D HARGREAVES & SON LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
04678070 · ltd · incorporated 2003-02-25
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.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£428.9k
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 01410
Sector: Agriculture, forestry & fishing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 64-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 65/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 64). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -39% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 10.9y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 10.9 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 (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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (3 active, 6 linked, 3 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
67 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 £428,941
Cash YoY
-39%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£75k
↓ 39% YoY
Net Worth
£429k
↑ 6.5% YoY
Current Assets
£295k
↑ 5.4% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £557.6k | £545.8k |
| Current assets | £295.2k | £280.0k |
| Cash | £75.1k | £123.9k |
| Debtors | £88.8k | £72.9k |
| Net assets | £428.9k | £402.7k |
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 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (30 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-12-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-11📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2023-04-11📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2023-03-30📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2023-03-30📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-02-27📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-02-24➕COXHEAD, Verity Patricia appointeddirector
- 2022-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-01-14📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-01-14📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-01-10🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2022-01-10🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2021-11-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-11-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-12-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2015-11-13🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2015-09-01🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2008-11-14➖HARGREAVES, Stephen John resigneddirector
- 2003-02-25🏢Company incorporatedAs D HARGREAVES & SON LIMITED
- 2003-02-25➕HARGREAVES, David Neil appointedsecretary
- 2003-02-25➕HARGREAVES, David Neil appointeddirector
- 2003-02-25➕WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-02-25➖WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-02-25➕HARGREAVES, Stephen John appointeddirector
- 2003-02-25➕WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2003-02-25➖WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED resignedcorporate-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.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "HARGREAVES" — 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 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
86/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 64. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- 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
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 David Neil Hargreaves Individual · British · DOB 01/1962 · age 64 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DENIZES LABRADORS LTD→ 15270662 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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| E.BALL & CO.(BANKS)LIMITED→ 00589867 · est 1957 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 68y | — | — |
| E.N. COXHEAD LIMITED→ 03900701 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| EAGLE HEIGHTS (NORTH WEST) LIMITED→ 05880194 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| EDUCATION EQWISE LIMITED→ 15211083 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| EIGHT LEGS & MORE LTD→ 16519389 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| EKO FOREST GROUP LIMITED→ 08919746 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| ENGAGE CROP SOLUTIONS LTD→ 07928817 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| ERFMANN MANOR FARM LTD→ 17075977 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| F B EMINSON & SON LIMITED→ 05523097 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2003-02-25
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC01410 — SIC 01410
Registered office
Poplar Grove Farm, Crossmoor
Kirkham
Preston
PR4 3XB
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-11
Last: 2026-02-25
Officers (3 active · 3 resigned)
HARGREAVES, David Neil→
Activesecretary · appointed 2003-02-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
COXHEAD, Verity Patricia→
Activedirector · ~34y · appointed 2023-02-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HARGREAVES, David Neil→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 2003-02-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
WATERLOW SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2003-02-25 · resigned 2003-02-25
HARGREAVES, Stephen John→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2003-02-25 · resigned 2008-11-14
WATERLOW NOMINEES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2003-02-25 · resigned 2003-02-25
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
4
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 10/01/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 10/01/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 13/11/2015 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 01/09/2015 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (67 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-17
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-13
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2023-04-11
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2023-04-11
capital-allotment-shares
capital · SH01
2023-03-30
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-03-30
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-02-27
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-20
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-07
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-01-14