ASH & WILLIAMS LTD
💤Zombieactive
04818207 · ltd · incorporated 2003-07-02
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 Jul 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. 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 (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
3 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 18.4y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 18.4 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
3 officers (1 active, 3 linked, 2 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
68 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.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-07-31 | 2024-07-31 |
|---|
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
0
filings
Last 90 days
2
filings
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (23 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-10📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-04-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-27📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-07-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-07-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-04-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-07-03📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2018-06-20🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance LTD
- 2018-04-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-11-17📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2017-04-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2012-01-17🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC (The Bank)
- 2011-09-30➖ASH, Jane Tracy resignedsecretary
- 2011-09-30➖ASH, Michael Sydney resigneddirector
- 2008-02-21🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
- 2006-07-08➕WILLIAMS, Michael John appointeddirector
- 2003-07-02🏢Company incorporatedAs ASH & WILLIAMS LTD
- 2003-07-02➕ASH, Jane Tracy appointedsecretary
- 2003-07-02➕ASH, Michael Sydney appointeddirector
Owner dependency
100/100
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.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "WILLIAMS" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
75/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 20 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 Michael John Williams Individual · British · DOB 09/1971 · age 55 | 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.
Similar companies
Active · Trade services · PL postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACNESTIS CONSULTING LIMITED→ 13098168 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ALY SWIMS CORNWALL LTD→ 15785123 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ANDREW MARKS UPHOLSTERY SERVICES LTD→ 08451425 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| ANGEL FULFILMENT SERVICES LIMITED→ 05649401 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| AOE HEALTHCARE LTD→ 15507974 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| AQUASIS TANNING LTD→ 16015555 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ARIANA CLEANING SERVICES LTD→ 15590912 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ARNG LIMITED→ 16491118 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ARROW LIFTS LIMITED→ 03872362 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| ARTERNE: ENRICHING THE NEXT GENERATION CIC→ 10347188 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ASCS (CORNWALL) LIMITED→ 10395412 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| ASH TREE SALTASH CIC→ 16274385 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2003-07-02
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC82990 — Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Registered office
7 Oakfield Place
Prince Rock
Plymouth
Devon
PL4 0QA
United Kingdom
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-04-30
Last made up to: 2025-07-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-01
Last: 2026-04-17
Officers (1 active · 2 resigned)
WILLIAMS, Michael John→
Activedirector · ~55y · appointed 2006-07-08
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ASH, Jane Tracy→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2003-07-02 · resigned 2011-09-30
ASH, Michael Sydney→
Resigneddirector · ~59y · appointed 2003-07-02 · resigned 2011-09-30
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
3
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance LTD | A registered charge | — | 20/06/2018 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC (The Bank) | Debenture | 1 property | 17/01/2012 | — | |
| outstanding | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited | All assets debenture | 1 property | 21/02/2008 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (68 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-04-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-04-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-04-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-17
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-04-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-04-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-14
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2022-10-27
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-07-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-11-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-04-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-12-03