ARTHUR OAKLEY TRANSPORT LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
01271370 · ltd · incorporated 1976-08-02
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Sept 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46720
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 49410Freight transport by road
- 52103SIC 52103
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 7 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (45/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
13 live charges · 7 lenders · oldest 46.6y
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 46.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 7 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 50/100 (high).
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, 3 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
13 charges (13/13 with lender, 13/13 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (3 active, 6 linked, 4 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 5 total, 5 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
135 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
73/100Strong
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
74
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-09-30 | 2024-09-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 3600 | 3500 |
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
2
filings
- • 1 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
Last 90 days
3
filings
- • 1 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
3
filings
- • 1 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (48 events)Click to expand
- 2026-06-24📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2026-06-24📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2026-06-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-11-26📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-11-25🔒Charge registered #13Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2025-06-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-11📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-07-11📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-07-11📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-07-11📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-02-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-08-01📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-08-01📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-08-01📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-05-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-12-06📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-11-15➖OAKLEY, Roger Van resigneddirector
- 2022-06-21📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-06-13📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-06-08➕OAKLEY, Ben Alexander appointeddirector
- 2022-06-08➕OAKLEY-DAVIES, Maxine Helen appointeddirector
- 2022-06-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-07-27📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-07-27📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2017-04-21🔒Charge registered #12Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2016-03-12🔓Charge satisfied #10
- 2016-03-12🔓Charge satisfied #9
- 2016-03-12🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2016-02-01🔒Charge registered #11Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2002-08-28🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2002-02-12🔓Charge satisfied #8
- 2002-02-12🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2002-02-12🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2002-01-02🔒Charge registered #10Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 2001-05-01🔒Charge registered #9Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 1997-09-26🔒Charge registered #8Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1997-09-10➕OAKLEY DAVIES, Maxine Helen appointedsecretary
- 1997-09-10➖OAKLEY, Jessica resignedsecretary
- 1997-09-10➖OAKLEY, Jessica resigneddirector
- 1990-02-21🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1989-07-03🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1988-09-20🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1987-02-25🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1986-07-28🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1986-07-28🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1980-06-05🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Industrial Bank of Scotland
- 1979-12-19🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1976-08-02🏢Company incorporatedAs ARTHUR OAKLEY TRANSPORT LIMITED
Owner dependency
81/100
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.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "OAKLEY" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
56/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 50 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 med · 1 lowCharge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
5 live charges
lowHeavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Ben Alexander Oakley Individual · British · DOB 12/1994 · age 32 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 28/06/2024 |
Mrs Maxine Helen Oakley-Davies Individual · British · DOB 03/1967 · age 59 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 28/06/2024 |
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Graham Maldwyn Johnceased 28/06/2024· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · trust interest
- Mr Colin David Gordonceased 28/06/2024· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · trust interest
- Mr Roger Van Oakleyceased 15/11/2022· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Wholesale & distribution · HR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANGE ELECTRIC LTD→ 15616858 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AOET LTD→ 16418560 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AQUA-HEAT LIMITED→ 02964201 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| ARAPAHO JENTICE LTD→ 16661218 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ARCADIA EXPORT LTD→ 15926725 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARITMAN LTD→ 13217972 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ARKANIN TRADING COMPANY LIMITED→ 16152852 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARNOVO LTD→ 15999361 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARVENTIS GLOBAL LTD→ 16557514 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ASCALON DESIGN LIMITED→ 03761259 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| ASCEMDANT GLOBAL LTD→ 16974684 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ASD BUSINESS GROUP LIMITED→ 12923565 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1976-08-02
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46720 — SIC 46720
Registered office
Rotherwas Indl Est
Rotherwas
Hereford
HR2 6LR
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-06-30
Last made up to: 2025-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-09
Last: 2025-07-26
Officers (3 active · 3 resigned)
OAKLEY DAVIES, Maxine Helen→
Activesecretary · appointed 1997-09-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
OAKLEY, Ben Alexander→
Activedirector · ~32y · appointed 2022-06-08
View their other companies + combined net worth →
OAKLEY-DAVIES, Maxine Helen→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2022-06-08
View their other companies + combined net worth →
OAKLEY, Jessica→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1997-09-10
OAKLEY, Jessica→
Resigneddirector · ~114y · resigned 1997-09-10
OAKLEY, Roger Van→
Resigneddirector · ~78y · resigned 2022-11-15
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
13
Total charges
5
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:13 of 13 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 25/11/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 21/04/2017 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 01/02/2016 | — | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Mortgage | 1 property | 02/01/2002 | 12/03/2016 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 01/05/2001 | 12/03/2016 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Fixed charge supplemental to a debenture dated 20TH september 1988 issued by the company | 1 property | 26/09/1997 | 12/02/2002 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 21/02/1990 | 12/02/2002 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 03/07/1989 | 12/02/2002 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 20/09/1988 | 28/08/2002 | |
| outstanding | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 28/07/1986 | — | |
| outstanding | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 28/07/1986 | — | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Industrial Bank of Scotland | Specific mortgage | 1 property | 05/06/1980 | 12/03/2016 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 19/12/1979 | 25/02/1987 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (135 total)
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2026-06-24
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-06-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-06-08
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-11-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-08-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-06-13
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-08-30
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-07-11
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-07-11
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-07-11
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-07-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-02-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-01
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-08-01
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-08-01