AB GROUP (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED

🚨Distressedactive
10517360 · ltd · incorporated 2016-12-08
Investment thesis
Attractive distress candidate — real problems but workable structure.
Why interesting: Falling signals but no deal-breakers yet; room for negotiation and turnaround.
Why risky: Signals worsening; needs speed and capital discipline.
🔒Estimated value
Upgrade to see
Turnover
year to Dec 2021
Net worth
£159.9k
book net assets
Opportunity
61/100
Worth a look
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other business support service activities n.e.c.
Sector: Administrative & support services
Investor take
Special-situation opportunity
Distressed trade-services with salvageable qualities — special-situations priority.

Opportunity 61/100 (worth a look), bankability 47/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Biggest value-creation lever: File overdue accounts. Clears statutory overdue flag — immediate bankability uplift for refinance conversations. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (38/100). Current lenders should be on monthly review.

🏦

Refinance opportunity

9 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 9.4y

15/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 9.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: high (83/100)

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
9 charges (9/9 with lender, 9/9 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (2 active, 6 linked, 6 with DOB)
90
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
10 connected companies via shared directors
75
Filing history
52 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
61/100Worth a look
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Mixed signal. Worth opening the full target workup before deciding to pursue.

Business quality
50
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
55
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
59
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £159,924
High leverage
Liabilities are 100% of total assets
Leverage
100%
Liabilities / Total assets

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
Net Worth
£160k
Current Assets
£396k
Current Liabilities
£0£79k£158k£237k£316k£396kDec 2020Dec 2021

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2021-12-312020-12-31
Total assets£1.91M
Current assets£395.5k
Net assets£159.9k
Average employees200

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
3
filings
  • 2 confirmation-statement
  • 1 gazette
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (46 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-01-10
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  2. 2024-08-07
    📄
    dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
    dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
  3. 2024-07-30
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  4. 2023-12-12
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  5. 2023-12-08
    📄
    dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
    dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
  6. 2023-11-28
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  7. 2022-12-19
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  8. 2022-12-09
    📄
    gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
    gazette · DISS40
  9. 2022-12-09
    📄
    dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
    dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
  10. 2022-11-29
    📄
    gazette-notice-compulsory
    gazette · GAZ1
  11. 2022-01-12
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  12. 2022-01-12
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  13. 2022-01-10
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  14. 2022-01-10
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  15. 2022-01-01
    SHARPE, James Andrew appointed
    director
  16. 2022-01-01
    SHARPE, Joseph Michael appointed
    director
  17. 2022-01-01
    SHARPE, Emily Jane resigned
    director
  18. 2022-01-01
    SHARPE, Jennifer Anne resigned
    director
  19. 2021-12-08
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  20. 2021-08-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  21. 2021-02-15
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  22. 2020-08-17
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  23. 2020-08-17
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  24. 2020-07-29
    SHARPE, Emily Jane appointed
    director
  25. 2020-07-29
    SHARPE, James Andrew resigned
    director
  26. 2020-07-29
    SHARPE, Jennifer Anne appointed
    director
  27. 2020-07-29
    SHARPE, Joseph Michael resigned
    director
  28. 2020-02-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  29. 2020-02-10
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  30. 2020-02-04
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #7
  31. 2020-02-04
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #6
  32. 2020-01-31
    🔒
    Charge registered #9
    Lender: Redwood Bank Limited
  33. 2020-01-31
    🔒
    Charge registered #8
    Lender: Redwood Bank Limited
  34. 2019-09-25
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #5
  35. 2019-09-24
    🔒
    Charge registered #7
    Lender: Ultimate Bridging Finance Limited
  36. 2019-09-24
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: Ultimate Bridging Finance Limited
  37. 2018-12-18
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  38. 2018-12-18
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  39. 2018-12-17
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  40. 2018-12-17
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  41. 2018-12-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  42. 2017-02-10
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  43. 2017-01-30
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
  44. 2016-12-08
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As AB GROUP (INVESTMENTS) LIMITED
  45. 2016-12-08
    SHARPE, James Andrew appointed
    director
  46. 2016-12-08
    SHARPE, Joseph Michael appointed
    director

Owner dependency

66/100
High — earn-out structure required

Material 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.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

36/100
Weak signal

Limited succession signal. Not a near-term off-market candidate.

SIGNALS
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.

Red flags

1 high · 1 med ·
Accounts overdue
high

Statutory accounts have not been filed by their due date. Can indicate admin breakdown, cash preservation, or deliberate delay.

Evidence: Next due: 2023-09-30

Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Shareholders & ownership

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr James Andrew Sharpe
Individual · British · DOB 03/1987 · age 39
sig. influencesignificant influence07/12/2018
Mr Joseph Michael Sharpe
Individual · British · DOB 04/1984 · age 42
sig. influencesignificant influence07/12/2018

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 →

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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

9 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
Incorporated2016-12-08
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC82990 — Other business support service activities n.e.c.

Registered office

Airfield House Unit 8 Airfield Road
Wardle
Nantwich
CW5 6LQ
England

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2023-09-30OVERDUE
Last made up to: 2021-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-12-21
Last: 2025-12-07

Officers (2 active · 4 resigned)

SHARPE, James Andrew
director · ~39y · appointed 2022-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SHARPE, Joseph Michael
director · ~42y · appointed 2022-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SHARPE, Emily Jane
director · ~41y · appointed 2020-07-29 · resigned 2022-01-01
Resigned
SHARPE, James Andrew
director · ~39y · appointed 2016-12-08 · resigned 2020-07-29
Resigned
SHARPE, Jennifer Anne
director · ~42y · appointed 2020-07-29 · resigned 2022-01-01
Resigned
SHARPE, Joseph Michael
director · ~42y · appointed 2016-12-08 · resigned 2020-07-29
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

9
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:9 of 9 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Redwood Bank
Redwood Bank Limited
A registered charge31/01/2020
outstanding
Redwood Bank
Redwood Bank Limited
A registered charge1 property31/01/2020
satisfied
Ultimate Bridging Finance
Ultimate Bridging Finance Limited
A registered charge1 property24/09/201904/02/2020
satisfied
Ultimate Bridging Finance
Ultimate Bridging Finance Limited
A registered charge1 property24/09/201904/02/2020
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
A registered charge1 property18/12/201825/09/2019
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
A registered charge1 property18/12/201810/02/2020
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
A registered charge1 property13/12/201810/02/2020
satisfied
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
A registered charge1 property10/02/201717/12/2018
satisfied
Barclays
Barclays Bank PLC
A registered charge30/01/201717/12/2018
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (52 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-12
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2026-01-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-09
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2024-08-07
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2024-07-30
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2023-12-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-12-11
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2023-12-08
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2023-11-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2022-12-19
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2022-12-09
dissolved-compulsory-strike-off-suspended
dissolution · DISS16(SOAS)
2022-12-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-12-08
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2022-11-29
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-01-12