MICHAEL GUTHRIE DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
04574120 · ltd · incorporated 2002-10-25
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 Mar 2025
Net worth
£3.72M
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: Construction of commercial buildings
Sector: Construction
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 41202Construction of domestic buildings
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 59). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

11 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 22.2y

15/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 22.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · 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, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
11 charges (11/11 with lender, 11/11 with type)
90
Directors & officers
4 officers (1 active, 4 linked, 1 with DOB)
75
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
88 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
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
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 £3,716,107
Cash YoY
-11%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£222k
↓ 11% YoY
Net Worth
£3.7m
↑ 3.0% YoY
Current Assets
£3.6m
↓ 7.3% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£779k£1.6m£2.3m£3.1m£3.9mMar 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£3.74M£3.63M
Current assets£3.61M£3.89M
Cash£222.1k£250.6k
Debtors£2.92M£3.42M
Net assets£3.72M£3.61M

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 (44 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-11-21
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  3. 2025-11-21
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #12
  4. 2024-10-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2023-10-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-11-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2021-10-15
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2020-12-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2020-04-14
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  10. 2020-04-14
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  11. 2020-01-20
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  12. 2020-01-10
    🔒
    Charge registered #12
    Lender: Handelsbanken PLC
  13. 2019-10-15
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  14. 2019-10-15
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  15. 2019-09-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  16. 2018-12-19
    ➖
    GUTHRIE, Mary resigned
    secretary
  17. 2018-12-19
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  18. 2018-12-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  19. 2018-07-24
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  20. 2018-07-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #11
    Lender: Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ)
  21. 2018-03-15
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  22. 2018-03-15
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #5
  23. 2018-03-05
    🔒
    Charge registered #10
    Lender: Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ)
  24. 2018-01-17
    🔒
    Charge registered #9
    Lender: Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ)
  25. 2016-05-27
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  26. 2016-03-18
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #7
  27. 2015-12-11
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  28. 2014-05-27
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #8
  29. 2014-01-23
    🔒
    Charge registered #8
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  30. 2009-06-04
    🔒
    Charge registered #7
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  31. 2007-03-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  32. 2006-04-08
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  33. 2005-12-23
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  34. 2005-10-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  35. 2005-10-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  36. 2004-05-07
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  37. 2004-04-02
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
  38. 2002-10-25
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As MICHAEL GUTHRIE DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED
  39. 2002-10-25
    ➕
    GUTHRIE, Michael appointed
    director
  40. 2002-10-25
    ➕
    GUTHRIE, Mary appointed
    secretary
  41. 2002-10-25
    ➕
    C & M SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  42. 2002-10-25
    ➖
    C & M SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  43. 2002-10-25
    ➕
    C & M REGISTRARS LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  44. 2002-10-25
    ➖
    C & M REGISTRARS LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

100/100
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.
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "GUTHRIE" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — 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 59. 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 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 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

1 med ·
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Michael Guthrie
Individual · British · DOB 07/1967 · age 59
75–100%
75–100%75-100% shares · 75-100% voting06/04/2016

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 →

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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

8 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
Incorporated2002-10-25
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC41201 — Construction of commercial buildings

Registered office

3 Heathery Tops Farm,
Scremerston, Berwick Upon Tweed
Northumberland
TD15 2QT

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-08
Last: 2025-10-25

Officers (1 active · 3 resigned)

GUTHRIE, Michael→
director · ~59y · appointed 2002-10-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
GUTHRIE, Mary→
secretary · appointed 2002-10-25 · resigned 2018-12-19
Resigned
C & M SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-10-25 · resigned 2002-10-25
Resigned
C & M REGISTRARS LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-10-25 · resigned 2002-10-25
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

11
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:11 of 11 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Handelsbanken
Handelsbanken PLC
A registered charge1 property10/01/202021/11/2025
outstanding
Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ)
A registered charge1 property20/07/2018—
outstanding
Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ)
A registered charge1 property05/03/2018—
outstanding
Svenska Handelsbanken Ab (Publ)
A registered charge—17/01/2018—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
A registered charge1 property23/01/201427/05/2014
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Standard security1 property04/06/200918/03/2016
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Legal charge1 property28/03/200715/03/2018
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Legal charge1 property28/10/200511/12/2015
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Legal charge1 property28/10/200527/05/2016
satisfied
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Legal charge2 properties07/05/200423/12/2005
satisfied
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
Debenture1 property02/04/200408/04/2006
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (88 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-02
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-11-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-11-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-10-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-12-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-11-04
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2020-04-14
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2020-04-14