A.G. AXTON & SONS (WHOLESALE) LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
04631777 · ltd · incorporated 2003-01-09
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 Aug 2025
Net worth
£855.5k
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: Wholesale of fruit and vegetables
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
Pursue
Asset-holding vehicle with a 60-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (80/100, director aged 60). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 14.4y

15/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 14.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (77/100)

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 (1 active, 6 linked, 3 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 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
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 £855,514
Cash YoY
+51%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£854k
↑ 51% YoY
Net Worth
£856k
↑ 14% YoY
Current Assets
£1.5m
↓ 4.5% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£308k£617k£925k£1.2m£1.5mAug 2024Aug 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-08-312024-08-31
Total assets£1.12M£1.08M
Current assets£1.47M£1.54M
Cash£854.0k£564.1k
Debtors£559.3k£906.3k
Net assets£855.5k£751.1k

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
2
filings
  • • 1 accounts
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-01-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-05-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-06-06
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  4. 2024-06-06
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  5. 2024-05-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2023-10-20
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  7. 2023-05-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2023-05-09
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  9. 2023-05-09
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  10. 2023-04-13
    ➖
    AXTON SNR, Allen Geoffrey, Mr. resigned
    director
  11. 2021-12-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2021-12-23
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2021-01-08
    📄
    change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extended
    accounts · AA01
  14. 2020-01-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2019-07-01
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  16. 2019-06-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Ultimate Finance Limited
  17. 2019-06-25
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  18. 2019-06-25
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  19. 2018-11-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  20. 2018-03-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  21. 2018-03-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  22. 2014-02-10
    ➖
    AXTON, Anthony Geoffrey resigned
    secretary
  23. 2014-02-10
    ➖
    AXTON, Anthony Geoffrey resigned
    director
  24. 2014-02-10
    ➕
    AXTON SNR, Allen Geoffrey, Mr. appointed
    director
  25. 2013-06-06
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
  26. 2013-05-09
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  27. 2011-12-23
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Bibby Financial Services Limited
  28. 2003-02-14
    ➕
    AXTON, Andrew George appointed
    director
  29. 2003-02-14
    ➕
    AXTON, Anthony Geoffrey appointed
    secretary
  30. 2003-02-14
    ➖
    SAME-DAY COMPANY SERVICES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  31. 2003-02-14
    ➕
    AXTON, Anthony Geoffrey appointed
    director
  32. 2003-02-14
    ➖
    WILDMAN & BATTELL LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  33. 2003-01-09
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As A.G. AXTON & SONS (WHOLESALE) LIMITED
  34. 2003-01-09
    ➕
    SAME-DAY COMPANY SERVICES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  35. 2003-01-09
    ➕
    WILDMAN & BATTELL LIMITED appointed
    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 "AXTON" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 23 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 60 — 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 60. 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 23 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 23 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
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Andrew George Axton
Individual · British · DOB 10/1966 · age 60
25–50%
25–50%25-50% shares · 25-50% voting06/04/2016
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • Mr. Allen Geoffrey Axton Snrceased 13/04/2023· significant influence

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

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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
Incorporated2003-01-09
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46310 — Wholesale of fruit and vegetables

Registered office

12 West Links Tollgate
Chandlers Ford
Eastleigh
Hampshire
SO53 3TG
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-05-31
Last made up to: 2025-08-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-15
Last: 2026-01-01

Officers (1 active · 5 resigned)

AXTON, Andrew George→
director · ~60y · appointed 2003-02-14
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
AXTON, Anthony Geoffrey→
secretary · appointed 2003-02-14 · resigned 2014-02-10
Resigned
SAME-DAY COMPANY SERVICES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2003-01-09 · resigned 2003-02-14
Resigned
AXTON, Anthony Geoffrey→
director · ~58y · appointed 2003-02-14 · resigned 2014-02-10
Resigned
AXTON SNR, Allen Geoffrey, Mr.→
director · ~80y · appointed 2014-02-10 · resigned 2023-04-13
Resigned
WILDMAN & BATTELL LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2003-01-09 · resigned 2003-02-14
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

3
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Ultimate Finance
Ultimate Finance Limited
A registered charge1 property28/06/201906/06/2024
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
A registered charge1 property06/06/201325/06/2019
satisfied
Bibby Financial Services
Bibby Financial Services Limited
Debenture1 property23/12/201109/05/2013

Recent filings (88 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-05-08
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-13
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-06-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-15
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-10-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-05-30
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2023-05-09
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-05-09
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-16
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-12-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-12-23