AD BUSINESS RECOVERY LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
04715415 · ltd · incorporated 2003-03-28
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
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 79/100 (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: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 8.8y

45/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 8.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · 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, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (1 active, 11 linked, 8 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
87 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
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Aug 2024Aug 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-08-312024-08-31
Average employees9900

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

2 signals 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
2
filings
  • • 1 accounts
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
3
filings
  • • 1 accounts
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 persons-with-significant-control
Last 180 days
4
filings
  • • 2 persons-with-significant-control
  • • 1 accounts
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (42 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-05-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2026-04-08
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  3. 2026-02-23
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  4. 2025-05-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2025-03-25
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  6. 2024-07-31
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  7. 2024-07-30
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  8. 2024-07-24
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2023-05-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2022-08-01
    ✏️
    certificate-change-of-name-company
    change-of-name · CERTNM
  11. 2022-07-25
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  12. 2022-07-25
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  13. 2022-07-22
    ➖
    SHELDRICK, Stuart Francis resigned
    director
  14. 2022-05-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2021-05-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2021-04-07
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  17. 2021-04-07
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  18. 2021-03-24
    ➖
    ANNIS, Chris resigned
    director
  19. 2021-03-24
    ➖
    MIDDLETON, Mark resigned
    director
  20. 2021-03-24
    ➖
    MUSTOE, Paul resigned
    director
  21. 2021-03-24
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  22. 2021-03-24
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  23. 2021-03-24
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  24. 2021-03-19
    ➖
    FRANCIS, Richard Charles Alexander resigned
    secretary
  25. 2021-03-19
    ➕
    ANNIS, Chris appointed
    director
  26. 2021-03-19
    ➖
    FRANCIS, Richard Charles Alexander resigned
    director
  27. 2021-03-19
    ➖
    LAKE, Trevor Michael resigned
    director
  28. 2021-03-19
    ➕
    MIDDLETON, Mark appointed
    director
  29. 2021-03-19
    ➕
    MUSTOE, Paul appointed
    director
  30. 2021-03-19
    ➕
    SHELDRICK, Stuart Francis appointed
    director
  31. 2017-08-09
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  32. 2015-01-31
    ➖
    BYATT, Peter George Henry resigned
    director
  33. 2014-08-11
    ➕
    DIX, Andrew appointed
    director
  34. 2003-11-27
    ➕
    LAKE, Trevor Michael appointed
    director
  35. 2003-04-25
    ➕
    FRANCIS, Richard Charles Alexander appointed
    secretary
  36. 2003-04-25
    ➖
    KEY LEGAL SERVICES (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  37. 2003-04-25
    ➕
    BYATT, Peter George Henry appointed
    director
  38. 2003-04-25
    ➕
    FRANCIS, Richard Charles Alexander appointed
    director
  39. 2003-04-25
    ➖
    KEY LEGAL SERVICES (NOMINEES) LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  40. 2003-03-28
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As AD BUSINESS RECOVERY LIMITED
  41. 2003-03-28
    ➕
    KEY LEGAL SERVICES (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  42. 2003-03-28
    ➕
    KEY LEGAL SERVICES (NOMINEES) LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

83/100
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.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 58 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

70/100
Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

SIGNALS
  • secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 58. Early succession window.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • 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

clean
No 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
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Andrew Dix
Individual · British · DOB 04/1968 · age 58
50–75%
50–75%board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control06/04/2016
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Lb Group Limitedceased 22/07/2022· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
  • Mr Richard Charles Alexander Francisceased 31/03/2021· significant influence
  • Mr Trevor Michael Lakeceased 31/03/2021· 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
Incorporated2003-03-28
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC82990 — Other business support service activities n.e.c.

Registered office

Suite E, 2nd Floor, The Octagon,
Middleborough
Colchester
CO1 1TG
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-05-31
Last made up to: 2025-08-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-31
Last: 2026-03-17

Officers (1 active · 10 resigned)

DIX, Andrew→
director · ~58y · appointed 2014-08-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
FRANCIS, Richard Charles Alexander→
secretary · appointed 2003-04-25 · resigned 2021-03-19
Resigned
KEY LEGAL SERVICES (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2003-03-28 · resigned 2003-04-25
Resigned
ANNIS, Chris→
director · ~49y · appointed 2021-03-19 · resigned 2021-03-24
Resigned
BYATT, Peter George Henry→
director · ~80y · appointed 2003-04-25 · resigned 2015-01-31
Resigned
FRANCIS, Richard Charles Alexander→
director · ~64y · appointed 2003-04-25 · resigned 2021-03-19
Resigned
LAKE, Trevor Michael→
director · ~58y · appointed 2003-11-27 · resigned 2021-03-19
Resigned
MIDDLETON, Mark→
director · ~50y · appointed 2021-03-19 · resigned 2021-03-24
Resigned
MUSTOE, Paul→
director · ~51y · appointed 2021-03-19 · resigned 2021-03-24
Resigned
SHELDRICK, Stuart Francis→
director · ~47y · appointed 2021-03-19 · resigned 2022-07-22
Resigned
KEY LEGAL SERVICES (NOMINEES) LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 2003-03-28 · resigned 2003-04-25
Resigned

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
TypeProperties
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
A registered charge—09/08/2017—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (87 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-05-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-06
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-04-08
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-02-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-05-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-10
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-03-25
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2024-07-31
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2024-07-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-05-31
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-17
certificate-change-of-name-company
change-of-name · CERTNM
2022-08-01
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-07-25