SMITHS GROUP PLC
🌳Matureactive
00137013 · plc · incorporated 1914-07-15
Investment thesis
Looks cheap but ownership + security both unclear — probable value trap.
Why interesting: Headline metrics may be attractive.
Why risky: No PSC visibility combined with multiple live charges; transacting likely slow and expensive.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
74/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Activities of head offices
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 74/100 (strong), bankability 62/100. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 9 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (45/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
17 live charges · 9 lenders · oldest 105.2y
25/100
too messy
Structure is too messy for a clean refinance right now — clean up first or expect bespoke terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 105.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 9 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 53/100 (high).
Data confidence
Overall: low (47/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
17 charges (15/17 with lender, 17/17 with type)
88
Directors & officers
65 officers (9 active, 65 linked, 56 with DOB)
87
Ownership & PSC
No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)
35
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
3895 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
74/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
69
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
21
filings
- • 21 capital
Last 90 days
25
filings
- • 22 capital
- • 3 officers
Last 180 days
25
filings
- • 22 capital
- • 3 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (167 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-20📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-05-19📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2026-04-14📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2026-04-14📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2026-04-10➕DOWN, James appointedsecretary
- 2026-04-10➖WHYTE, Matthew resignedsecretary
- 2026-03-28📄replacement-filing-of-director-appointment-with-nameofficers · RP01AP01
- 2026-03-11📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2025-11-19➖HOEING-COSENTINO, Karin Annette resigneddirector
- 2025-11-19➖SELIGMAN, Mark Donald, Mr. resigneddirector
- 2025-11-19➖TATA, Noel Naval resigneddirector
- 2025-02-01➕FAGGE, Julian David Kenelm appointeddirector
- 2025-02-01➕PRYCE, Simon Charles Conrad appointeddirector
- 2025-01-31➖SCHERRER, Clare resigneddirector
- 2024-07-01➕COWAN, Alister appointeddirector
- 2024-05-31➖SEEGER JR., William Claire resigneddirector
- 2024-03-26➕CARTER, Roland Henry Clyne appointeddirector
- 2024-03-26➖KEEL, Paul resigneddirector
- 2023-11-16➖BUCKLEY, George William, Sir resigneddirector
- 2023-09-01➕WILLIAMS, Steven Walter appointeddirector
- 2022-11-16➖FRATTO, Tanya Dianne resigneddirector
- 2022-09-01➕HOWES, Richard David appointeddirector
- 2022-07-22🔓Charge satisfied #17
- 2022-04-29➕SCHERRER, Clare appointeddirector
- 2022-04-29➖SHIPSEY, John Francis resigneddirector
- 2021-08-01➕WHYTE, Matthew appointedsecretary
- 2021-07-31➖MILLS, John Michael resignedsecretary
- 2021-05-25➕KEEL, Paul appointeddirector
- 2021-05-25➖REYNOLDS SMITH, Andrew resigneddirector
- 2020-11-16➖ANGELICI, Bruno Francois Jules resigneddirector
- 2020-11-16➖BOHUON, Olivier Jean resigneddirector
Showing most recent 50 of 167 events
Owner dependency
55/100
Moderate — manageable with handoverSome founder dependency, but not acute. A structured handover period should cover most risk.
FACTORS
- -8 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 74 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
60/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 74 years old. Natural succession window is now.
Red flags
2 med ·4 director resignations in last 12 months
mediumMultiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.
Evidence: WHYTE, Matthew resigned 2026-04-10; HOEING-COSENTINO, Karin Annette resigned 2025-11-19; SELIGMAN, Mark Donald, Mr. resigned 2025-11-19
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →🔒Advanced scoring suite
Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeplc
Incorporated1914-07-15
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC70100 — Activities of head offices
Registered office
Level 10 255 Blackfriars Road
London
SE1 9AX
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-07-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-30
Last: 2026-01-16
Officers (9 active · 56 resigned)
Active
CARTER, Roland Henry Clyne→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2024-03-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CHENG, Pam Poon→
Activedirector · ~56y · appointed 2020-03-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
COWAN, Alister→
Activedirector · ~62y · appointed 2024-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DOWLING, Ann Patricia, Dame→
Activedirector · ~74y · appointed 2018-09-19
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FAGGE, Julian David Kenelm→
Activedirector · ~53y · appointed 2025-02-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOWES, Richard David→
Activedirector · ~57y · appointed 2022-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
PRYCE, Simon Charles Conrad→
Activedirector · ~65y · appointed 2025-02-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WILLIAMS, Steven Walter→
Activedirector · ~70y · appointed 2023-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CAMERON, Sarah Louise→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2008-07-01 · resigned 2014-09-30
LILLYCROP, David Peter→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-12-12 · resigned 2008-06-03
MILLS, John Michael→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2018-06-01 · resigned 2021-07-31
ROWLANDS, Melanie→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2015-05-29 · resigned 2018-05-31
ROWLANDS, Melanie→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2014-10-01 · resigned 2014-11-23
SMITH, Alan→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2000-12-12
STONE, Zillah Wendy→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2014-11-24 · resigned 2015-05-28
WHYTE, Matthew→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2021-08-01 · resigned 2026-04-10
ANGELICI, Bruno Francois Jules→
Resigneddirector · ~79y · appointed 2010-07-01 · resigned 2020-11-16
BARBER, Norman Victor→
Resigneddirector · ~87y · resigned 2000-07-31
BOHUON, Olivier Jean→
Resigneddirector · ~67y · appointed 2018-07-01 · resigned 2020-11-16
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
17
Total charges
3
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:17 of 17 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | The Law Debenture Pension Trust Corporation P.L.C | A registered charge | 1 property | 17/07/2017 | 22/07/2022 | |
| satisfied | S.I. Pension Trustees S.I. Pension Trustees Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 21/03/2014 | 23/08/2017 | |
| satisfied | S.I. Pension Trustees S.I. Pension Trustees Limited | Charge over account and agreement | 1 property | 21/07/2010 | 26/03/2014 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Amending agreement to an omnibus guarantee and set-off agreement dated 15TH november 2007 and | 1 property | 23/07/2009 | 20/07/2012 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Omnibus guarantee and set-off agreement | 1 property | 15/11/2007 | 20/07/2012 | |
| satisfied | The Law Debenture Pension Trust Corporation (The Trustee) The Law Debenture Pension Trust Corporation PLC (The Trustee) | Deed of charge over deposits | 1 property | 04/10/2005 | 11/01/2007 | |
| satisfied | The Law Debenture Trust Corporation (As Trustee) The Law Debenture Trust Corporation PLC (As Trustee) | Legal charge | 1 property | 25/06/2002 | 11/01/2007 | |
| satisfied | Commission for the New Towns | Deed of covenant and charge | 1 property | 02/02/1993 | 17/09/2003 | |
| satisfied | Whitbread and Company Whitbread and Company PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 10/09/1984 | 27/07/2006 | |
| satisfied | Royal Exchange Assurance | Series of debentures | — | 10/07/1975 | 16/06/1998 | |
| satisfied | Royal Exchange Assurance | Floating charge | 1 property | 14/01/1971 | 16/06/1998 | |
| satisfied | Royal Exchange Assurance | Series of debentures | — | 05/01/1971 | 16/06/1998 | |
| satisfied | Royal Exchange Assurance | Mortgage and charge without instrument | 1 property | 03/08/1970 | 04/03/2005 | |
| satisfied | Royal Exchange Assurance | Series of debentures | — | 29/04/1963 | 16/06/1998 | |
| outstanding | Unknown | A registered charge | — | 15/03/1922 | — | |
| outstanding | Unknown | A registered charge | — | 15/10/1921 | — | |
| outstanding | London County Westminster & Paris Bank . London County Westminster & Paris Bank LTD. | Supplemental trust deed | 1 property | 10/04/1921 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (3895 total)
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2026-05-20
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2026-05-19
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2026-05-19
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2026-05-19
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2026-05-19