ABCO ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
02389868 · ltd · incorporated 1989-05-26
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Sept 2024
Net worth
£60.8k
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Non-specialised wholesale trade
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 73-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 73). 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).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 34.6y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 34.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (72/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
4 officers (2 active, 4 linked, 3 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
98 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.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £60,750
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£61k
Current Assets
£78k
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-09-30 |
|---|---|
| Total assets | £60.8k |
| Current assets | £77.6k |
| Net assets | £60.8k |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (27 events)Click to expand
- 2025-06-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-25📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2024-04-11📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-04-11🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2024-01-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2024-01-01📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-01-01📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-12-31➖MERRITT, Michael Roy resigneddirector
- 2023-09-05📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-12-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-01-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2020-01-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2019-05-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2018-04-12📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2018-04-12🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2018-03-16📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2018-03-14🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Advantedge Commercial Finance LTD
- 2018-02-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-01-15📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2016-06-08🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2016-01-29🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Limited
- 2016-01-22🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2014-01-01➖MORRIS, Kevin Christopher resigneddirector
- 2011-11-23🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1991-10-22🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 1989-05-26🏢Company incorporatedAs ABCO ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED
Owner dependency
90/100
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
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 73 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
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 73 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 37 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| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Neil Charles Palmer Individual · British · DOB 03/1953 · age 73 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 26/05/2017 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Michael Roy Merrittceased 31/12/2023· 25-50% shares
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 · Wholesale & distribution · BH postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 SEVEN FOOD SERVICE LIMITED→ 11283905 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| 3X MOTION TECHNOLOGIES (EUROPE) LIMITED→ 06228143 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| 4LEAF EMPORIUM LIMITED→ 16825945 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AAMIRSABA LTD→ 13117115 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ADGARMZ LTD→ 16814107 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AEROSPACE GSE LIMITED→ 08286757 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| AGRI-X TRADING LTD→ 16935800 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AJ100.IQ LIMITED→ 16575034 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AJB DYNAMICS LTD→ 16253381 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ALAMIN MJA LTD→ 15594120 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ALAN FROUD LIMITED→ 06486505 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| ALAN WOODARD LIMITED→ 07757529 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 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
Incorporated1989-05-26
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46900 — Non-specialised wholesale trade
Registered office
19 West Way
Broadstone
BH18 9LW
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-06-30
Last made up to: 2024-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-11
Last: 2026-03-28
Officers (2 active · 2 resigned)
Active
Active
MERRITT, Michael Roy→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · resigned 2023-12-31
MORRIS, Kevin Christopher→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · resigned 2014-01-01
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 | Advantedge Commercial Finance Advantedge Commercial Finance LTD | A registered charge | — | 14/03/2018 | 11/04/2024 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Limited | A registered charge | — | 29/01/2016 | 12/04/2018 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 23/11/2011 | 08/06/2016 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 22/10/1991 | 22/01/2016 |
Recent filings (98 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-06-28
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2024-09-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-10
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-04-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-01-31
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-01-01
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-01-01
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-09-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-12-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-06-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-01-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-07-07