COVELSTONE LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
02263969 · ltd · incorporated 1988-06-02
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 Jul 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other credit granting n.e.c.
Sector: Financial & insurance
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 82990Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 72-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 72). 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).
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Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 17.1y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 17.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 2 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
8 connected companies via shared directors
69
Filing history
118 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
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 · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-07-31 | 2024-07-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 1 | 0 |
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
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
2
filings
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (29 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-03-20➖HERBERT, Michael Clive resignedsecretary
- 2023-03-20📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2022-07-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-22📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2021-01-22🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2021-01-04📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2021-01-04🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2020-02-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-04-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-10📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2018-11-06🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Nedbank Private Wealth Limited
- 2018-04-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2014-11-11🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Ubs Ag, London Branch
- 2011-12-09🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2011-12-09🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2009-05-11🔒Charge registered #2Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2009-04-28🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1999-06-23➖WALMSLEY, Neil Roderick resignedsecretary
- 1999-06-22➕WALMSLEY, Neil Roderick appointedsecretary
- 1998-05-21➕HERBERT, Michael Clive appointedsecretary
- 1998-04-30➖FANNING, John Black Fraser resignedsecretary
- 1993-08-02➕FANNING, John Black Fraser appointedsecretary
- 1993-08-02➖HERBERT, Susan Mary resignedsecretary
- 1988-06-02🏢Company incorporatedAs COVELSTONE 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 age: Director aged approximately 72 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
76/100
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 72 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 38 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
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.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Michael Clive Herbert Individual · British · DOB 08/1954 · age 72 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
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 · CB postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASE INTERNATIONAL LTD→ 11841295 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| CLIMASTRY LTD→ 14216120 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| CMC GLOABL MARKET LTD→ 16204484 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| CMD INTELLIGENCE LTD→ 17033811 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| COINZ LIMITED→ 07076666 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| COMPASS FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS LIMITED→ 04284518 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 24y | — | — |
| CORAM INVESTMENTS LIMITED→ 17015196 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| COVERDALE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS LTD→ 11823407 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| CR CAPITAL LIMITED→ 11178847 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| CRAFTON LIMITED→ 03761201 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| CRAWFORD CAPITAL ADVISORS LIMITED→ 13498948 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| CRISP CAPITAL LIMITED→ 11312813 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1988-06-02
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC64929 — Other credit granting n.e.c.
Registered office
5 Clive Court
Bartholomews Walk
Ely
Cambs
CB7 4EH
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-04-30
Last made up to: 2025-07-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-10
Last: 2026-03-27
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
Active
Active
FANNING, John Black Fraser→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1993-08-02 · resigned 1998-04-30
HERBERT, Michael Clive→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1998-05-21 · resigned 2023-03-20
HERBERT, Susan Mary→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1993-08-02
WALMSLEY, Neil Roderick→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-06-22 · resigned 1999-06-23
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Nedbank Private Wealth Nedbank Private Wealth Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 06/11/2018 | 04/01/2021 | |
| satisfied | Ubs Ag, London Branch | A registered charge | — | 11/11/2014 | 22/01/2021 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 11/05/2009 | 09/12/2011 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 28/04/2009 | 09/12/2011 |
Recent filings (118 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-04-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-04-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-27
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-04-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-10
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-04-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-04-04
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2023-03-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-07-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-10-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-04-27