A.H.HOBBS LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
00336044 · ltd · incorporated 1938-01-21
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
Why now
Window steady · low confidence
Steady and stalled — no momentum either way. Needs an approach trigger.
What changed my view
Last 30 days
No material changes in the last 30 days.
Last 90 days
No snapshot from 90 days ago — start tracking from today.
Last 180 days
No snapshot from 180 days ago — start tracking from today.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
67/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 45310
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 67/100 (strong), bankability 65/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Confirmation statement overdue. Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
Data confidence
Overall: low (54/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
7 officers (2 active, 7 linked, 4 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
108 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
67/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
60
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (28 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-04📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2025-10-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-07-19📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2025-06-17📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2024-09-14📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2024-09-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-16📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2024-06-18📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2023-10-28📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2023-10-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-07-07📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2023-06-20📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2022-06-22📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2022-06-21📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2022-06-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-05-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-06-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2012-03-31➖BRAIM, Michael resigneddirector
- 2005-04-30➕BRAIM, Julie appointedsecretary
- 2005-04-30➖NIGHTINGALE, Linda Janet resignedsecretary
- 2005-04-30➕BRAIM, Michael appointeddirector
- 2005-04-30➖NIGHTINGALE, Richard Barry resigneddirector
- 2000-07-31➖NIGHTINGALE, Linda Janet resigneddirector
- 1996-04-01➕NIGHTINGALE, Linda Janet appointedsecretary
- 1996-03-31➖CHILTON, Constance Lilian resignedsecretary
- 1994-06-16➕BRAIM, Robert Michael appointeddirector
- 1938-01-21🏢Company incorporatedAs A.H.HOBBS LIMITED
Owner dependency
85/100
Critical — business is the founderThe business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 32 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
70/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 32 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 88 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 high ·Confirmation statement overdue
highAnnual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.
Evidence: Next due: 2026-04-12
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Robert Michael Braim Individual · British · DOB 12/1969 · age 57 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 01/06/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Automotive · CR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-TO-Z EXPRESS TYRES LTD→ 11424126 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AKOY TYRES LTD→ 15300458 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ALISTOCK LTD→ 14104174 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ALL IN ONE STOP TIRES LIMITED→ 15798956 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ALLICK AND SONS LIMITED→ 14990795 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ALTERNATIVE FUEL CO LTD→ 06320005 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| ANAVO MOTORS LTD→ 16916272 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ANTARES SYSTEMS LTD→ 14557428 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ANY MOT LTD→ 15234292 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| APEX KÖNIG LTD→ 17120448 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AUTO DIAGNOSTICS SOLUTIONS LTD→ 16548995 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AUTO LOGIC CRAWLEY LTD→ 16315800 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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
Typeltd
Incorporated1938-01-21
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45310 — SIC 45310
Registered office
65 Brighton Road
South Croydon
CR2 6EE
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-04-12OVERDUE
Last: 2025-03-29
Officers (2 active · 5 resigned)
Active
BRAIM, Robert Michael→
Activedirector · ~57y · appointed 1994-06-16
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CHILTON, Constance Lilian→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1996-03-31
NIGHTINGALE, Linda Janet→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1996-04-01 · resigned 2005-04-30
BRAIM, Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~85y · appointed 2005-04-30 · resigned 2012-03-31
NIGHTINGALE, Linda Janet→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · resigned 2000-07-31
NIGHTINGALE, Richard Barry→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · resigned 2005-04-30
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (108 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-31
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2025-10-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-02
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2025-07-19
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2025-06-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-04
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2024-09-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-09-13
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2024-07-16
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2024-06-18
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2023-10-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-26
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2023-07-07
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2023-06-20