ADVERTISING SERVICES LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
04544735 · ltd · incorporated 2002-09-25
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 2024
Net worth
£97.1k
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Advertising agencies
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 80/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 18.0y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 18.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (68/100)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
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
10 officers (2 active, 10 linked, 2 with DOB)
74
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
88 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
60
Some acquirability indicators.
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 £97,128
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£73k
Net Worth
£97k
Current Assets
£1.3m
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-06-30 |
|---|---|
| Total assets | £158.5k |
| Current assets | £1.28M |
| Cash | £73.1k |
| Debtors | £1.19M |
| Net assets | £97.1k |
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 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (38 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-23📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2025-01-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-14📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2024-03-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-09-06➖ASPEN WAITE LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2023-09-06📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2023-09-06📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2023-09-06📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-09-06📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2023-09-06📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2023-08-10➕CROWE, Stephen Gerald appointedsecretary
- 2023-03-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-08📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2021-10-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-07📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2020-10-19📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2020-03-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-03-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-05➕ASPEN WAITE LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2018-11-05➖BURTON SWEET COMPANY SECRETARIAL LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2018-11-05📄appoint-corporate-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP04
- 2009-01-06➖WOOLS, Peter Joseph resignedsecretary
- 2009-01-06➕BURTON SWEET COMPANY SECRETARIAL LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2008-08-01🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2007-03-27➕WOOLS, Peter Joseph appointedsecretary
- 2007-03-27➖DELAWARE MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2005-12-13➕DELAWARE MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2005-12-12➖CROWE, Gerald resignedsecretary
- 2005-08-23➕CROWE, Gerald appointedsecretary
- 2005-08-23➖ZARATE, Armelle resignedsecretary
- 2002-09-25🏢Company incorporatedAs ADVERTISING SERVICES LIMITED
- 2002-09-25➕CROWE, Stephen Gerald appointeddirector
- 2002-09-25➕WAYNE, Harold appointednominee-secretary
- 2002-09-25➖WAYNE, Harold resignednominee-secretary
- 2002-09-25➕ZARATE, Armelle appointedsecretary
- 2002-09-25➕WAYNE, Yvonne appointednominee-director
- 2002-09-25➖WAYNE, Yvonne resignednominee-director
Owner dependency
85/100
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 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
65/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stephen Gerald Crowe Individual · British · DOB 03/1970 · age 56 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Professional services · TA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AXOLOTL TRADING LTD→ 10769276 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| B & J HALL LIMITED→ 10031320 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| BAM CONSULTANCY LTD→ 06722174 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| BARDENE FINANCIAL LIMITED→ 10188180 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| BARNARD MICROSYSTEMS LIMITED→ 02036636 · est 1986 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 39y | — | — |
| BARRTECH CONTROL SYSTEMS LTD→ 15807835 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BARRY KNOTT LTD.→ 09251666 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| BARRY SPILLER ACCOUNTING LTD→ 08951100 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| BAYLAIR LIMITED→ 05099329 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| BAZON LIMITED→ 11443674 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| BCL PLANT LIMITED→ 15223580 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BEACON HEIGHTS CONSULTANCY LTD→ 12391539 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2002-09-25
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC73110 — Advertising agencies
Registered office
4 King Square
Bridgwater
Somerset
TA6 3YF
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-06-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-04
Last: 2025-09-20
Officers (2 active · 8 resigned)
CROWE, Stephen Gerald→
Activesecretary · appointed 2023-08-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CROWE, Stephen Gerald→
Activedirector · ~56y · appointed 2002-09-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CROWE, Gerald→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-08-23 · resigned 2005-12-12
WAYNE, Harold→
Resignednominee-secretary · appointed 2002-09-25 · resigned 2002-09-25
WOOLS, Peter Joseph→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2007-03-27 · resigned 2009-01-06
ZARATE, Armelle→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-09-25 · resigned 2005-08-23
ASPEN WAITE LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2018-11-05 · resigned 2023-09-06
BURTON SWEET COMPANY SECRETARIAL LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2009-01-06 · resigned 2018-11-05
DELAWARE MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2005-12-13 · resigned 2007-03-27
WAYNE, Yvonne→
Resignednominee-director · ~46y · appointed 2002-09-25 · resigned 2002-09-25
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
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 01/08/2008 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (88 total)
change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
accounts · AA01
2026-03-23
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-01-30
capital-name-of-class-of-shares
capital · SH08
2024-11-14
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-03-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-05
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2023-09-06
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2023-09-06
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-09-06
appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2023-09-06
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-09-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-03-31
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-03-31