ADLIB AUDIO LIMITED
📈Growthactive
03555097 · ltd · incorporated 1998-04-29
Investment thesis
Growth-phase business — story-led; valuation sensitive to momentum.
Why interesting: Trading is scaling; acquirers paying for trajectory get disproportionate leverage.
Why risky: Price often leads fundamentals; dependency on founder often high.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
£30.27M
year to Apr 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Support activities to performing arts
Sector: Arts, entertainment & recreation
Investor take
PursueLeverage-led grower with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 65). Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 6 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (77/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
9 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 27.9y
45/100
clean up first
Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.
- · Oldest live charge is 27.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 40/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
- · Profitable and stable/growing — lender coverage supportable.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
9 charges (9/9 with lender, 9/9 with type)
90
Directors & officers
15 officers (6 active, 15 linked, 11 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
137 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation
Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
82
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Profitable
Profit before tax £2,168,834
Turnover YoY
+7%
Year on year
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 | 2025-04-30 | 2024-04-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £30.27M | £28.39M |
| Gross profit | £14.74M | £13.25M |
| Operating profit | £2.95M | £2.31M |
| Profit before tax | £2.17M | £1.43M |
| Average employees | 21700 | 19900 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
5 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
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (53 events)Click to expand
- 2025-11-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-01-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-26📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-09-25➕EDWARDS, Thomas Ian appointeddirector
- 2024-06-12📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2024-06-12📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-02-25📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2024-02-25📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-02-22📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2024-02-20📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2024-02-15📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AAMD
- 2024-02-09➖DOCKERTY, Lynn Marie resignedsecretary
- 2024-01-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-22📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2022-11-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-29📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-07-29📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2021-12-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-14📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-07-07➖KIRBY, Roger William resigneddirector
- 2021-04-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-groupaccounts · AA
- 2020-08-21📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2020-08-18🔒Charge registered #9Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2018-07-01➖DOCKERTY, Andrew Paul resignedsecretary
- 2018-07-01➕DOCKERTY, Lynn Marie appointedsecretary
- 2018-06-20➖TOMLINSON, Ian resigneddirector
- 2018-06-14🔒Charge registered #8Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2016-10-21➖ABRAHAM, Peter Wyn resigneddirector
- 2016-07-18🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2016-02-25🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2015-06-22➖ROBERTS, Mark Francis resigneddirector
- 2015-06-22➕TOMLINSON, Ian appointeddirector
- 2015-03-04🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Hsbc Asset Finance (UK) LTD
- 2013-07-01➕HUGHES, John Christopher appointeddirector
- 2012-06-01🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Hsbc Asset Finance (UK) LTD and Hsbc Equipment Finance (UK) LTD
- 2012-06-01🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Hsbc Asset Finance (UK) LTD and Hsbc Equipment Finance (UK) LTD
- 2011-12-21➕STOKER, Philip John appointeddirector
- 2011-04-18🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2009-03-31➖FLETCHER, David Paul resigneddirector
- 2008-07-10➕JONES, David Andrew appointeddirector
- 2008-07-10➕ABRAHAM, Peter Wyn appointeddirector
- 2008-07-10➕KIRBY, Roger William appointeddirector
- 2005-05-19➕FLETCHER, David Paul appointeddirector
- 2003-05-01➕ROBERTS, Mark Francis appointeddirector
- 1998-07-29🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Midland Bank PLC
- 1998-04-29🏢Company incorporatedAs ADLIB AUDIO LIMITED
- 1998-04-29➕DOCKERTY, Andrew Paul appointeddirector
- 1998-04-29➕KAY, David Andrew appointeddirector
- 1998-04-29➕DOCKERTY, Andrew Paul appointedsecretary
- 1998-04-29➕BRITANNIA COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
Showing most recent 50 of 53 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
- -6 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 28 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — 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 65. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 28 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 low9 live charges
lowHeavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Group structure
A Square Company Holdings Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
A Square Company Holdings Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
ADLIB AUDIO LIMITED
This company · 03555097
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A Square Company Holdings Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 09/02/2024 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Andrew Paul Dockertyceased 09/02/2024· 75-100% 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 · Leisure & entertainment · L postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4SURE ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED→ 16011379 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ACADEMY COACHING COMPANY LTD→ 14911880 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ADULTHOOD LIMITED→ 12497782 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ADVENTURE CATALYSTS LIMITED→ 04454812 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| ADVENTURE CODE INTERNATIONAL LTD→ 15256260 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AERIALNINJAS LTD→ 13344348 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| AFTER ADVENTURES NG LTD→ 14630118 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AGL STUDIO LTD→ 16760756 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AI HEALTHICIAN LTD→ 13810158 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| AIMEE ORMESHER LIMITED→ 12125830 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| AINTREE RACECOURSE DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED→ 05801444 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| AIR HIGHNESS OCCASIONS LTD→ 16019491 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1998-04-29
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC90020 — Support activities to performing arts
Registered office
Adlib House Kitling Road
Knowsley Business Park
Prescot
L34 9JS
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-21
Last: 2025-11-07
Officers (6 active · 9 resigned)
DOCKERTY, Andrew Paul→
Activedirector · ~65y · appointed 1998-04-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
EDWARDS, Thomas Ian→
Activedirector · ~39y · appointed 2024-09-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HUGHES, John Christopher→
Activedirector · ~43y · appointed 2013-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
JONES, David Andrew→
Activedirector · ~50y · appointed 2008-07-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
KAY, David Andrew→
Activedirector · ~54y · appointed 1998-04-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
STOKER, Philip John→
Activedirector · ~47y · appointed 2011-12-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DOCKERTY, Andrew Paul→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1998-04-29 · resigned 2018-07-01
DOCKERTY, Lynn Marie→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2018-07-01 · resigned 2024-02-09
BRITANNIA COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1998-04-29 · resigned 1998-04-29
ABRAHAM, Peter Wyn→
Resigneddirector · ~49y · appointed 2008-07-10 · resigned 2016-10-21
FLETCHER, David Paul→
Resigneddirector · ~70y · appointed 2005-05-19 · resigned 2009-03-31
KIRBY, Roger William→
Resigneddirector · ~55y · appointed 2008-07-10 · resigned 2021-07-07
ROBERTS, Mark Francis→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 2003-05-01 · resigned 2015-06-22
TOMLINSON, Ian→
Resigneddirector · ~46y · appointed 2015-06-22 · resigned 2018-06-20
DEANSGATE COMPANY FORMATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1998-04-29 · resigned 1998-04-29
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
9
Total charges
9
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:9 of 9 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 18/08/2020 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 14/06/2018 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 2 properties | 18/07/2016 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 25/02/2016 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Asset Finance (UK) LTD / Hsbc Equipment Finance (UK) LTD | A registered charge | 1 property | 04/03/2015 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Asset Finance (UK) LTD and Hsbc Equipment Finance (UK) LTD | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 01/06/2012 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Asset Finance (UK) LTD and Hsbc Equipment Finance (UK) LTD | Debenture | 1 property | 01/06/2012 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 18/04/2011 | — | |
| outstanding | Midland Bank Midland Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 29/07/1998 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (137 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-11-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-01-08
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-21
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-09-26
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2024-06-12
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-06-12
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2024-02-25
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2024-02-25
capital-name-of-class-of-shares
capital · SH08
2024-02-22
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2024-02-20
accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AAMD
2024-02-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-01-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-15
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2023-05-22