AARDMAN CREATURE COMFORTS USA LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
04013200 · ltd · incorporated 2000-06-08
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Why now
Window steady · low confidence
Steady and tidy — no seller pressure yet. Approach only if an angle opens.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
What changed my view
Last 30 days
No material changes in the last 30 days.
Last 90 days
No snapshot from 90 days ago — start tracking from today.
Last 180 days
No snapshot from 180 days ago — start tracking from today.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 99999
Sector: Extraterritorial bodies
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (60/100)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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
9 officers (2 active, 9 linked, 7 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
15 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
71 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
75
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
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 (34 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-02-21📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-02-21📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-02-15➕CAVE, Joanna Louise appointeddirector
- 2024-02-15➖LOCK, Kerry Anthony resigneddirector
- 2024-01-12📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-01-01➖LORD, Peter Duncan Fraser resigneddirector
- 2023-08-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2020-01-09📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2019-12-30➖SPROXTON, David Alan resignedsecretary
- 2019-12-19📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2019-12-17➕CLARKE, Sean Michael appointeddirector
- 2019-12-17➕LOCK, Kerry Anthony appointeddirector
- 2019-12-17➖SPROXTON, David Alan resigneddirector
- 2019-12-17📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2019-12-17📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2019-10-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2019-01-09📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2019-01-09📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2018-10-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2000-06-14➕SPROXTON, David Alan appointedsecretary
- 2000-06-14➖STAUNTON, Robin Mark resignedsecretary
- 2000-06-14➕LORD, Peter Duncan Fraser appointeddirector
- 2000-06-14➖PESTER, David Peter resigneddirector
- 2000-06-14➕SPROXTON, David Alan appointeddirector
- 2000-06-14➖STAUNTON, Robin Mark resigneddirector
- 2000-06-08🏢Company incorporatedAs AARDMAN CREATURE COMFORTS USA LIMITED
- 2000-06-08➕STAUNTON, Robin Mark appointedsecretary
- 2000-06-08➕PESTER, David Peter appointeddirector
- 2000-06-08➕STAUNTON, Robin Mark appointeddirector
Owner dependency
66/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
46/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Group structure
Aardman Animations Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Aardman Animations Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
AARDMAN CREATURE COMFORTS USA LIMITED
This company · 04013200
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Aardman Animations Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr David Alan Sproxtonceased 05/11/2018· significant influence
- Mr Peter Duncan Fraser Lordceased 05/11/2018· significant influence
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
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A & T HEALTHCARE TRAINING LTD→ 14272783 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AP CARLSON LTD→ 15119277 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| APPLIED PRODUCT DESIGN LTD→ 07776208 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ASSOCIATION (UK AND IRELAND)→ 02969472 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| ARCHUS BIDCO LIMITED→ 14874867 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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| ARCHUS THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE LIMITED→ 14982241 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ARCHUS THE HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIALIST LIMITED→ 14982243 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ARD LOUDSPEAKERS LTD→ 15589635 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ARK HOUSE VETS LIMITED→ 07393269 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| ARK VETERINARY CENTRE (COLCHESTER) LIMITED→ 09253332 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
6 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
Incorporated2000-06-08
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC99999 — SIC 99999
Registered office
Aardman Animations Ltd
Gas Ferry Road
Bristol
Avon
BS1 6UN
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-14
Last: 2025-12-31
Officers (2 active · 7 resigned)
CAVE, Joanna Louise→
Activedirector · ~50y · appointed 2024-02-15
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CLARKE, Sean Michael→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2019-12-17
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SPROXTON, David Alan→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-06-14 · resigned 2019-12-30
STAUNTON, Robin Mark→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-06-08 · resigned 2000-06-14
LOCK, Kerry Anthony→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2019-12-17 · resigned 2024-02-15
LORD, Peter Duncan Fraser→
Resigneddirector · ~73y · appointed 2000-06-14 · resigned 2024-01-01
PESTER, David Peter→
Resigneddirector · ~65y · appointed 2000-06-08 · resigned 2000-06-14
SPROXTON, David Alan→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · appointed 2000-06-14 · resigned 2019-12-17
STAUNTON, Robin Mark→
Resigneddirector · ~69y · appointed 2000-06-08 · resigned 2000-06-14
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (71 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-10-07
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-08-12
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-02-21
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-02-21
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-01-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-08-07
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-10-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2021-12-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-02-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2021-01-13