ARIEL (U.K.) LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
01012542 · ltd · incorporated 1971-05-27
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2024
Net worth
£-97.0k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Other activities auxiliary to financial services, except insurance and pension funding
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 76). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -63% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 33.0y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 33.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Cashflow trend is negative — lender view likely cautious.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
16 officers (3 active, 16 linked, 13 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
159 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Negative net assets
Liabilities exceed assets by £96,987
Cash draining
Cash down 63% YoY
Cash YoY
-63%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£4k
↓ 63% YoY
Net Worth
-£97k
~ YoY
Current Assets
£41k
~ YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £41.2k | £-97.0k |
| Current assets | £41.2k | £41.2k |
| Cash | £3.8k | £10.2k |
| Debtors | £37.4k | £30.9k |
| Net assets | £-97.0k | £-97.0k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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 (39 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-14📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AAMD
- 2023-06-14📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AAMD
- 2023-06-14📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AAMD
- 2023-04-29📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-04-24📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AAMD
- 2023-04-22📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AAMD
- 2023-04-22📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AAMD
- 2022-09-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2020-09-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2019-01-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2018-09-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2002-08-03➖MITCHELL, Desmond Gerrard resigneddirector
- 2002-03-17➕LITTLE, Susan Moira Jane appointeddirector
- 2001-12-08➖MITCHELL, Desmond Gerrard resignedsecretary
- 2001-12-08➖HAZELL-SMITH, Stephen John resigneddirector
- 2000-09-22➖FRANKS, Terry resignedsecretary
- 2000-09-22➕MITCHELL, Desmond Gerrard appointedsecretary
- 2000-05-16➕HAZELL-SMITH, Stephen John appointeddirector
- 1998-09-15➖HAYDON SLATER, Philip resigneddirector
- 1998-06-09➕HAYDON SLATER, Philip appointeddirector
- 1998-05-05➕FRANKS, Terry appointedsecretary
- 1995-12-19➖FOOT, Martin Gregory Thomas resigneddirector
- 1995-11-23➕MITCHELL, Desmond Gerrard appointeddirector
- 1994-06-30➖COUNSELL, Tony Frank resigneddirector
- 1994-02-16➖PAWLYN, Doyran Allen David resigneddirector
- 1994-02-10➕FOOT, Martin Gregory Thomas appointeddirector
- 1994-01-04➕COUNSELL, Tony Frank appointeddirector
- 1993-06-04🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The International Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland Limited
- 1992-11-16➕PAWLYN, Doyran Allen David appointeddirector
- 1992-11-09➖CORNELIUS, Rodney Michael resigneddirector
- 1991-12-27➖MITCHELL, Desmond Gerrard resigneddirector
- 1991-10-16➖GARNER, John Leigh resigneddirector
- 1991-08-30➖PILNIK, Edgardo resigneddirector
- 1991-08-30➖ROLEWICZ, Karl Jerzy resigneddirector
- 1971-05-27🏢Company incorporatedAs ARIEL (U.K.) LIMITED
Owner dependency
91/100
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
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 76 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
96/100
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 76 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 55 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Susan Moira Jane Little Individual · British · DOB 12/1950 · age 76 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 20/04/2023 |
Mr. Michael John Little Individual · British · DOB 10/1950 · age 76 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 01/07/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
🔒Co-director network graph
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
Active · Financial services · SO postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A G CUNNINGHAM CONSULTING LTD→ 07337153 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| A.C. SOVEREIGN FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED→ 05058278 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| AGEAS SERVICES (UK) LIMITED→ 00179136 · est 1922 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 104y | — | — |
| ALBION FOREST LTD→ 12714552 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ALPINE CAPITAL LTD→ 11357999 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ANDERSON REED FINANCIAL SERVICES LTD→ 13190705 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ANGLO SCOTTISH EMPLOYEE BENEFITS LTD→ 05800828 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| ANGLO SCOTTISH EMPLOYER BENEFITS LTD.→ 08117822 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| APPLIED FINANCE LIMITED→ 01492177 · est 1980 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 45y | — | — |
| AQUA SULIS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 11119852 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ARCTURUS ASSOCIATES LTD→ 10881996 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ARQIVA PENSION TRUST LIMITED→ 03390775 · est 1997 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 28y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 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
Incorporated1971-05-27
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC66190 — Other activities auxiliary to financial services, except insurance and pension funding
Registered office
The Tower House
Micheldever Station
Hampshire
SO21 3AL
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-06
Last: 2026-01-23
Officers (3 active · 13 resigned)
Active
Active
LITTLE, Susan Moira Jane→
Activedirector · ~76y · appointed 2002-03-17
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FRANKS, Terry→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1998-05-05 · resigned 2000-09-22
MITCHELL, Desmond Gerrard→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-09-22 · resigned 2001-12-08
CORNELIUS, Rodney Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~75y · resigned 1992-11-09
COUNSELL, Tony Frank→
Resigneddirector · ~88y · appointed 1994-01-04 · resigned 1994-06-30
FOOT, Martin Gregory Thomas→
Resigneddirector · ~76y · appointed 1994-02-10 · resigned 1995-12-19
GARNER, John Leigh→
Resigneddirector · ~94y · resigned 1991-10-16
HAYDON SLATER, Philip→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 1998-06-09 · resigned 1998-09-15
HAZELL-SMITH, Stephen John→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · appointed 2000-05-16 · resigned 2001-12-08
MITCHELL, Desmond Gerrard→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · appointed 1995-11-23 · resigned 2002-08-03
MITCHELL, Desmond Gerrard→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · resigned 1991-12-27
PAWLYN, Doyran Allen David→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · appointed 1992-11-16 · resigned 1994-02-16
PILNIK, Edgardo→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · resigned 1991-08-30
ROLEWICZ, Karl Jerzy→
Resigneddirector · ~67y · resigned 1991-08-30
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | The International Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland The International Stock Exchange of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland Limited | Charge | 1 property | 04/06/1993 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (159 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-09-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-09-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-09-26
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AAMD
2023-06-14
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AAMD
2023-06-14
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AAMD
2023-06-14
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-04-29
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AAMD
2023-04-24
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AAMD
2023-04-22
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AAMD
2023-04-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-09-14