ACE DEFENCE LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
07520531 · ltd · incorporated 2011-02-08
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
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Security systems service activities
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (79/100)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
4 officers (2 active, 4 linked, 4 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
58 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
75
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
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 | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 200 | 200 |
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 address
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 address
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 address
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (28 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-20📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2025-06-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-08-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-11-22📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-11-22📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-08-24📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-08-08📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-08-01📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-08-01📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2023-08-01📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2023-07-01➕HOLLAND, Alison Marissa Mary appointeddirector
- 2023-06-01📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-05-31➖LYNHAM, Robert Leslie resigneddirector
- 2023-04-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-02-08📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-11-14📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-11-14📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-11-14📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2022-11-14📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2022-11-14📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2022-11-14📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2022-11-14📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2022-04-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-18➕HOLLAND, Stephen Leslie appointeddirector
- 2021-04-01➖KEELY, Brian John resigneddirector
- 2011-07-01➕KEELY, Brian John appointeddirector
- 2011-02-08🏢Company incorporatedAs ACE DEFENCE LIMITED
- 2011-02-08➕LYNHAM, Robert Leslie appointeddirector
Owner dependency
74/100
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 62 — approaching natural succession window.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
46/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 62. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
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 Stephen Leslie Holland Individual · British · DOB 01/1964 · age 62 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 31/05/2023 |
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr Stephen Leslie Hollandceased 31/05/2023· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control
- Mr Robert Leslie Lynhamceased 31/05/2023· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control
- Mr Brian John Keelyceased 31/03/2021· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
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 · Trade services · TA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1ST SUPPORT GROUP LTD→ 12254113 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| 20-20 ACCOUNTS LTD→ 10464751 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| A & H CURRIE CONSULTANCY SERVICES LIMITED→ 04993915 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| A & J SWITHINBANK LIMITED→ 04767563 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| A&C EXTERIOR CLEANING SERVICES LTD→ 17062411 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ABLE ALEX TREE & MAINTENANCE LTD→ 15403654 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ABLE BUILDING AND CONTRACTING (SOUTH WEST) LIMITED→ 03654909 · est 1998 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 27y | — | — |
| ACCESS CHRISTIAN MEDIATION LTD→ 13659166 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| ACJ MANAGEMENT SERVICES LIMITED→ 05438610 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| ACT ROWLES PROPERTY LIMITED→ 03950964 · est 2000 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| ADRIAN MALE ASSOCIATES LIMITED→ 06745734 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| ADVANCED CARD BUREAU LTD.→ 06270259 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2011-02-08
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC80200 — Security systems service activities
Registered office
34 Snowdrop Mead
Highbridge
TA9 4FG
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-24
Last: 2025-11-10
Officers (2 active · 2 resigned)
HOLLAND, Alison Marissa Mary→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 2023-07-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HOLLAND, Stephen Leslie→
Activedirector · ~62y · appointed 2021-05-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
KEELY, Brian John→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2011-07-01 · resigned 2021-04-01
LYNHAM, Robert Leslie→
Resigneddirector · ~66y · appointed 2011-02-08 · resigned 2023-05-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (58 total)
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2026-05-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-11-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-06-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-11-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-05
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-11-22
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2023-11-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-11-22
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-08-24
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-08-08
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-08-01
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-08-01
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2023-08-01
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-06-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-04-13