A B S HOVERCRAFT LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
02865133 · ltd · incorporated 1993-10-22
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 Dec 2025
Net worth
£-633.8k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other manufacturing n.e.c.
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)
Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 67). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -90% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 30.2y

30/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 30.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (77/100)

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
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
11 officers (1 active, 11 linked, 6 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
99 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 declared
Negative net assets
Liabilities exceed assets by £633,819
Cash draining
Cash down 90% YoY
Cash YoY
-90%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£2k
↓ 90% YoY
Net Worth
-£634k
~ YoY
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
-£634k-£504k-£374k-£243k-£113k£17kDec 2024Dec 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-12-312024-12-31
Total assets£-633.8k£-631.4k
Cash£1.7k£16.9k
Net assets£-633.8k£-631.4k

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

2 signals 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
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (40 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-04-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-10-07
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  3. 2025-05-07
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2024-10-22
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  5. 2024-05-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2023-03-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2023-01-12
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  8. 2023-01-10
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  9. 2022-03-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2021-02-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2020-06-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2019-10-30
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  13. 2019-05-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2018-09-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2017-04-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2015-04-30
    ➖
    CUTTS, James Joseph resigned
    secretary
  17. 2007-03-22
    ➕
    CUTTS, James Joseph appointed
    secretary
  18. 2007-03-22
    ➖
    EVANS, John Stephen resigned
    secretary
  19. 1999-05-13
    ➖
    MATES, Michael John resigned
    director
  20. 1999-05-13
    ➖
    TRONISECK, Peter Johann resigned
    director
  21. 1997-05-05
    ➖
    GILBERT, John William, Right Honorable The Lord Gilbert resigned
    director
  22. 1997-02-22
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  23. 1997-01-29
    ➕
    TRONISECK, Peter Johann appointed
    director
  24. 1996-12-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  25. 1996-12-02
    ➕
    MATES, Michael John appointed
    director
  26. 1996-02-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  27. 1995-12-01
    ➕
    GILBERT, John William, Right Honorable The Lord Gilbert appointed
    director
  28. 1995-08-15
    ➖
    SOMMER, Werner resigned
    director
  29. 1995-08-08
    ➕
    EVANS, John Stephen appointed
    secretary
  30. 1995-08-08
    ➖
    SOMMER, Werner resigned
    secretary
  31. 1993-11-03
    ➕
    BLUM, Klaus appointed
    director
  32. 1993-11-03
    ➖
    WILLIAMS, Alan resigned
    director
  33. 1993-10-26
    ➖
    HOLLOWAY, Sharon Paula resigned
    secretary
  34. 1993-10-26
    ➕
    SOMMER, Werner appointed
    secretary
  35. 1993-10-26
    ➕
    SOMMER, Werner appointed
    director
  36. 1993-10-22
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As A B S HOVERCRAFT LIMITED
  37. 1993-10-22
    ➕
    HOLLOWAY, Sharon Paula appointed
    secretary
  38. 1993-10-22
    ➕
    SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  39. 1993-10-22
    ➖
    SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  40. 1993-10-22
    ➕
    WILLIAMS, Alan appointed
    director

Owner dependency

100/100
Critical — business is the founder

The 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.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 32 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 67 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

95/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 67. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 32 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.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

clean
No 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%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Klaus Blum
Individual · German · DOB 06/1959 · age 67
75–100%
75–100%75-100% shares · 75-100% voting06/04/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

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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
Incorporated1993-10-22
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC32990 — Other manufacturing n.e.c.

Registered office

Highland House
Mayflower Close Chandlers Ford
Eastleigh
Hampshire
SO53 4AR

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-05
Last: 2025-10-22

Officers (1 active · 10 resigned)

BLUM, Klaus→
director · ~67y · appointed 1993-11-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
CUTTS, James Joseph→
secretary · appointed 2007-03-22 · resigned 2015-04-30
Resigned
EVANS, John Stephen→
secretary · appointed 1995-08-08 · resigned 2007-03-22
Resigned
HOLLOWAY, Sharon Paula→
secretary · appointed 1993-10-22 · resigned 1993-10-26
Resigned
SOMMER, Werner→
secretary · appointed 1993-10-26 · resigned 1995-08-08
Resigned
SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1993-10-22 · resigned 1993-10-22
Resigned
GILBERT, John William, Right Honorable The Lord Gilbert→
director · ~99y · appointed 1995-12-01 · resigned 1997-05-05
Resigned
MATES, Michael John→
director · ~92y · appointed 1996-12-02 · resigned 1999-05-13
Resigned
SOMMER, Werner→
director · ~74y · appointed 1993-10-26 · resigned 1995-08-15
Resigned
TRONISECK, Peter Johann→
director · ~78y · appointed 1997-01-29 · resigned 1999-05-13
Resigned
WILLIAMS, Alan→
director · ~69y · appointed 1993-10-22 · resigned 1993-11-03
Resigned

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
TypeProperties
satisfied
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
Deed of charge over credit balances1 property17/12/199622/02/1997
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
Deposit agreement1 property13/02/1996—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (99 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-04-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-03
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-10-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-05-07
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-10-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-03-08
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2023-01-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-11
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2023-01-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-03-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-10-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-02-24