ARDENT LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
05646011 · ltd · incorporated 2005-12-06
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
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Agents specialised in the sale of other particular products
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 64-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 64). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
6 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 20.0y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 20.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (58/100)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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
4 officers (2 active, 4 linked, 3 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
6 connected companies via shared directors
63
Filing history
76 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
3
filings
- • 2 accounts
- • 1 mortgage
Last 180 days
3
filings
- • 2 accounts
- • 1 mortgage
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
- 2026-07-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2026-05-14📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2026-04-23📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-04-23🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2025-06-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-07-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-17📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2024-04-16🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2023-04-10📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-04-06➖HUNTER, Alison resigneddirector
- 2023-03-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-11-16📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-11-16📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2022-05-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2020-08-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-06-21📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2019-06-19🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2019-05-21📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2019-05-21🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Hsbc Invoice Finance (UK) Limited
- 2019-04-26📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2019-04-23🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2019-04-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2013-02-14➕BRUNT, Daniel Michael appointeddirector
- 2013-02-14➕HUNTER, Alison appointeddirector
- 2012-10-06🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2012-08-16🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2009-11-05🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
- 2008-12-31➖CROWTHER, Lucy resignedsecretary
- 2006-07-03🔒Charge registered #1Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
- 2005-12-06🏢Company incorporatedAs ARDENT LIMITED
- 2005-12-06➕CROWTHER, Neil Kenneth appointeddirector
- 2005-12-06➕CROWTHER, Lucy appointedsecretary
Owner dependency
76/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 21 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 21 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 21 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
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Group structure
Ardent (Group) Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Ardent (Group) Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
⬇
ARDENT LIMITED
This company · 05646011
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ardent (Group) Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 20/12/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Neil Kenneth Crowtherceased 20/12/2016· 75-100% 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 · Wholesale & distribution · YO postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AND DRINK CO. LTD→ 17037577 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AXEL 123 LIMITED→ 14863044 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BREAK FLUID BEVERAGES LTD→ 13900850 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| BRIKSELR LIMITED→ 02238722 · est 1988 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 38y | — | — |
| BUEC LTD→ 16696431 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BURTON ROOFING MERCHANTS LIMITED→ 01713728 · est 1983 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 43y | — | — |
| CAIL TRADE & INVEST LTD→ 11442145 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| CANAL TOYS DISTRIBUTION LIMITED→ 11132457 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| CANDY LINKS LTD→ 10070503 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| CANDYBOX CONFECTIONERY LIMITED→ 06033100 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 19y | — | — |
| CAPITOL TRADING UK LIMITED→ 02843626 · est 1993 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 32y | — | — |
| CAPTIVATE DISPLAYS LTD→ 14878557 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2005-12-06
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46180 — Agents specialised in the sale of other particular products
Registered office
Unit 3 Becklands Close
Bar Lane Roecliffe
Boroughbridge
North Yorkshire
YO51 9NR
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-09-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-20
Last: 2025-12-06
Officers (2 active · 2 resigned)
BRUNT, Daniel Michael→
Activedirector · ~47y · appointed 2013-02-14
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CROWTHER, Neil Kenneth→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 2005-12-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CROWTHER, Lucy→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-12-06 · resigned 2008-12-31
HUNTER, Alison→
Resigneddirector · ~58y · appointed 2013-02-14 · resigned 2023-04-06
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
6
Total charges
3
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 16/04/2024 | — | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 19/06/2019 | 23/04/2026 | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Invoice Finance (UK) Limited | A registered charge | — | 21/05/2019 | — | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 23/04/2019 | — | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited | Debenture | 1 property | 05/11/2009 | 06/10/2012 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Debenture | 1 property | 03/07/2006 | 16/08/2012 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (76 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2026-07-04
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2026-05-14
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-04-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-12-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-06-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-12-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-02
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2024-04-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-15
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-04-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-03-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-12-12
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-11-16
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2022-11-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2022-05-12