COBB MCCALLUM AND COMPANY LIMITED

💤Zombieactive
SC144433 · ltd · incorporated 1993-05-18
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to May 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
81/100
Exceptional
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Quantity surveying activities
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 80-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 81/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 80). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

1 live charge · oldest 32.1y

45/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 32.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
  • · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (77/100)

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
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
1 charges (1/1 with lender, 1/1 with type)
90
Directors & officers
9 officers (1 active, 9 linked, 6 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
113 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
81/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
82
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0May 2024May 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-05-312024-05-31
Average employees100100

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

Recent activity

Last 30 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
8
filings
  • • 2 address
  • • 2 persons-with-significant-control
  • • 2 officers
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (39 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-03-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-12-05
    📍
    change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-address
    address · AD02
  3. 2025-12-05
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  4. 2025-12-05
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  5. 2025-12-05
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  6. 2025-12-05
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  7. 2025-12-05
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  8. 2025-10-21
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  9. 2025-02-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  10. 2024-03-11
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  11. 2024-03-11
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  12. 2024-03-11
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  13. 2024-03-11
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  14. 2024-03-11
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  15. 2024-02-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  16. 2024-01-14
    ➖
    MCCALLUM, David Morrison resigned
    secretary
  17. 2024-01-14
    ➖
    MCCALLUM, David Morrison resigned
    director
  18. 2023-10-18
    📄
    dissolution-withdrawal-application-strike-off-company
    dissolution · DS02
  19. 2023-10-10
    📄
    gazette-notice-voluntary
    gazette · GAZ1(A)
  20. 2023-10-02
    📄
    dissolution-application-strike-off-company
    dissolution · DS01
  21. 2022-11-03
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  22. 2022-02-08
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
    accounts · AA
  23. 1999-03-09
    ➕
    MCCALLUM, Grace Hunter Moffat appointed
    director
  24. 1999-03-09
    ➖
    COBB, Edward resigned
    director
  25. 1999-03-09
    ➖
    MCLAREN, John resigned
    director
  26. 1996-12-06
    ➖
    PAXTON, Edward Robert resigned
    director
  27. 1996-06-30
    ➖
    MACDONALD, John Alexander resigned
    director
  28. 1994-09-01
    ➕
    MACDONALD, John Alexander appointed
    director
  29. 1994-09-01
    ➕
    MCLAREN, John appointed
    director
  30. 1994-04-25
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  31. 1993-06-11
    ➕
    MCCALLUM, David Morrison appointed
    secretary
  32. 1993-06-11
    ➖
    ASHCROFT CAMERON SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  33. 1993-06-11
    ➕
    COBB, Edward appointed
    director
  34. 1993-06-11
    ➕
    MCCALLUM, David Morrison appointed
    director
  35. 1993-06-11
    ➕
    PAXTON, Edward Robert appointed
    director
  36. 1993-06-11
    ➖
    ASHCROFT CAMERON NOMINEES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  37. 1993-05-18
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As COBB MCCALLUM AND COMPANY LIMITED
  38. 1993-05-18
    ➕
    ASHCROFT CAMERON SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  39. 1993-05-18
    ➕
    ASHCROFT CAMERON NOMINEES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

100/100
Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS
  • +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "MCCALLUM" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 27 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 80 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

100/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 80 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 33 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 low
Multiple registered office changes
low

Multiple address changes in a short period can indicate operational instability or admin disorder.

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mrs Grace Hunter Moffat Mccallum
Individual · British · DOB 01/1946 · age 80
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control14/01/2024
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr David Morrison Mccallumceased 14/01/2024· 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control
  • Mr David Morrison Mccallumceased 14/01/2024· 50-75% shares

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

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 →
🔒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
Incorporated1993-05-18
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC74902 — Quantity surveying activities

Registered office

C/O Anderson Strathern
58 Morrison Street
Edinburgh
City Of Edinburgh
EH3 8BP
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-02-28
Last made up to: 2025-05-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-25
Last: 2026-01-11

Officers (1 active · 8 resigned)

MCCALLUM, Grace Hunter Moffat→
director · ~80y · appointed 1999-03-09
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
MCCALLUM, David Morrison→
secretary · appointed 1993-06-11 · resigned 2024-01-14
Resigned
ASHCROFT CAMERON SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1993-05-18 · resigned 1993-06-11
Resigned
COBB, Edward→
director · ~96y · appointed 1993-06-11 · resigned 1999-03-09
Resigned
MACDONALD, John Alexander→
director · ~73y · appointed 1994-09-01 · resigned 1996-06-30
Resigned
MCCALLUM, David Morrison→
director · ~81y · appointed 1993-06-11 · resigned 2024-01-14
Resigned
MCLAREN, John→
director · ~81y · appointed 1994-09-01 · resigned 1999-03-09
Resigned
PAXTON, Edward Robert→
director · ~70y · appointed 1993-06-11 · resigned 1996-12-06
Resigned
ASHCROFT CAMERON NOMINEES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1993-05-18 · resigned 1993-06-11
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

1
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:1 of 1 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Floating charge1 property25/04/1994—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (113 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-03-02
change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-address
address · AD02
2025-12-05
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-12-05
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-12-05
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-12-05
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-12-05
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-12-05
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-10-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-02-28
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-03-11
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-03-11
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2024-03-11
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2024-03-11