DAVID KNEALE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT LTD.
💤Zombieactive
04934070 · ltd · incorporated 2003-10-16
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 Dec 2024
Net worth
£110.5k
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Financial intermediation not elsewhere classified
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: asset-holding vehicle with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. 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: strategic trade sale (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 22.4y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 22.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
7 officers (2 active, 7 linked, 4 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
5 connected companies via shared directors
60
Filing history
80 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.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £110,453
Net assets shrinking
Down £408,825 YoY
Cash YoY
-3%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£38k
↓ 2.6% YoY
Net Worth
£110k
↓ 79% YoY
Current Assets
£195k
↓ 69% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £115.1k | £534.1k |
| Current assets | £195.3k | £622.2k |
| Cash | £38.2k | £39.2k |
| Debtors | £157.1k | £583.0k |
| Net assets | £110.5k | £519.3k |
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
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (34 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-09📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC05
- 2025-10-09📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-05-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-16📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-05-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-23📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-03-23📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-03-23📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC05
- 2022-02-25📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-02-25📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-02-25📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2021-10-08📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2021-06-11📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-05-24➖GARNER, Stephen John resigneddirector
- 2021-04-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-15📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2021-01-15📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2020-11-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-06-08🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2013-12-16➕GARNER, Stephen John appointeddirector
- 2013-08-01➖EVANS, Thomas resigneddirector
- 2013-01-01➕LANE, Gary Edward appointedsecretary
- 2012-12-31➖KNEALE, David Alan resignedsecretary
- 2012-12-31➖KNEALE, David Alan resigneddirector
- 2004-11-12➕KNEALE, David Alan appointeddirector
- 2004-01-07🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2003-10-16🏢Company incorporatedAs DAVID KNEALE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT LTD.
- 2003-10-16➕LANE, Gary Edward appointeddirector
- 2003-10-16➕KNEALE, David Alan appointedsecretary
- 2003-10-16➕CHETTLEBURGHS SECRETARIAL LTD appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-10-16➖CHETTLEBURGHS SECRETARIAL LTD resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-10-16➕EVANS, Thomas appointeddirector
Owner dependency
85/100
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.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 23 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 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.)
Group structure
Gelco Financial Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Gelco Financial Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
DAVID KNEALE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT LTD.
This company · 04934070
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Gelco Financial Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 15/01/2021 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Gary Edward Laneceased 15/01/2021· 25-50% shares
- Mr David Alan Knealeceased 19/11/2017· 25-50% shares
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 →Similar companies
Active · Financial services · LA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB FINANCIAL LTD→ 16999419 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ALZOL LIMITED→ 16209563 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BOWLAND FINANCE LIMITED→ 12324302 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BRATHAY INVESTMENTS LIMITED→ 13483414 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| CASTLE LOCH LTD.→ 15151195 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| CFS MORTGAGE SPECIALISTS LIMITED→ 15623052 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| CJT FINANCIAL PLANNING LTD→ 06969421 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| DAVID ARMSTRONG LTD→ 05667999 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| DAVID HOPKINSON IFA LTD→ 07212481 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| DAVID ROSE FINANCE LTD→ 16064642 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| DAVID SCOTT LTD→ 06553308 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| DEAKIN FX LIMITED→ 16441773 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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
Incorporated2003-10-16
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC64999 — Financial intermediation not elsewhere classified
Registered office
1 Aalborg Place
Lancaster
LA1 1BJ
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-20
Last: 2025-10-06
Officers (2 active · 5 resigned)
Active
LANE, Gary Edward→
Activedirector · ~57y · appointed 2003-10-16
View their other companies + combined net worth →
KNEALE, David Alan→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2003-10-16 · resigned 2012-12-31
CHETTLEBURGHS SECRETARIAL LTD→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2003-10-16 · resigned 2003-10-16
EVANS, Thomas→
Resigneddirector · ~71y · appointed 2003-10-16 · resigned 2013-08-01
GARNER, Stephen John→
Resigneddirector · ~64y · appointed 2013-12-16 · resigned 2021-05-24
KNEALE, David Alan→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2004-11-12 · resigned 2012-12-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
1
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 07/01/2004 | 08/06/2017 |
Recent filings (80 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-09
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2025-10-09
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-10-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-05-08
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-04-15
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-06-05
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-05-16
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-10-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-05-03
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2022-03-23
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2022-03-23
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2022-03-23
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2022-02-25