ATEX EQUIPMENT LTD
💤Zombieactive
03709011 · ltd · incorporated 1999-02-05
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 2024
Net worth
£19.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46740
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 61-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 61). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 2 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 26.9y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 26.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · 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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (2 active, 5 linked, 2 with DOB)
78
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
85 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 · FRS 105 (micro)Positive net assets
Net assets £19,585
Net assets shrinking
Down £3,574 YoY
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£20k
↓ 15% YoY
Current Assets
£139k
↓ 38% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £33.5k | £45.1k |
| Current assets | £138.6k | £223.3k |
| Net assets | £19.6k | £23.2k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
1 signal 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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (27 events)Click to expand
- 2025-09-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-22📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2024-07-22📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2024-07-22📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-09-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-04📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-04-04📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-02-16➖MEAD, Brian Leonard resigneddirector
- 2021-09-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-06-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-04-15📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2019-04-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-02-21📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2019-02-21📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2018-04-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2008-05-23🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Aattitude Limited
- 1999-06-28🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1999-02-18➕HUNT, Richard John Vance appointedsecretary
- 1999-02-18➕HUNT, Richard John Vance appointeddirector
- 1999-02-18➕MEAD, Brian Leonard appointeddirector
- 1999-02-05🏢Company incorporatedAs ATEX EQUIPMENT LTD
- 1999-02-05➕FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-02-05➖FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1999-02-05➕FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1999-02-05➖FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-director
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 27 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — 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 61. 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 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 27 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
cleanNo 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| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Richard Hunt Individual · English · DOB 01/1965 · age 61 | 25–50% | — | sig. influence25-50% shares · significant influence · firm interest | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Brian Leonard Meadceased 16/02/2022· 25-50% shares · significant influence · firm interest
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 · BN postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 TROPICAL LIMITED→ 13451040 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ANGEL IMPORTING LTD→ 11258456 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| APERTURE WATCH LIMITED→ 16325884 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARTICULO LTD→ 12993671 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ARTIFEX GOLD INTERNATIONAL LIMITED→ 10121696 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| ARTILLERY COSMETICS LTD→ 15709211 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARZENAL LTD→ 09337956 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| ASMEL LIMITED→ 16748763 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ASPECTS BEAUTY COMPANY LIMITED→ 02882953 · est 1993 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 32y | — | — |
| ASPYRA TECHNOLOGIES LTD→ 03535482 · est 1998 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 28y | — | — |
| ATARIYA FOODS LIMITED→ 10023057 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| ATHENAS CRYSTALS LIMITED→ 13668295 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1999-02-05
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46740 — SIC 46740
Registered office
10 East Street
Littlehampton
BN17 6AW
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-19
Last: 2026-02-05
Officers (2 active · 3 resigned)
HUNT, Richard John Vance→
Activesecretary · appointed 1999-02-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HUNT, Richard John Vance→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 1999-02-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
FORM 10 SECRETARIES FD LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1999-02-05 · resigned 1999-02-05
MEAD, Brian Leonard→
Resigneddirector · ~67y · appointed 1999-02-18 · resigned 2022-02-16
FORM 10 DIRECTORS FD LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1999-02-05 · resigned 1999-02-05
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Aattitude Aattitude Limited | Rent deposit deed | 1 property | 23/05/2008 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Mortgage debenture | 1 property | 28/06/1999 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (85 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-09-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-09-26
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-07-22
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2024-07-22
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-07-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-09-23
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-08-01
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-04-04
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-04-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-02-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2021-09-03