BLACK SHEEP LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
01679915 · ltd · incorporated 1982-11-19
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
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
- · Oldest live charge 43.4y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Jan 2025
Net worth
£34.3k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 13100
Sector: Manufacturing
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 47710Retail sale of clothing in specialised stores
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 74-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 74). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 43.4y
50/100
clean up first
Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.
- · Oldest live charge is 43.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (3 active, 8 linked, 6 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
111 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 · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £34,287
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£34k
↑ 19% YoY
Current Assets
£119k
↓ 18% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £34.3k | £28.7k |
| Current assets | £118.7k | £145.6k |
| Net assets | £34.3k | £28.7k |
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
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (29 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-10-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2016-10-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-10-26📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-10-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-06-22📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2014-09-18📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2014-02-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2007-09-10➕HOARE, Robert Charles Gerard appointedsecretary
- 2007-09-10➖DREW, Edward Nicholas resignedsecretary
- 2007-09-10➖DREW, Edward Nicholas resigneddirector
- 1999-04-10🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1999-03-25➖HOARE, Henry Gerard Benyon resigneddirector
- 1999-03-25➖HOARE, Rosemary Clare resigneddirector
- 1999-03-08🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1998-06-22➕HOARE, Robert Charles Gerard appointeddirector
- 1994-10-06➖PENNINGTON, Sydney Dennis resigneddirector
- 1991-11-27➕BARCLAY, Kathleen Rae appointeddirector
- 1991-11-27➕DREW, Edward Nicholas appointeddirector
- 1991-11-27➕PENNINGTON, Sydney Dennis appointeddirector
- 1983-02-22🔒Charge registered #1Lender: C Hoare & Co
- 1982-11-19🏢Company incorporatedAs BLACK SHEEP LIMITED
Owner dependency
83/100
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 35 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 74 — succession pressure is live.
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 74 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 35 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 44 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
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Robert Charles Gerard Hoare Individual · British · DOB 02/1969 · age 57 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Manufacturing · NR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.R.M. MARITIME SERVICES LIMITED→ 09993085 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| BARRIER BIOTECH LIMITED→ 02493312 · est 1990 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 35y | — | — |
| BENITE OIL & GAS SERVICES LIMITED→ 11850048 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| BENNETT AND BROOKS LTD→ 10504636 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| BERKSHIRE ENGINEERING SUPPLIES LIMITED→ 04276771 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 24y | — | — |
| BEST QUALITY STITCH LTD→ 15041830 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BGX PETROLEUM COMPANY LTD→ 12023717 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BICOTEST HIGH VOLTAGE PRODUCTS LIMITED→ 04341705 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 24y | — | — |
| BILATERAL BASE LTD→ 11481195 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| BISUBRO ENERGY CONSULTANTS LTD→ 15412935 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BLACK CROW GAMING LTD→ 16280398 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BLACKSHORE CLOTHING LTD→ 16236578 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1982-11-19
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC13100 — SIC 13100
Registered office
Unit 6 Farm Business Park Norwich Road
Marsham
Norwich
NR10 5PQ
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last made up to: 2025-01-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-25
Last: 2025-09-11
Officers (3 active · 5 resigned)
HOARE, Robert Charles Gerard→
Activesecretary · appointed 2007-09-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BARCLAY, Kathleen Rae→
Activedirector · ~74y · appointed 1991-11-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOARE, Robert Charles Gerard→
Activedirector · ~57y · appointed 1998-06-22
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DREW, Edward Nicholas→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2007-09-10
DREW, Edward Nicholas→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · appointed 1991-11-27 · resigned 2007-09-10
HOARE, Henry Gerard Benyon→
Resigneddirector · ~97y · resigned 1999-03-25
HOARE, Rosemary Clare→
Resigneddirector · ~93y · resigned 1999-03-25
PENNINGTON, Sydney Dennis→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · appointed 1991-11-27 · resigned 1994-10-06
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 08/03/1999 | — | |
| satisfied | C Hoare & Co | Debenture | 1 property | 22/02/1983 | 10/04/1999 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (111 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-10-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-11-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-10-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-10-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-10-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-10-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2020-10-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-09-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2019-10-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-09-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2018-10-31