ANDREW CAIRNS LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
06139060 · ltd · incorporated 2007-03-05
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 Mar 2025
Net worth
£16.2k
book net assets
Opportunity
72/100
Strong
🔔
Follow this company (free)
Email alerts on filings, charges, director changes, gazette notices. No account needed.

Unsubscribe any time from any email. GDPR-respectful.

What this business does
Primary activity: Life insurance
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
Special-situation opportunity
Distressed financial-services with salvageable qualities — special-situations priority.

Opportunity 72/100 (strong), bankability 65/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 68). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: Confirmation statement overdue. Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

Data confidence

Overall: medium (76/100)

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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
2 officers (1 active, 2 linked, 1 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
49 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
72/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Positive net assets
Net assets £16,172
Net assets shrinking
Down £59,870 YoY

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
Net Worth
£16k
↓ 79% YoY
Current Assets
£27k
↓ 64% YoY
Current Liabilities
£0£15k£30k£46k£61k£76kMar 2024Mar 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 105 (micro)
Metric2025-03-312024-03-31
Total assets£16.2k£76.0k
Current assets£26.6k£73.9k
Net assets£16.2k£76.0k

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
1
filing
  • 1 gazette
Last 90 days
1
filing
  • 1 gazette
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • 1 gazette
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (20 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-06-16
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  2. 2025-12-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-12-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  4. 2024-03-04
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  5. 2023-12-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-11-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  7. 2021-08-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  8. 2020-10-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  9. 2019-10-11
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2019-10-09
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  11. 2019-09-30
    WOOD, Stephen John resigned
    secretary
  12. 2018-10-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  13. 2017-07-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  14. 2016-09-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  15. 2016-03-21
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  16. 2015-07-07
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-small
    accounts · AA
  17. 2015-04-01
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  18. 2007-03-05
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As ANDREW CAIRNS LIMITED
  19. 2007-03-05
    CAIRNS, Andrew Peter appointed
    director
  20. 2007-03-05
    WOOD, Stephen John appointed
    secretary

Owner dependency

100/100
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.
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "CAIRNS" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 19 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

83/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 68. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 19 years.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 19 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.

Red flags

1 high ·
Confirmation statement overdue
high

Annual confirmation statement not filed on time. Required statutory filing — overdue is a strong discipline signal.

Evidence: Next due: 2026-03-19

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Andrew Peter Cairns
Individual · British · DOB 09/1958 · age 68
75100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control06/04/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

Similar companies

Active · Financial services · BH postcode area
CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
A ONE LONDON RISK SERVICES LTD
12199926 · est 2019 · no financials extracted
6y
ALEXANDER ADAMS MORTGAGE SERVICES LTD
10670978 · est 2017 · no financials extracted
9y
ALTOLA LIMITED
16453667 · est 2025 · no financials extracted
AMAC MORTGAGES LIMITED
04311930 · est 2001 · no financials extracted
24y
AMI GROUP HOLDINGS LTD
11817055 · est 2019 · no financials extracted
7y
AMS COMMUNICATIONS LTD
12375300 · est 2019 · no financials extracted
6y
AMUNO INVESTMENTS LIMITED
08768713 · est 2013 · no financials extracted
12y
ANDREW DE JERSEY LIMITED
09453546 · est 2015 · no financials extracted
11y
ANGLEBURY ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED
06514449 · est 2008 · no financials extracted
18y
AP COMMERCIAL FINANCE LIMITED
13808561 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
4y
AP MORTGAGES LIMITED
13802076 · est 2021 · no financials extracted
4y
APEX CB FINANCIAL PLANNING LIMITED
05082939 · est 2004 · no financials extracted
22y
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

9 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
Incorporated2007-03-05
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC65110 — Life insurance

Registered office

Arrowsmith Court
Station Approach
Broadstone
Dorset
BH18 8AT

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-03-19OVERDUE
Last: 2025-03-05

Officers (1 active · 1 resigned)

CAIRNS, Andrew Peter
director · ~68y · appointed 2007-03-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WOOD, Stephen John
secretary · appointed 2007-03-05 · resigned 2019-09-30
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Recent filings (49 total)

gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2026-06-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-12-01
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-12-30
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-18
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-03-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-12-18
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-11-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2021-08-26
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2020-10-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-03-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2019-10-11