ASHTON SMETHURST (BUILDERS) LIMITED
Opportunity 63/100 (worth a look), bankability 30/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: File overdue accounts. Clears statutory overdue flag — immediate bankability uplift for refinance conversations. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (30/100). Current lenders should be on monthly review.
Data confidence
Overall: low (43/100)Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.
Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.
Recent activity
Corporate timeline (12 events)Click to expand
- 2023-07-04📄restoration-order-of-courtrestoration · AC92
- 1997-09-19➖HUTCHINSON, Derek Whalley resigneddirector
- 1997-04-01➕BIRCH, Gregory appointedsecretary
- 1997-04-01➖COTTON, Sheila resignedsecretary
- 1997-04-01➖SMETHURST, John resigneddirector
- 1994-07-01➕BIRCH, Gregory appointeddirector
- 1993-04-07➕TAYLOR, John Frederick appointeddirector
- 1993-04-01🏢Company incorporatedAs ASHTON SMETHURST (BUILDERS) LIMITED
- 1993-04-01➕COTTON, Robin Alexander appointeddirector
- 1993-04-01➕COTTON, Sheila appointedsecretary
- 1993-04-01➕HUTCHINSON, Derek Whalley appointeddirector
- 1993-04-01➕SMETHURST, John appointeddirector
Owner dependency
Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 33 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 84 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 84 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 33 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 33 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
Red flags
1 high · 1 med ·Statutory accounts have not been filed by their due date. Can indicate admin breakdown, cash preservation, or deliberate delay.
Evidence: Next due: 2000-01-31
Companies House flags prior insolvency events. Review the insolvency filings for context.
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10 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
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Officers (4 active · 3 resigned)
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