ASCENT CARS LTD
💤Zombieactive
08431345 · ltd · incorporated 2013-03-06
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
£627.4k
book net assets
Opportunity
74/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 45112
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 68209Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 74/100 (strong), bankability 70/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -411% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · oldest 6.5y
45/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 6.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Company profile
address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
1 officers (1 active, 1 linked, 1 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
43 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
74/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
50
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £627,420
Very low cash
Cash position: £-27128
Cash draining
Cash down 411% YoY
Cash YoY
-411%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
-£27k
↓ 411% YoY
Net Worth
£627k
↑ 44% YoY
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | £-27.1k | £8.7k |
| Net assets | £627.4k | £434.3k |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (23 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-12-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-28📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2023-04-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-03-18📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2023-03-07📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2022-09-10📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2022-09-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-18📄dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspendeddissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
- 2022-08-09📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2020-12-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-06-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-11-22📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2019-11-22📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2019-11-21📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2019-11-21🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Belmont Green Finance Limited
- 2019-11-21🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Belmont Green Finance Limited
- 2019-11-19📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2019-11-19🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Belmont Green Finance Limited
- 2019-11-19🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Belmont Green Finance Limited
- 2013-03-06🏢Company incorporatedAs ASCENT CARS LTD
- 2013-03-06➕WORKMAN, David James appointeddirector
Owner dependency
80/100
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
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +No director turnover: Company is 13 years old with no director changes — suggests a very tight-knit founder team never broadened.
Succession & seller-readiness
58/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 13 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
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr David James Workman Individual · British · DOB 03/1986 · age 40 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 06/04/2016 |
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 · Automotive · BL postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1ST ELITE MOTORS LTD→ 16605345 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 40 PRESTIGE LTD→ 16565641 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 44REPAIR LTD→ 16399238 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AB ORGANISATION LTD→ 05681132 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| ACTIVE VEHICLE SOLUTIONS LTD→ 14424572 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ALAN QUINE (PARR LANE) LIMITED→ 05340896 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| ALL STAR DETAILING LTD→ 16671576 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AMCOM LTD→ 14646504 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| APOLLO MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED→ 11690122 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ARDENMAIN LTD→ 04250605 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 24y | — | — |
| ASH MARQUES LIMITED→ 03817760 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| ASH MOTOR PARTS LTD→ 16587354 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
8 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
Incorporated2013-03-06
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC45112 — SIC 45112
Registered office
168 Bolton Rd
Edgworth
Bolton
BL7 0AH
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-24
Last: 2026-04-10
Officers (1 active · 0 resigned)
WORKMAN, David James→
Activedirector · ~40y · appointed 2013-03-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
4
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Belmont Green Finance Belmont Green Finance Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 21/11/2019 | — | |
| outstanding | Belmont Green Finance Belmont Green Finance Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 21/11/2019 | — | |
| outstanding | Belmont Green Finance Belmont Green Finance Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 19/11/2019 | — | |
| outstanding | Belmont Green Finance Belmont Green Finance Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 19/11/2019 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (43 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-22
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2023-04-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-04-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-04-27
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2023-03-18
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2023-03-07
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2022-09-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-09-09
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2022-08-18
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2022-08-09