BOURTON MERCHANTS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
10214260 · ltd · incorporated 2016-06-03
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 Jan 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46440
Sector: Wholesale & retail
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: high (80/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
4 officers (2 active, 4 linked, 4 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
41 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 | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 700 | 800 |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (25 events)Click to expand
- 2025-05-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-14📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-11-14📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-11-14📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2024-11-14📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-11-14📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-10-01➖HEATH, Phillip Adrian resigneddirector
- 2024-10-01➖HEATH, Rachel Mary resigneddirector
- 2024-05-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-04-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-02-08📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-02-08📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-02-08📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-10-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-06-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-11-05📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2019-11-05📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2019-07-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-06-10📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2016-06-03🏢Company incorporatedAs BOURTON MERCHANTS LIMITED
- 2016-06-03➕MCCABE, John Franklin appointeddirector
- 2016-06-03➕MCCABE, Rebecca Joy appointeddirector
- 2016-06-03➕HEATH, Phillip Adrian appointeddirector
- 2016-06-03➕HEATH, Rachel Mary 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 64 — approaching natural succession window.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
61/100
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.
- 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 John Franklin Mccabe Individual · British · DOB 09/1962 · age 64 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control | 03/06/2016 |
Mrs Rebecca Joy Mccabe Individual · British · DOB 05/1967 · age 59 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 01/10/2024 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr Phillip Adrian Heathceased 01/10/2024· 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 · Wholesale & distribution · WR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A S GREEN PRODUCE LIMITED→ 11411556 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| ALBION MOTION COMPANY LIMITED→ 12767193 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ALLIANCE SAM HOLDINGS LTD→ 13301813 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ALUMIER LABS UK LIMITED→ 11460521 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| B. SMITH PACKAGING HOLDINGS (WORCESTER) LIMITED→ 11180898 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BATH ROCK DISTILLERY CO LTD→ 15663348 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BLACK & WHITE MACHINERY UK LIMITED→ 11314828 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BLUEWAVE IT SOLUTIONS LTD→ 16077454 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BMJ GROUPS SOLUTIONS LTD→ 10768430 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BOILER CHOICE LIMITED→ 11840832 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| BOSSMANDEALS LTD→ 16683331 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BPF (AV) LTD→ 05106665 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2016-06-03
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46440 — SIC 46440
Registered office
The Oakley
Kidderminster Road
Droitwich
Worcestershire
WR9 9AY
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-10-31
Last made up to: 2025-01-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-06-15
Last: 2026-06-01
Officers (2 active · 2 resigned)
MCCABE, John Franklin→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 2016-06-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MCCABE, Rebecca Joy→
Activedirector · ~59y · appointed 2016-06-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HEATH, Phillip Adrian→
Resigneddirector · ~62y · appointed 2016-06-03 · resigned 2024-10-01
HEATH, Rachel Mary→
Resigneddirector · ~54y · appointed 2016-06-03 · resigned 2024-10-01
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (41 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-06-02
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-05-14
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-11-14
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-11-14
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-11-14
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2024-11-14
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-11-14
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-06-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-04-11
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-02-08
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-02-08
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-02-08