J & D COWPER LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC162762 · ltd · incorporated 1996-01-19
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 May 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Freight transport by road
Sector: Transportation & storage
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company with a 78-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 78). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 5 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

8 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 29.9y

35/100
too messy

Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.

  • · Oldest live charge is 29.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

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
8 charges (8/8 with lender, 8/8 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (4 active, 8 linked, 4 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
93 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.

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 · accounting standard unknown
Metric2025-05-312024-05-31

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

🔒Filing-note intelligence

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

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
2
filings
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (40 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-12-12
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-09-25
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  3. 2025-09-25
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  4. 2025-09-25
    📄
    mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number
    mortgage · MR05
  5. 2025-09-25
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  6. 2025-09-24
    🔒
    Charge registered #8
    Lender: Close Invoice Finance LTD
  7. 2024-10-03
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2023-09-13
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2023-01-26
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
  10. 2022-09-06
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  11. 2021-09-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2020-06-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2019-07-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2018-11-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2018-09-05
    ➕
    COWPER, Iain Alastair appointed
    director
  16. 2018-09-05
    ➕
    COWPER, Michael Andrew appointed
    director
  17. 2018-09-05
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  18. 2018-09-05
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  19. 2018-02-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  20. 2017-01-19
    ➖
    STEWART, Alison Mary resigned
    secretary
  21. 2015-06-30
    🔒
    Charge registered #7
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  22. 2014-11-21
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  23. 2014-09-26
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  24. 2014-09-26
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  25. 2014-09-05
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  26. 2014-09-01
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: Rbs Invoice Finance Limited
  27. 2014-08-21
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  28. 2010-07-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
  29. 1998-05-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  30. 1997-05-01
    ➕
    COWPER, Kathleen Marilyn appointed
    director
  31. 1996-06-14
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
  32. 1996-01-19
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As J & D COWPER LIMITED
  33. 1996-01-19
    ➕
    COWPER, Taylor appointed
    director
  34. 1996-01-19
    ➕
    STEWART, Alison Mary appointed
    secretary
  35. 1996-01-19
    ➕
    COMBINED SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  36. 1996-01-19
    ➖
    COMBINED SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  37. 1996-01-19
    ➕
    COMBINED NOMINEES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  38. 1996-01-19
    ➖
    COMBINED NOMINEES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director
  39. 1996-01-19
    ➕
    COMBINED SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  40. 1996-01-19
    ➖
    COMBINED SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-director

Owner dependency

88/100
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
  • -4 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "COWPER" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 30 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 78 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

90/100
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 78 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 30 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 30 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

2 active beneficial owners
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr James Taylor Cowper
Individual · British · DOB 05/1948 · age 78
50–75%
50–75%board controlsig. influence50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control · significant influence · firm interest19/01/2017
Mrs Kathleen Marilyn Cowper
Individual · British · DOB 02/1955 · age 71
25–50%
—25-50% shares06/04/2016

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
Incorporated1996-01-19
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC49410 — Freight transport by road

Registered office

Airfield Road, Highland
Deephaven Industrial Estate,
Evanton, Dingwall
Ross Shire
IV16 9XJ

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-02-28
Last made up to: 2025-05-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-06
Last: 2026-01-23

Officers (4 active · 4 resigned)

COWPER, Iain Alastair→
director · ~44y · appointed 2018-09-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
COWPER, Kathleen Marilyn→
director · ~71y · appointed 1997-05-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
COWPER, Michael Andrew→
director · ~48y · appointed 2018-09-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
COWPER, Taylor→
director · ~78y · appointed 1996-01-19
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
STEWART, Alison Mary→
secretary · appointed 1996-01-19 · resigned 2017-01-19
Resigned
COMBINED SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1996-01-19 · resigned 1996-01-19
Resigned
COMBINED NOMINEES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1996-01-19 · resigned 1996-01-19
Resigned
COMBINED SECRETARIAL SERVICES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1996-01-19 · resigned 1996-01-19
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

8
Total charges
4
Outstanding
3
Active lenders
Status:Lender:8 of 8 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Close Invoice Finance
Close Invoice Finance LTD
A registered charge—24/09/2025—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
A registered charge1 property30/06/2015—
outstanding
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
A registered charge1 property05/09/2014—
outstanding
NatWest Group
Rbs Invoice Finance Limited
A registered charge—01/09/2014—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
A registered charge—21/08/201425/09/2025
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Tsb Commercial Finance Limited
Bond & floating charge1 property28/07/201021/11/2014
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Standard security1 property08/05/199826/09/2014
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland
Bond & floating charge1 property14/06/199626/09/2014
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (93 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-12
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-09-25
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-09-25
mortgage-charge-whole-release-with-charge-number
mortgage · MR05
2025-09-25
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-23
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-10-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-09-13
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-01-26
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2023-01-26
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-09-06
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-01-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-09-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-01-23