AARDMAN ANIMATIONS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
02050843 · ltd · incorporated 1986-08-29
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
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Motion picture production activities
Sector: Information & communication
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 59113Television programme production activities
- 62011Ready-made interactive leisure and entertainment software development
- 90030Artistic creation
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 68-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 68). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 10 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (48/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
12 live charges · 10 lenders · oldest 37.3y
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 37.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 10 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 53/100 (high).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (61/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 4 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
12 charges (12/12 with lender, 12/12 with type)
90
Directors & officers
16 officers (7 active, 16 linked, 13 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
16 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
150 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
3
filings
- • 2 mortgage
- • 1 officers
Last 180 days
6
filings
- • 3 officers
- • 2 mortgage
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (63 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-27📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2026-03-13📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2026-03-13📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2026-03-05🔒Charge registered #12Lender: Coutts & Company and Its Successors in Title and Permitted Assigns
- 2026-03-05🔒Charge registered #11Lender: Coutts & Company and Its Successors in Title and Permitted Assigns
- 2026-01-12➕BEARD, Helen Mary appointeddirector
- 2026-01-12📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2026-01-02📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-12-31➖NEWPORT, Paula Gail resigneddirector
- 2025-10-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-05-01📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2025-04-30➖EFERGAN, Daniel resigneddirector
- 2024-10-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-18📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-04-15➕HARDIE, Emma Natasha appointeddirector
- 2024-02-21📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-02-15➖LOCK, Kerry Anthony resigneddirector
- 2024-02-07📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-02-06🔒Charge registered #10Lender: Coutts & Company
- 2024-01-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-01-12📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-01-04📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-01-01➕CAVE, Joanna Louise appointeddirector
- 2024-01-01➖LORD, Peter Duncan Fraser resigneddirector
- 2023-10-17📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2023-10-17🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2023-01-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-04-22📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2020-04-06➖WRIGHT, Heather Anne resigneddirector
- 2020-03-01➕EFERGAN, Daniel appointeddirector
- 2019-12-30➖SPROXTON, David Alan resignedsecretary
- 2019-12-17➖SPROXTON, David Alan resigneddirector
- 2018-11-05➕CLARKE, Sean Michael appointeddirector
- 2018-11-05➕COX, Sarah appointeddirector
- 2018-11-05➕SHELLEY, Carla Denise appointeddirector
- 2018-11-05➕LOCK, Kerry Anthony appointeddirector
- 2018-11-05➕NEWPORT, Paula Gail appointeddirector
- 2018-11-05➕WRIGHT, Heather Anne appointeddirector
- 2015-10-21🔓Charge satisfied #9
- 2008-07-23🔒Charge registered #9Lender: Coutts & Co
- 2006-06-22🔓Charge satisfied #8
- 2006-06-22🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2006-06-22🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2005-09-17🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2005-03-09🔒Charge registered #8Lender: Couts & Company
- 2004-10-04🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Coutts & Company
- 2004-09-25🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2003-10-20🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Societe Generale
Showing most recent 50 of 63 events
Owner dependency
65/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- -7 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 32 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
70/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 68. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 32 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
1 med ·Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Group structure
Aardman Holdings Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Aardman Holdings Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
AARDMAN ANIMATIONS LIMITED
This company · 02050843
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Aardman Holdings Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Nicholas Wulstan Parkceased 05/11/2018· significant influence
- Mr Peter Duncan Fraser Lordceased 05/11/2018· significant influence
- Mr David Alan Sproxtonceased 05/11/2018· significant influence
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 · Technology · BS postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 138 CONSULTING LTD→ 16819272 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 207 CAPITAL HOLDINGS LIMITED→ 16607205 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 365 PROJECT MANAGEMENT LTD→ 16531016 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3VENTIZ LIMITED→ 16132869 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| 44CLUB MOVEMENT LTD→ 16777333 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER LIMITED→ 16646556 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AAA INTERACTIVE LTD→ 15316315 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AARDMAN BEASTLY BITES LIMITED→ 15810906 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ABAMOG LTD→ 15683936 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ABE ORCHARD LIMITED→ 09712083 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| ABERDAR CONSULTING SERVICES LIMITED→ 16300075 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ABEXON LTD→ 14560533 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1986-08-29
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC59111 — Motion picture production activities
Registered office
Gas Ferry Road
Bristol
BS1 6UN
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-14
Last: 2025-12-31
Officers (7 active · 9 resigned)
BEARD, Helen Mary→
Activedirector · ~52y · appointed 2026-01-12
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CAVE, Joanna Louise→
Activedirector · ~50y · appointed 2024-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CLARKE, Sean Michael→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2018-11-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
HARDIE, Emma Natasha→
Activedirector · ~41y · appointed 2024-04-15
View their other companies + combined net worth →
PARK, Nicholas Wulstan→
Activedirector · ~68y · appointed 1994-07-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SHELLEY, Carla Denise→
Activedirector · ~62y · appointed 2018-11-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
PESTER, David Peter→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1994-07-20 · resigned 1999-02-11
SPROXTON, David Alan→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-02-11 · resigned 2019-12-30
SPROXTON, David Alan→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1994-07-31
EFERGAN, Daniel→
Resigneddirector · ~47y · appointed 2020-03-01 · resigned 2025-04-30
LOCK, Kerry Anthony→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2018-11-05 · resigned 2024-02-15
LORD, Peter Duncan Fraser→
Resigneddirector · ~73y · resigned 2024-01-01
NEWPORT, Paula Gail→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2018-11-05 · resigned 2025-12-31
SPROXTON, David Alan→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · resigned 2019-12-17
WRIGHT, Heather Anne→
Resigneddirector · ~62y · appointed 2018-11-05 · resigned 2020-04-06
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
12
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:12 of 12 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | NatWest Group Coutts & Company and Its Successors in Title and Permitted Assigns | A registered charge | — | 05/03/2026 | — | |
| outstanding | NatWest Group Coutts & Company and Its Successors in Title and Permitted Assigns | A registered charge | — | 05/03/2026 | — | |
| outstanding | NatWest Group Coutts & Company | A registered charge | — | 06/02/2024 | — | |
| satisfied | NatWest Group Coutts & Co | Mortgage debenture | 1 property | 23/07/2008 | 21/10/2015 | |
| satisfied | Couts & Company | Deed of assignment | 1 property | 09/03/2005 | 22/06/2006 | |
| satisfied | NatWest Group Coutts & Company | Charge over credit balances | 1 property | 04/10/2004 | 22/06/2006 | |
| satisfied | Societe Generale | Charge and deed of assignment | 4 properties | 20/10/2003 | 17/09/2005 | |
| satisfied | Dreamworks Animation Dreamworks Animation Llc | Security assignment and charge | 1 property | 20/10/2003 | 22/06/2006 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Charge | 1 property | 01/10/2002 | 25/09/2004 | |
| satisfied | Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale | Deposit agreement | 1 property | 30/08/2001 | 17/10/2023 | |
| satisfied | Bank of Wales Bank of Wales PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 03/09/1991 | 27/10/1993 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 16/01/1989 | 14/11/1992 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (150 total)
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2026-03-27
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2026-03-13
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2026-03-13
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2026-01-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-10
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2026-01-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-23
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2025-05-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-10
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-04-18
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-02-21
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-02-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-01-14
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-01-12