ASK PUBLISHING LIMITED
Opportunity 76/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (60/100, director aged 71). 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: medium (78/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
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 · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-05-31 | 2024-05-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 200 | 300 |
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
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Corporate timeline (10 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-26📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-11-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-12-07📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-10-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-07-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-05-17🏢Company incorporatedAs ASK PUBLISHING LIMITED
- 2018-05-17➕SHELTON, Stephen Anthony appointeddirector
- 2018-05-17📄incorporation-companyincorporation · NEWINC
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 71 — succession pressure is live.
- +No director turnover: Company is 8 years old with no director changes — suggests a very tight-knit founder team never broadened.
Succession & seller-readiness
Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 71 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- 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 Stephen Anthony Shelton Individual · British · DOB 09/1955 · age 71 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 17/05/2018 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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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 · 0 resigned)
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