M. BRUCE & PARTNERS LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC155930 · ltd · incorporated 1995-02-13
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
—
year to Apr 2025
Net worth
£8.41M
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 01500
Sector: Agriculture, forestry & fishing
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 68-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. Strong seller-intent signal (93/100, director aged 68). 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 (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

4 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 28.8y

15/100
under pressure

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

  • · Oldest live charge is 28.8 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Cashflow trend is negative — lender view likely cautious.

Data confidence

Overall: high (83/100)

Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.

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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (3 active, 8 linked, 4 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
3 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
15 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
110 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £8,413,115
Net assets shrinking
Down £1,587,365 YoY
Cash YoY
-23%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£605k
↓ 23% YoY
Net Worth
£8.4m
↓ 16% YoY
Current Assets
£2.4m
↓ 39% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£2.0m£4.0m£6.0m£8.0m£10mApr 2024Apr 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-04-052024-04-05
Total assets£8.41M£10.00M
Current assets£2.43M£4.02M
Cash£605.0k£781.8k
Debtors£133.9k£1.47M
Net assets£8.41M£10.00M

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

🔒Filing-note intelligence

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

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (40 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-10-03
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  3. 2025-10-03
    📄
    change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH03
  4. 2025-10-02
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  5. 2025-10-02
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  6. 2025-10-02
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  7. 2025-01-20
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2024-10-29
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  9. 2024-10-29
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  10. 2024-01-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2023-04-24
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  12. 2023-04-24
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  13. 2023-04-24
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  14. 2023-04-24
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  15. 2023-02-23
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  16. 2022-12-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  17. 2022-03-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2021-04-20
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  19. 2021-03-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  20. 2020-09-05
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  21. 2020-09-05
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  22. 2019-11-25
    ➖
    BRUCE, William Henry resigned
    director
  23. 2018-09-19
    ➕
    LEEMING, Valerie appointed
    secretary
  24. 2018-09-19
    ➖
    BRUCE, William Henry resigned
    secretary
  25. 2018-09-19
    ➖
    BRUCE, Margaret resigned
    director
  26. 2013-10-10
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Badentoy Developments Limited
  27. 2013-02-02
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  28. 2011-09-05
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Bank of Scotland PLC
  29. 2003-07-07
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Scotpigs Limited
  30. 1999-03-01
    ➕
    BRUCE, William Martin appointed
    director
  31. 1999-03-01
    ➕
    FAIRLIE, Francis Dominic appointed
    director
  32. 1997-07-09
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  33. 1995-03-02
    ➕
    BRUCE, William Henry appointed
    secretary
  34. 1995-03-02
    ➖
    OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  35. 1995-03-02
    ➕
    BRUCE, Margaret appointed
    director
  36. 1995-03-02
    ➕
    BRUCE, William Henry appointed
    director
  37. 1995-03-02
    ➖
    JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  38. 1995-02-13
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As M. BRUCE & PARTNERS LIMITED
  39. 1995-02-13
    ➕
    OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  40. 1995-02-13
    ➕
    JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

98/100
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
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "BRUCE" — 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 68 — succession pressure is live.

Succession & seller-readiness

86/100
Likely off-market candidate

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

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 68. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 31 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 med ·
Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

Shareholders & ownership

3 active beneficial owners · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr William Martin Bruce
Individual · British · DOB 05/1964 · age 62
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control03/04/2023
Mrs Gillian Nancy Fairlie
Individual · British · DOB 07/1961 · age 65
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control03/04/2023
Mrs Valerie Margaret Leeming
Individual · British · DOB 06/1958 · age 68
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control03/04/2023
1 historic (ceased) PSC
  • W H Bruce's Trustceased 03/04/2023· 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.

🔒Co-director network graph

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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CompanyEst. valueTurnoverNet worthStaffAgeOppDirector
EAST COAST VINERS (PEAS AND BEANS) LIMITED→
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ALTNAHARRA ESTATE LIMITED→
SC228455 · est 2002
£634.2k
£487.8k–£780.5k
——824y8571y
CHALLENGE FISHING COMPANY LIMITED→
SC192237 · est 1998
———627y8369y
FORTRIE FARMS LIMITED→
SC158055 · est 1995
———1030y8376y
GARDINER ICM LIMITED→
SC197812 · est 1999
——£2.60M—26y8364y
LORANTHUS FISHING COMPANY LIMITED→
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———019y8370y
M B AQUARIUS LIMITED→
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———022y8370y
M.V. QUANTUS LIMITED→
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——£32.29M—32y8369y
MEARNS TRACTORS LIMITED→
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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
Incorporated1995-02-13
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC01500 — SIC 01500

Registered office

Logie House
Ellon
Aberdeenshire
AB41 8LH
United Kingdom

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-05
Last made up to: 2025-04-05
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-27
Last: 2026-02-13

Officers (3 active · 5 resigned)

LEEMING, Valerie→
secretary · appointed 2018-09-19
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BRUCE, William Martin→
director · ~62y · appointed 1999-03-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
FAIRLIE, Francis Dominic→
director · ~68y · appointed 1999-03-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BRUCE, William Henry→
secretary · appointed 1995-03-02 · resigned 2018-09-19
Resigned
OSWALDS OF EDINBURGH LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1995-02-13 · resigned 1995-03-02
Resigned
BRUCE, Margaret→
director · ~92y · appointed 1995-03-02 · resigned 2018-09-19
Resigned
BRUCE, William Henry→
director · ~93y · appointed 1995-03-02 · resigned 2019-11-25
Resigned
JORDANS (SCOTLAND) LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1995-02-13 · resigned 1995-03-02
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

4
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Badentoy Developments
Badentoy Developments Limited
A registered charge1 property10/10/2013—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Bank of Scotland PLC
Standard security1 property05/09/201105/09/2020
satisfied
Scotpigs
Scotpigs Limited
Standard security1 property07/07/200302/02/2013
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Bond & floating charge1 property09/07/199729/10/2024
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (110 total)

confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-02-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-18
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2025-10-03
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2025-10-03
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-10-02
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-10-02
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-10-02
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-01-20
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-10-29
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-01-04
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-04-24
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-04-24
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-04-24