AJ ASHBY LIMITED
Opportunity 68/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
Refinance opportunity
1 live charge · oldest 2.7y
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Newest facility, 2.7 years old — likely still in initial term.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
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 | 2024-12-31 | 2023-12-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 200 | 100 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
2 signals 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
Corporate timeline (23 events)Click to expand
- 2025-07-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-06-19📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-07-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-30📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2023-10-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Investacc Pension Trustees Limited
- 2023-09-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-30📄legacymiscellaneous · RPCH01
- 2023-04-24📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2023-04-24📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2023-04-24⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2023-04-24📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-10-20📄second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-dateconfirmation-statement · RP04CS01
- 2022-10-17📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2022-10-17📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-10-17📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-05-31📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2022-05-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-12-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-10-28➖SMITH, Anthony James resigneddirector
- 2017-09-25🏢Company incorporatedAs AJ ASHBY LIMITED
- 2017-09-25➕SMITH, James Lawrence appointeddirector
- 2017-09-25➕SMITH, Anthony James appointeddirector
Owner dependency
Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
Red flags
1 high ·Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2023-04-24: legacy
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr James Lawrence Smith Individual · British · DOB 04/1975 · age 51 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 01/08/2022 |
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mrs Lesley Jean Smithceased 01/08/2022· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · trust interest
- Mr Anthony James Smithceased 01/08/2022· 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control · trust interest
- Southdown Holdings Limitedceased 25/09/2017· 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
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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.
Mortgages & charges
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Investacc Pension Trustees / James Smith / Emma Smith / Henry Smith Investacc Pension Trustees Limited / James Smith / Emma Smith / Henry Smith | A registered charge | 1 property | 30/10/2023 | — |