HILLCARD LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
04077019 · ltd · incorporated 2000-09-25
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Nov 2025
Net worth
£2.77M
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Growing of cereals (except rice), leguminous crops and oil seeds
Sector: Agriculture, forestry & fishing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 80-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 80). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -61% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 25.3y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 25.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Cashflow trend is negative — lender view likely cautious.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (79/100)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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 3 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
74 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 declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £2,765,425
Net assets shrinking
Down £119,089 YoY
Cash draining
Cash down 61% YoY
Cash YoY
-61%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£291k
↓ 61% YoY
Net Worth
£2.8m
↓ 4.1% YoY
Current Assets
£656k
↓ 51% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-11-30 | 2024-11-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £3.72M | £3.01M |
| Current assets | £655.8k | £1.34M |
| Cash | £290.9k | £739.7k |
| Debtors | £155.9k | £359.1k |
| Net assets | £2.77M | £2.88M |
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 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (29 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2025-11-10📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-11-10📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-07-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2024-12-23📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-12-13🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2024-12-10📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-12-09🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2024-07-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-03📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-05-03📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-05-03📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2021-10-18➖BEVAN, Edward George resignedsecretary
- 2021-10-18➖BEVAN, Edward George resigneddirector
- 2021-08-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2020-08-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2019-08-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2008-09-26➕BEVAN, Janet Elizabeth appointeddirector
- 2001-04-17🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2000-11-29➕BEVAN, Nicholas James appointeddirector
- 2000-11-29➕BEVAN, Edward George appointedsecretary
- 2000-11-29➖SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2000-11-29➕BEVAN, Edward George appointeddirector
- 2000-11-29➖INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2000-09-25🏢Company incorporatedAs HILLCARD LIMITED
- 2000-09-25➕SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2000-09-25➕INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
91/100
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
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 26 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 80 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
96/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 80 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- 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
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 · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Nicholas James Bevan Individual · British · DOB 03/1971 · age 55 | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 06/04/2016 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mrs Janet Elizabeth Bevanceased 07/11/2025· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
- Mr Edward George Bevanceased 18/10/2021· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
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 · Agriculture · HR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAR HEATH FARMING LIMITED→ 13257137 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| FRESHFIELDS FRUIT LTD→ 08443633 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| GLYN HAMER MILL MIX LTD→ 05405039 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| GOLDEN VALLEY APIARIES LIMITED→ 10749760 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| H R EDWARDS & SON LTD→ 15683892 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| HAMBLEDEN MANOR STUD LIMITED→ 16146483 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| HAYGROVE LIMITED→ 03266992 · est 1996 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| HEREFORD FARM LTD→ 13491644 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| HEREFORDSHIRE BLUEBERRY COMPANY LIMITED→ 05778588 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| HIGH HOUSE EQUESTRIAN LTD→ 12114774 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| HILL CANINES LTD→ 13632323 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| HJ & JD DUTHIE LIMITED→ 09564658 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
9 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
Incorporated2000-09-25
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC01110 — Growing of cereals (except rice), leguminous crops and oil seeds
Registered office
2 Wyevale Business Park
Kings Acre
Hereford
Herefordshire
HR4 7BS
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-08-31
Last made up to: 2025-11-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-24
Last: 2025-11-10
Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)
BEVAN, Janet Elizabeth→
Activedirector · ~80y · appointed 2008-09-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BEVAN, Nicholas James→
Activedirector · ~55y · appointed 2000-11-29
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BEVAN, Edward George→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-11-29 · resigned 2021-10-18
SWIFT INCORPORATIONS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2000-09-25 · resigned 2000-11-29
BEVAN, Edward George→
Resigneddirector · ~82y · appointed 2000-11-29 · resigned 2021-10-18
INSTANT COMPANIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2000-09-25 · resigned 2000-11-29
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 13/12/2024 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 09/12/2024 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 17/04/2001 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (74 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2026-05-05
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-10
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-11-10
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-11-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-07-14
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-27
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-12-23
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-12-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-07-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-18
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-06-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-08-24