AUTO PRICE LOCKSMITHS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
07955884 · ltd · incorporated 2012-02-20
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 Feb 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 45200
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 78/100 (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 (78/100)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 (2 active, 2 linked, 2 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
45 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
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 | 2025-02-28 | 2024-02-28 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 2 | 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
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (20 events)Click to expand
- 2025-11-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-18📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-04-18📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-04-18📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-04-18📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-04-18📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2022-11-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-07-06📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-07-06📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2022-07-06📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-07-06📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-11-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-13📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2020-09-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-08-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2012-02-20🏢Company incorporatedAs AUTO PRICE LOCKSMITHS LIMITED
- 2012-02-20➕SMITH, David Bruce appointeddirector
- 2012-02-20➕SMITH, Shirley Ann appointeddirector
Owner dependency
94/100
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
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "SMITH" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
- +No director turnover: Company is 14 years old with no director changes — suggests a very tight-knit founder team never broadened.
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 14 years.
- 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.)
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr David Bruce Smith Individual · British · DOB 10/1964 · age 62 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 06/04/2016 |
Mrs Shirley Ann Smith Individual · British · DOB 12/1962 · age 64 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Automotive · SY postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4X4 FABRICATION LIMITED→ 11402984 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| A AND D TYRES LTD.→ 07202077 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| A J MOTORS LLANSILIN LIMITED→ 13606468 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| A2B MOTORHOME SERVICES LTD→ 16982904 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AB AUTOS LTD→ 16911132 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ABERYSTWYTH CAR & COMMERCIAL LTD→ 16388509 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ALUN ROBERTS CAR SALES LIMITED→ 04484832 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| ART MOTORS LIMITED→ 13169512 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ASB REPAIRS LIMITED→ 16297516 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ASHLEY JORDAN CARS LIMITED→ 07221922 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| AUTO CAR DETAILING LTD→ 14000636 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| AUTOCRAFT ARC MANAGEMENT SERVICES LIMITED→ 07814460 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2012-02-20
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45200 — SIC 45200
Registered office
3 Elderberry Close
Ellesmere
Shropshire
SY12 9FD
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-11-30
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-01
Last: 2026-02-15
Officers (2 active · 0 resigned)
SMITH, David Bruce→
Activedirector · ~62y · appointed 2012-02-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
SMITH, Shirley Ann→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 2012-02-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (45 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-11-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-18
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-10
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-04-18
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-04-18
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-04-18
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-04-18
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2023-04-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-11-23
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2022-07-06
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2022-07-06