BERNSTEINS DIRECT LTD
Opportunity 76/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (60/100, director aged 67). 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: high (82/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 105 (micro)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 105 (micro)| Metric | 2025-01-31 | 2024-01-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £-319.2k | £-294.3k |
| Current assets | £3.4k | £10.6k |
| Net assets | £-319.2k | £-294.3k |
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 confirmation-statement
Corporate timeline (19 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-11-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-01-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-28📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2022-05-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-10-26📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2021-03-23📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2021-03-23📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2021-02-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-29📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2019-10-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-02-12📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2018-10-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2017-02-03📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2017-01-13🏢Company incorporatedAs BERNSTEINS DIRECT LTD
- 2017-01-13➕SMITH, Michael Shaun appointeddirector
- 2017-01-13➕DUKE, Michael appointeddirector
- 2017-01-13➖DUKE, Michael resigneddirector
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.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 67 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 67. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
Red flags
cleanShareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Michael Shaun Smith Individual · British · DOB 10/1959 · age 67 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 13/01/2017 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Fd Secretarial Ltdceased 13/01/2017· 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.
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 · Manufacturing · WN postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANAPOS LTD→ 10929206 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| AQUA SIGNAL & TELEGRAPHIC SYSTEMS LTD→ 02918879 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 32y | — | — |
| ARMADORA YACHTS UK LTD→ 09751811 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| ASPIRE FENCING GROUP LTD→ 15428724 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BALDWINS FURNITURE FRAMES (WIGAN) LTD→ 11997467 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BBK LABELLING AND CODING SOLUTIONS LIMITED→ 05185996 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| BCD SOLUTIONS LIMITED→ 06254215 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| BELMONT PACKAGING LTD→ 08727841 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| BENNETECH LTD→ 15660641 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BEST PANELS LTD→ 16957265 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BEYOND BOARDERS GLOBAL LTD→ 16668955 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BH QUARRIES LTD→ 15106636 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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 →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 · 1 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.