ALTO AUTOMOTIVE LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
06785848 · ltd · incorporated 2009-01-08
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
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Freight transport by road
Sector: Transportation & storage
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 64-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (80/100, director aged 64). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 8 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
5 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 12.4y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 12.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (61/100)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
5 charges (5/5 with lender, 5/5 with type)
90
Directors & officers
5 officers (3 active, 5 linked, 4 with DOB)
86
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
16 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
107 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
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
74
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
1
filing
- • 1 mortgage
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 mortgage
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 mortgage
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (40 events)Click to expand
- 2026-06-29📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-06-29🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2025-12-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-audit-exemption-subsiduaryaccounts · AA
- 2025-12-11📄legacyaccounts · PARENT_ACC
- 2025-12-11📄legacyother · GUARANTEE2
- 2025-12-11📄legacyother · AGREEMENT2
- 2025-12-09📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2025-12-09📍change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD02
- 2025-10-01📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2025-10-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2025-03-28📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2025-01-08📍move-registers-to-sail-company-with-new-addressaddress · AD03
- 2025-01-08📍change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD02
- 2024-12-17📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-12-17📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-12-17📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-12-17🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2024-12-17🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2024-12-17🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2024-06-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-05-07📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-05-07📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-05-07📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2024-05-07📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-04-30➕MOFFAT, Robert Murphy appointeddirector
- 2024-04-30➖GRAYSTON, James Richard resigneddirector
- 2024-01-09📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2024-01-09📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-12-20🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Victoria Joan Massey
- 2023-04-04🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Cynergy Business Finance Limited
- 2020-05-07🔒Charge registered #3Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 2020-05-01🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2018-06-27➕GRAYSTON, James Richard appointeddirector
- 2018-04-27➖CARTER, Ian resigneddirector
- 2016-03-15🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance Limited
- 2014-12-01➕CARTER, Ian appointeddirector
- 2014-02-13🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Factor 21 (North) Limited
- 2009-01-08🏢Company incorporatedAs ALTO AUTOMOTIVE LIMITED
- 2009-01-08➕GRAYSTON, Andrew John appointedsecretary
- 2009-01-08➕GRAYSTON, Andrew John appointeddirector
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 18 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
69/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
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.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 18 years.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
1 med · 1 lowCharge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Multiple registered office changes
lowMultiple address changes in a short period can indicate operational instability or admin disorder.
Group structure
A1 Automotive Ltd. is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
A1 Automotive Ltd.
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
ALTO AUTOMOTIVE LIMITED
This company · 06785848
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A1 Automotive Ltd. Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 30/04/2024 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Andrew John Graystonceased 30/04/2024· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control
- A1 Automotive Ltd.ceased 27/04/2018· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control
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 · Transport & logistics · PR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADRIAN KONOPKA TRANSPORT LIMITED→ 10971312 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| AIDENCAIRNS LTD→ 15857843 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AKGUN & SONS LTD→ 15938027 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AKRAM PRESTON SERVICES LTD→ 17106677 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ALFA COACHES LIMITED→ 03145729 · est 1996 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 30y | — | — |
| ALKER TRANSPORT LTD→ 11835351 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ALL FOR ONE COURIERS LTD→ 16845859 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ALL FREIGHT LOGISTICS LTD→ 15686445 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ALL MOVES - PRESTON LTD→ 12099062 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ALL MOVES (NORTH WEST) LTD→ 14340110 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ALLANSON HALL FARM LTD→ 11594005 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ALPHA PAPA LTD→ 11450834 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
6 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
Incorporated2009-01-08
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC49410 — Freight transport by road
Registered office
105 Garstang Road
Preston
Lancashire
PR1 1LD
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-22
Last: 2026-01-08
Officers (3 active · 2 resigned)
GRAYSTON, Andrew John→
Activesecretary · appointed 2009-01-08
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GRAYSTON, Andrew John→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 2009-01-08
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MOFFAT, Robert Murphy→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 2024-04-30
View their other companies + combined net worth →
CARTER, Ian→
Resigneddirector · ~73y · appointed 2014-12-01 · resigned 2018-04-27
GRAYSTON, James Richard→
Resigneddirector · ~38y · appointed 2018-06-27 · resigned 2024-04-30
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
5
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:5 of 5 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Victoria Joan Massey / Howard Massey / Alan Massey / Robert Massey | A registered charge | 1 property | 20/12/2023 | 17/12/2024 | |
| satisfied | Cynergy Business Finance Cynergy Business Finance Limited | A registered charge | 6 properties | 04/04/2023 | 17/12/2024 | |
| satisfied | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | A registered charge | — | 07/05/2020 | 29/06/2026 | |
| satisfied | NatWest Group Rbs Invoice Finance Limited | A registered charge | — | 15/03/2016 | 17/12/2024 | |
| satisfied | Factor 21 (North) Factor 21 (North) Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 13/02/2014 | 01/05/2020 |
Recent filings (107 total)
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-06-29
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-09
accounts-with-accounts-type-audit-exemption-subsiduary
accounts · AA
2025-12-11
legacy
accounts · PARENT_ACC
2025-12-11
legacy
other · GUARANTEE2
2025-12-11
legacy
other · AGREEMENT2
2025-12-11
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-12-09
change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-address
address · AD02
2025-12-09
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2025-10-01
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-10-01
change-account-reference-date-company-current-extended
accounts · AA01
2025-03-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-08
move-registers-to-sail-company-with-new-address
address · AD03
2025-01-08
change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-address
address · AD02
2025-01-08
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-12-17