rough diamonds fell 10.4% in this period, reaching US$ 1,796 million. That is in contrast to the figures in 2016, which showed signs of recovery for the Israeli diamond trade, coming after the export of diamonds from Israel experienced a drastic fall by 20% in 2015 from 2014 (down 40% from 2011).

Net export of polished diamonds in 2016 decreased by 6.4% from 2015, reaching US$ 4,675 compared to US$ 4,993 million in 2014 (after 0.6% rise in 2014 and 11.6% in 2013), however net rough diamonds exports jumped 23.1% to US$2,702 million (in 2015 fell 28.3% from 2014, after 4.2% rise in 2014, and a mere rise in 2013). Yet the figures are well away from its peak on the eve of the crisis with export of polished diamonds of US$ 7 billion.

In total, diamonds export (polished and rough) in 2017 were expected to sum up to US$ 7 billion, 7% lower than in 2016, from the Ministry of Economy forecast.

 

The market has been volatile over the last years after experiencing its worst depression due to the global economic crisis. According to Israel's Diamond Administration (IDA) at the Ministry of Economics, profit margins have been decreasing due to smaller gaps between rough (increasing) and polished (decreasing) diamond prices.

In addition, the local diamond sector has been negatively affected by other significant factors: the production of counterfeit diamonds, whose quality keeps improving (harming the raw diamonds market), the entrance of new rules by the local Tax Authorities on the Diamond Exchange for enforcing money laundering, and the "underground bank" affair – as below.

As a result, local diamond dealers report on difficulties in executing transactions and bad atmosphere in the branch. Signs of recovery appeared towards the last quarter of 2016 – mainly due to the growing stability of the market and the industry’s agreement with the Israel Tax Authority in December, yet the market is still volatile, as witnessed with the endurance of the depression trend during 2017.

 

Net imports of polished diamonds totaled US$ 3,282 million in 2016, 5.7% decrease from 2015, while net import of rough diamonds reached US$ 3,246 million, up 16.7% from 2015.

Net imports of polished diamonds decrease by 15.1% in the first 9 months of 2017 and totaled US$ 2,015 million, compared to the parallel period in 2016, whereas net import of rough diamonds reached US$ 2,089 million, down 11.6% from 2016.

 

The United States continued to be Israel’s major market for polished diamonds, accounting for 45% of the market in the first 9 months 2017 (was 39% in 2016). Hong Kong is 2nd largest market with 30% of exports (26% in 2016), followed by Switzerland 9% (7%), Belgium 8% (8%), and the rest of the world account for the remaining 8% of Israel's polished diamond export.

 

An affair of an "underground bank" (known as the "Check List" Affair) shocked the local diamond branch, after in late January 2012 Police raided the Diamond Exchange (after a long undercover operation), arrested several individuals for investigation, caught diamonds and various assets worth NIS millions, and blocked several bank accounts. It is suspected that a group of people, including diamond dealers, run an illegal bank in the Diamond Exchange compound for loans, money transfer abroad based on fictitious transactions and exchange in volume of NIS 1 billion for several years.

 

The affair led to several of reported bankruptcies of local diamond firms, a decrease of up to 70% in transactions in 2012, and for a while to paralysis (especially in raw diamonds purchase) due to uncertainty among local and foreign dealers. Later in 2012 the Police decided to lower the profile of the investigation for a while (pressure from the diamond branch due to the continuing damage inflicted and the Government (losing US$ hundred millions from decrease in tax collection), but resumed investigation in 2013.

 

 

In mid-2014, based on the Police and Tax Authorities recommendations, the State Attorney started the process of filing indictments against central defendants in the affair, initially against dealers who provided foreign currency services to the "bank" (in June 2015 the court made the first conviction in the affair, sending a foreign currency dealer who pretended also to be a diamond dealer, for 4 years prison, a fine and confiscation of assets in volume of NIS millions, part of a plea bargain). Since late 2015 indictments for severe charges pressed against 11 diamond dealers and their firms for tax felonies committed and issuing fictitious invoices in volumes of millions US$ (latest indictments filed by the Tel Aviv District Attorney in August 2016). Their cases are pending.

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Notwithstanding the refusal to update financial details, being a subsidiary of NIRU DIAMONDS, considered good for trade engagements.


 

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES

 

Currency

Unit

Indian Rupees

US Dollar

1

INR 64.87

UK Pound

1

INR 90.48

Euro

1

INR 79.48

ILS

1

INR 18.82

 

Note : Above are approximate rates obtained from sources believed to be correct

 

 

INFORMATION DETAILS

 

Analysis Done by :

VAR

 

 

Report Prepared by :

DNS

 


 

RATING EXPLANATIONS

 

Credit Rating

Explanation

Rating Comments

A++

Minimum Risk

Business dealings permissible with minimum risk of default

A+

Low Risk

Business dealings permissible with low risk of default

A

Acceptable Risk

Business dealings permissible with moderate risk of default

B

Medium Risk

Business dealings permissible on a regular monitoring basis

C

Medium High Risk

Business dealings permissible preferably on secured basis

D

High Risk

Business dealing not recommended or on secured terms only

NB

New Business

No recommendation can be done due to business in infancy stage

NT

No Trace

No recommendation can be done as the business is not traceable

 

NB is stated where there is insufficient information to facilitate rating. However, it is not to be considered as unfavourable.

 

This score serves as a reference to assess SC’s credit risk and to set the amount of credit to be extended. It is calculated from a composite of weighted scores obtained from each of the major sections of this report. The assessed factors are as follows:

 

·         Financial condition covering various ratios

·         Company background and operations size

·         Promoters / Management background

·         Payment record

·         Litigation against the subject

·         Industry scenario / competitor analysis

·         Supplier / Customer / Banker review (wherever available)

 

PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL : This information is provided to you at your request, you having employed MIPL for such purpose. You will use the information as aid only in determining the propriety of giving credit and generally as an aid to your business and for no other purpose. You will hold the information in strict confidence, and shall not reveal it or make it known to the subject persons, firms or corporations or to any other. MIPL does not warrant the correctness of the information as you hold it free of any liability whatsoever. You will be liable to and indemnify MIPL for any loss, damage or expense, occasioned by your breach or non observance of any one, or more of these conditions

This report is issued at your request without any risk and responsibility on the part of MIRA INFORM PRIVATE LIMITED (MIPL) or its officials.