A.C.R.N. LIMITED
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. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. 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.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-08-31 | 2024-08-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 3 | 300 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 accounts
Corporate timeline (13 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-02📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-03-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-04-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-01-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-02-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-08-04🏢Company incorporatedAs A.C.R.N. LIMITED
- 2015-08-04➕NICHOLS, James appointeddirector
- 2015-08-04📄incorporation-companyincorporation · NEWINC
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 59 — approaching natural succession window.
- +No director turnover: Company is 11 years old with no director changes — suggests a very tight-knit founder team never broadened.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 59. Early succession window.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanShareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sonia Nichols Individual · British · DOB 05/1946 · age 80 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 01/06/2016 |
Mr James Nichols Individual · British · DOB 04/1967 · age 59 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 01/06/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Trade services · ME postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 TVS LIMITED→ 11715556 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| 3D OBA SERVICES LTD→ 16726272 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4ALLSEASONS GARDENING LIMITED→ 14069222 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 593 CONSULTANCY SERVICES LIMITED→ 09968488 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| 6 STARS CLEANING LIMITED→ 11109179 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| 7A MUSIC PUBLISHING LIMITED→ 14718777 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 80S CLASSICAL LIMITED→ 12330251 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| A & A COVERS (KENT) LTD→ 03717120 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 27y | — | — |
| A CLEAN HOME LTD→ 14071686 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| A1 TREECARE LIMITED→ 16765413 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A2B SAFETY LTD→ 15586826 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ABALOS LIMITED→ 10142581 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
7 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 →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
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (1 active · 0 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.