JOHNSTON FINANCIAL LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
SC108188 · ltd · incorporated 1987-12-10
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
76/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Financial intermediation not elsewhere classified
Sector: Financial & insurance
Investor take
Pass (distressed without resilience)Distressed active trading company — structural issues outweigh the discount.
Opportunity 76/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Resolve: 2 insolvency-related filings on record. Filings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (58/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
10 officers (3 active, 10 linked, 9 with DOB)
88
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
5 connected companies via shared directors
60
Filing history
157 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
76/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
67
Some moderate concerns — review flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 address
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (36 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-15📍change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-addressaddress · AD01
- 2025-09-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-10-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-04📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-10-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2023-07-04📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC05
- 2023-05-02📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-04-26➕ROWNTREE, Stephen Keith appointeddirector
- 2022-08-08📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2022-08-08📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2022-08-03📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2022-08-03📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-08-03📄statement-of-companys-objectschange-of-constitution · CC04
- 2022-07-27📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-07-27📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-07-22📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2022-07-22⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2022-07-22📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-07-19📄capital-statement-capital-company-with-date-currency-figurecapital · SH19
- 2022-07-19📄legacycapital · SH20
- 2022-07-19⚠️legacyinsolvency · CAP-SS
- 2022-07-19📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2018-04-30➖JOHNSTON, Adrian Michael resigneddirector
- 2018-04-20➕GRAY, Suzanne Katharine appointeddirector
- 2010-12-31➖JOHNSTON, Caroline resignedsecretary
- 2010-12-31➖JOHNSTON, Caroline resigneddirector
- 2004-05-31➖WALLACE, Robert Alexander resigneddirector
- 2003-04-08➖MCGLYNN, Jonathan resigneddirector
- 2003-03-31➖MCGLYNN, Jonathan resigneddirector
- 2002-11-08➖SMITH, Brian resigneddirector
- 2002-05-01➕MCARDLE, John Patrick appointeddirector
- 2000-12-01➕MCGLYNN, Jonathan appointeddirector
- 2000-12-01➕MCGLYNN, Jonathan appointeddirector
- 2000-12-01➕SMITH, Brian appointeddirector
- 1994-03-17➕WALLACE, Robert Alexander appointeddirector
- 1987-12-10🏢Company incorporatedAs JOHNSTON FINANCIAL LIMITED
Owner dependency
68/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 58 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
70/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 58. Early succession window.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 38 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
1 high ·2 insolvency-related filings on record
highFilings relating to insolvency, liquidation, or administration exist in the company's history. Review before proceeding.
Evidence: 2022-07-22: legacy; 2022-07-19: legacy
Group structure
Jacaranda Bidco Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Jacaranda Bidco Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
JOHNSTON FINANCIAL LIMITED
This company · SC108188
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jacaranda Bidco Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 19/07/2022 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr John Patrick Mcardleceased 19/07/2022· 50-75% shares
- Mr Adrian Michael Johnstonceased 01/09/2020· 25-50% shares
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.
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| HOXTON VENTURES IV, (SCOT) LTD→ SC818164 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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| KILGOUR INVESTMENTS LIMITED→ SC555112 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| KILWAUGHTER CONSULTANTS LTD.→ SC351701 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
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| L3 INVESTMENT HOLDINGS GP LIMITED→ SC521123 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| L4 INVESTMENT HOLDINGS GP LIMITED→ SC571533 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| L5 INVESTMENT HOLDINGS GP LIMITED→ SC581677 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| LARCHPOINT 1B RB CARRY GP LIMITED→ SC677790 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| LARCHPOINT 1B RB COINVEST GP LIMITED→ SC677796 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 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
Incorporated1987-12-10
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC64999 — Financial intermediation not elsewhere classified
Registered office
Level 3, 6 St Andrew Square
Edinburgh
EH2 2BD
Scotland
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-09-30
Last made up to: 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-13
Last: 2025-08-30
Officers (3 active · 7 resigned)
GRAY, Suzanne Katharine→
Activedirector · ~44y · appointed 2018-04-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MCARDLE, John Patrick→
Activedirector · ~58y · appointed 2002-05-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
ROWNTREE, Stephen Keith→
Activedirector · ~43y · appointed 2023-04-26
View their other companies + combined net worth →
JOHNSTON, Caroline→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2010-12-31
JOHNSTON, Adrian Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · resigned 2018-04-30
JOHNSTON, Caroline→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · resigned 2010-12-31
MCGLYNN, Jonathan→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2000-12-01 · resigned 2003-04-08
MCGLYNN, Jonathan→
Resigneddirector · ~60y · appointed 2000-12-01 · resigned 2003-03-31
SMITH, Brian→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · appointed 2000-12-01 · resigned 2002-11-08
WALLACE, Robert Alexander→
Resigneddirector · ~82y · appointed 1994-03-17 · resigned 2004-05-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (157 total)
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-12-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-09-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-08
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2024-03-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2023-10-10
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-05
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2023-07-04
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-05-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-09
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2022-08-08
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-08-08
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2022-08-03
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2022-08-03