CORNWALL SOAPBOX (ST IVES) LTD
Opportunity 72/100 (strong), bankability 70/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. 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 (79/100)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 · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-09-30 | 2024-09-30 |
|---|
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
Recent activity
- • 1 accounts
- • 2 officers
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
Corporate timeline (14 events)Click to expand
- 2026-06-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2026-03-25➖SOWDEN, Suzanne Eileen resignedsecretary
- 2026-03-25➖SOWDEN, Suzanne Eileen resigneddirector
- 2026-03-25📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2026-03-25📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2026-03-25📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-07-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-06-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-09-09🏢Company incorporatedAs CORNWALL SOAPBOX (ST IVES) LTD
- 2021-09-09➕SOWDEN, Michael John appointeddirector
- 2021-09-09➕SOWDEN, Suzanne Eileen appointedsecretary
- 2021-09-09➕SOWDEN, Suzanne Eileen appointeddirector
- 2021-09-09📄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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 64. 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
1 med ·Multiple recent departures can indicate governance disagreement, succession event, or preparation for sale/stress.
Evidence: SOWDEN, Suzanne Eileen resigned 2026-03-25; SOWDEN, Suzanne Eileen resigned 2026-03-25
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Michael John Sowden Individual · British · DOB 05/1962 · age 64 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 09/09/2021 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mrs Suzanne Eileen Sowdenceased 25/03/2026· 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting
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.
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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.
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Registered office
Filing status
Officers (1 active · 2 resigned)
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