ABCO AIR & SHIPPING LTD

💤Zombieactive
03908392 · ltd · incorporated 2000-01-18
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 Mar 2025
Net worth
£122.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 50200
Sector: Transportation & storage
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 51210SIC 51210
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 61-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 61). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -60% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 8.9y

45/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 8.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (76/100)

Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.

Company profile
address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 2 with DOB)
77
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
86 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
Positive net assets
Net assets £122,639
Net assets shrinking
Down £107,099 YoY
Cash draining
Cash down 60% YoY
Cash YoY
-60%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£118k
↓ 60% YoY
Net Worth
£123k
↓ 47% YoY
Current Assets
£141k
↓ 61% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£71k£143k£214k£286k£357kMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Total assets£122.6k£229.7k
Current assets£140.6k£357.0k
Cash£117.5k£291.4k
Debtors£23.0k£65.7k
Net assets£122.6k£229.7k

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
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (28 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-12-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-12-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  4. 2022-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2021-12-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2021-12-19
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
    accounts · AA01
  7. 2021-03-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2019-12-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2019-03-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2019-01-23
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  11. 2019-01-23
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  12. 2018-12-27
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortened
    accounts · AA01
  13. 2018-12-21
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  14. 2017-12-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2017-06-21
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  16. 2017-06-15
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  17. 2017-03-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  18. 2012-02-21
    ➕
    ABUSCH, Simon Timothy appointed
    secretary
  19. 2012-02-21
    ➖
    ABUSCH, Arthur resigned
    secretary
  20. 2010-02-22
    ➖
    ABUSCH, Arthur resigned
    director
  21. 2000-01-18
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ABCO AIR & SHIPPING LTD
  22. 2000-01-18
    ➕
    ABUSCH, Simon Timothy appointed
    director
  23. 2000-01-18
    ➕
    ABUSCH, Arthur appointed
    secretary
  24. 2000-01-18
    ➕
    STARTCO LIMITED appointed
    corporate-secretary
  25. 2000-01-18
    ➖
    STARTCO LIMITED resigned
    corporate-secretary
  26. 2000-01-18
    ➕
    ABUSCH, Arthur appointed
    director
  27. 2000-01-18
    ➕
    NEWCO LIMITED appointed
    corporate-director
  28. 2000-01-18
    ➖
    NEWCO LIMITED resigned
    corporate-director

Owner dependency

93/100
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 26 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 candidate

Strong 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 26 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 26 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 Simon Timothy Abusch
Individual · British · DOB 11/1965 · age 61
75–100%
75–100%75-100% shares · 75-100% voting06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mr Arthur Abuschceased 16/03/2018· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting

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

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1START LOGISTICS LTD→
12660559 · est 2020 · no financials extracted
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2003 LIMITED→
03064837 · est 1995 · no financials extracted
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2FASTCIP LTD→
12102902 · est 2019 · no financials extracted
————6y——
8ACK.COM LTD→
15760360 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
————1y——
A2B TAXIS (PETERSFIELD) LTD→
07612412 · est 2011 · no financials extracted
————14y——
AADIL&CO LTD→
12791595 · est 2020 · no financials extracted
————5y——
AAMIRS LTD→
15349956 · est 2023 · no financials extracted
————2y——
ABI DELIVERY LTD→
16913850 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
———————
ABR WOKING LTD→
09351442 · est 2014 · no financials extracted
————11y——
ACC CARS LTD→
15816920 · est 2024 · no financials extracted
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ACC EXPRESS LIMITED→
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ACE HANDLING UK LTD→
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————20y——
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
Incorporated2000-01-18
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC50200 — SIC 50200

Registered office

2 Wexfenne Gardens
Pyrford
Woking
Surrey
GU22 8TX
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-01
Last: 2026-01-18

Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)

ABUSCH, Simon Timothy→
secretary · appointed 2012-02-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
ABUSCH, Simon Timothy→
director · ~61y · appointed 2000-01-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
ABUSCH, Arthur→
secretary · appointed 2000-01-18 · resigned 2012-02-21
Resigned
STARTCO LIMITED→
corporate-secretary · appointed 2000-01-18 · resigned 2000-01-18
Resigned
ABUSCH, Arthur→
director · ~97y · appointed 2000-01-18 · resigned 2010-02-22
Resigned
NEWCO LIMITED→
corporate-director · appointed 2000-01-18 · resigned 2000-01-18
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
A registered charge—15/06/2017—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (86 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-12-23
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
accounts · AA01
2021-12-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-03-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-01-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-12-18