ASHLEY ILES (EDGE TOOLS) LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
00595799 · ltd · incorporated 1957-12-20
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.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to May 2025
Net worth
£243.7k
book net assets
Opportunity
75/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 25730
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 75-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 75/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, director aged 75). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
5 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 48.4y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 48.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (77/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
5 charges (5/5 with lender, 5/5 with type)
90
Directors & officers
3 officers (1 active, 3 linked, 2 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
101 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
75/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
82
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £243,736
Cash YoY
+5%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£6k
↑ 5.0% YoY
Net Worth
£244k
↑ 5.4% YoY
Current Assets
£40k
↑ 22% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-05-31 | 2024-05-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £361.0k | £282.5k |
| Current assets | £39.9k | £32.8k |
| Cash | £6.2k | £5.9k |
| Debtors | £12.9k | £4.8k |
| Net assets | £243.7k | £231.2k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
1 signal detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (24 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-01-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-01-10📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-05-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-01📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2023-11-20➖ILES, Christine Ann resignedsecretary
- 2023-05-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-26📍change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD02
- 2022-05-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-25📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-05-25📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-05-25📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-05-15➖ILES, Barry Arnold resigneddirector
- 2020-12-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-02-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-24📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2018-11-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-02-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 1988-06-15🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1988-06-15🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1981-09-30🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Midland Bank LTD
- 1980-10-23🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Midland Bank LTD
- 1978-02-22🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Council for Small Indsutries in Rural Areas
- 1957-12-20🏢Company incorporatedAs ASHLEY ILES (EDGE TOOLS) LIMITED
Owner dependency
100/100
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.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "ILES" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 75 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 75 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 69 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 low5 live charges
lowHeavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Anthony Charles Iles Individual · British · DOB 09/1951 · age 75 | 25–50% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Barry Arnold Ilesceased 15/05/2022· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A T SACK FILLERS LIMITED→ 05407648 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
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| ASCARI RACE CARS LTD→ 13225493 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ASPIRE CARPENTRY LIMITED→ 13988287 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| AVDTECH LTD→ 17123691 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AVOCET KITCHENS LTD→ 15397636 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AYLMER LODGE ENTERPRISES LTD→ 11928226 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| AYTON & MCKEOWN LIMITED→ 05601169 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| BACKLAND STUDIOS LTD→ 14188125 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| BAD NEWS DELIVERED LTD→ 13862835 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| BADGES LIMITED→ 06259169 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| BAILEY MORRIS LIMITED→ 01345726 · est 1977 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 48y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
9 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
Incorporated1957-12-20
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC25730 — SIC 25730
Registered office
Fenside,
East Kirkby,
Spilsby,
Lincolnshire
PE23 4DD
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-02-28
Last made up to: 2025-05-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-01
Last: 2025-08-18
Officers (1 active · 2 resigned)
Active
ILES, Christine Ann→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2023-11-20
ILES, Barry Arnold→
Resigneddirector · ~65y · resigned 2022-05-15
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
5
Total charges
5
Outstanding
3
Active lenders
Status:Lender:5 of 5 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 15/06/1988 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 15/06/1988 | — | |
| outstanding | Midland Bank Midland Bank LTD | Charge | 1 property | 30/09/1981 | — | |
| outstanding | Midland Bank Midland Bank LTD | Mortgage | 1 property | 23/10/1980 | — | |
| outstanding | Council for Small Indsutries in Rural Areas | Deeds of further charge | 1 property | 22/02/1978 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (101 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-05-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-01-20
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2025-01-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-31
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2023-12-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-05-31
change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-address
address · AD02
2023-04-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-05-26
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2022-05-25
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-05-25
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-05-25