4PL LTD
💤Zombieactive
10013928 · ltd · incorporated 2016-02-18
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
£346.9k
book net assets
Opportunity
75/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Postal activities under universal service obligation
Sector: Transportation & storage
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 75/100 (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 (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 0.6y
0/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Newest facility, 0.6 years old — likely still in initial term.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (81/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
2 officers (1 active, 2 linked, 2 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
40 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
75/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
55
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 £346,923
Cash YoY
+8%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£67k
↑ 8.2% YoY
Net Worth
£347k
↑ 41% YoY
Current Assets
£848k
↑ 49% YoY
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £469.4k | £404.6k |
| Current assets | £847.7k | £569.9k |
| Cash | £66.6k | £61.6k |
| Debtors | £138.4k | £52.7k |
| Net assets | £346.9k | £245.3k |
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
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (24 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-11-06📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-11-03📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-10-31🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Reward Finance Group Limited
- 2025-10-31🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Close Brothers Limited (The “Security Trustee”)
- 2025-04-14📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-04-14📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-04-14📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2025-04-14📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2024-08-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-03-01📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2023-02-27📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-12-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-14📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2021-10-14📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2021-07-01📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-07-01📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2020-09-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-07-03➖BURTON, Elliot Robert resigneddirector
- 2018-12-21➕BURTON, Michael Robert appointeddirector
- 2016-02-18🏢Company incorporatedAs 4PL LTD
- 2016-02-18➕BURTON, Elliot Robert appointeddirector
Owner dependency
75/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
45/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
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 Robert Bryan Burton Individual · British · DOB 03/1964 · age 62 | 25–50% | 25–50% | board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control | 14/10/2021 |
Mr Michael Robert Burton Individual · British · DOB 09/1990 · age 36 | 25–50% | 25–50% | board control25-50% shares · 25-50% voting · board control | 21/12/2018 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Elliot Robert Burtonceased 21/12/2018· 75-100% shares · 75-100% 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 · BN postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 SEATER TRAVEL LTD→ 12878896 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| 2QUEST LIMITED→ 12079914 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| 3D SPACE LIMITED→ 03792835 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| 581 TRAVEL LTD→ 03799335 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| A2B EXPRESS LOGISTICS LTD→ 07931610 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| AA TRAFFIC LTD→ 16516850 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AAL LOGISTICS LIMITED→ 07755531 · est 2011 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 14y | — | — |
| ACAR TAXI LTD→ 15963204 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ACE CAR HIRE (WORTHING) LIMITED→ 01088995 · est 1972 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 53y | — | — |
| ACE REMOVALS SUSSEX LTD→ 16750158 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ACE TAXIS (WEST SUSSEX) LTD→ 09352956 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
| ACE TRAVEL (SUSSEX) LIMITED→ 05351809 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2016-02-18
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC53100 — Postal activities under universal service obligation
Registered office
St James' Hall
Mill Road
Lancing
West Sussex
BN15 0PT
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-03
Last: 2026-02-17
Officers (1 active · 1 resigned)
BURTON, Michael Robert→
Activedirector · ~36y · appointed 2018-12-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BURTON, Elliot Robert→
Resigneddirector · ~32y · appointed 2016-02-18 · resigned 2019-07-03
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
2
Outstanding
2
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Reward Finance Group Reward Finance Group Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 31/10/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Close Brothers Close Brothers Limited (The “Security Trustee”) | A registered charge | — | 31/10/2025 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (40 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-18
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-11-06
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-11-03
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-14
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-14
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-04-14
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-04-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-08-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-02
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-03-01
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-02-27