BROADSWORD INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
03685955 · ltd · incorporated 1998-12-18
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 Jun 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Non-specialised wholesale trade
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 62-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (80/100, director aged 62). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 7 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
6 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 23.6y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 23.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)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
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
3 officers (2 active, 3 linked, 1 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
84 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
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 · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-06-30 | 2024-06-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 1 | 100 |
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
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-05-30📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-05-30🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2025-05-22📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-05-22🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2025-01-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-28📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2024-01-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-02-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-01-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2021-12-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2021-12-01📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2021-02-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-03-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-03-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-04-24📄accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AAMD
- 2018-03-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2013-07-31🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Caroline French as a Trustee of the Broadsword Pension Scheme
- 2010-04-23🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Sme Invoice Finance Limited
- 2009-10-28🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2009-10-28🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2009-10-28🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2009-10-28🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2009-06-02🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Bibby Financial Services Limited (As Security Trustee)
- 2008-07-17🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Ing Commercial Finance B.V.
- 2008-07-17🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Ing Commercial Finance B.V.
- 2002-11-25🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Five Arrows Commercial Finance Limited
- 1998-12-18🏢Company incorporatedAs BROADSWORD INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
- 1998-12-18➕FRENCH, Caroline Elizabeth appointedsecretary
- 1998-12-18➕FRENCH, Nigel John appointeddirector
- 1998-12-18➕SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1998-12-18➖SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
Owner dependency
93/100
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.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 28 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 62 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
85/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 62. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 28 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 28 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
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 Nigel John French Individual · British · DOB 09/1964 · age 62 | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 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 · Wholesale & distribution · OX postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABINGDON WOOD YARD LTD→ 13530218 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| BANBURY COMMODITIES LIMITED→ 10483807 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| BLUE CAP COFFEE RETAIL LTD→ 07719559 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| BLUE TRIANGLE LIMITED→ 15338428 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BOTANICUM LIMITED→ 15271999 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BOWEN INTERNATIONAL(UK) LTD→ 16316153 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BRIDGEHEAD INTERNATIONAL AGENCY LTD→ 11941759 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| BRITANNIA POLYCHEM LTD→ 13371965 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| BROADSHIRES FENCING SUPPLIES LIMITED→ 16396311 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BROOKS DAIRIES LIMITED→ 13130268 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| BRUCE HOPKINS LIMITED→ 01242052 · est 1976 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 50y | — | — |
| BUCCA HOSPITIALITY LIMITED→ 15022110 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1998-12-18
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46900 — Non-specialised wholesale trade
Registered office
C/O Gravita Oxford Llp First Floor, Park Central
40/41 Park End Street
Oxford
OX1 1JD
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-03-31
Last made up to: 2025-06-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-01
Last: 2025-12-18
Officers (2 active · 1 resigned)
FRENCH, Caroline Elizabeth→
Activesecretary · appointed 1998-12-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FRENCH, Nigel John→
Activedirector · ~62y · appointed 1998-12-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1998-12-18 · resigned 1998-12-18
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
6
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Caroline French as a Trustee of the Broadsword Pension Scheme / Nigel French as a Trustee of the Broadsword Pension Scheme / Morgan Lloyd Trustees as Trustee of the Broadsword Pension Scheme Caroline French as a Trustee of the Broadsword Pension Scheme / Nigel French as a Trustee of the Broadsword Pension Scheme / Morgan Lloyd Trustees Limited as Trustee of the Broadsword Pension Scheme | A registered charge | 9 properties | 31/07/2013 | 22/05/2025 | |
| satisfied | Sme Invoice Finance Sme Invoice Finance Limited | Debenture | 1 property | 23/04/2010 | 30/05/2025 | |
| satisfied | Bibby Financial Services Bibby Financial Services Limited (As Security Trustee) | Debenture | 1 property | 02/06/2009 | 28/10/2009 | |
| satisfied | Ing Commercial Finance B.V. | Fixed charge on debts | 1 property | 17/07/2008 | 28/10/2009 | |
| satisfied | Ing Commercial Finance B.V. | Contract to sell / contract of services / commercial accounts receivable | 1 property | 17/07/2008 | 28/10/2009 | |
| satisfied | Five Arrows Commercial Finance Five Arrows Commercial Finance Limited | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 25/11/2002 | 28/10/2009 |
Recent filings (84 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2026-01-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-12-30
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-05-30
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-05-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-01-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-02
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-10-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-01-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-02-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-12-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-01-25
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-12-20
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2021-12-01
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2021-12-01