SIMPSON OILS LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC162987 · ltd · incorporated 1996-01-30
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
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
  • · Oldest live charge 25.1y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
81/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 46719
Sector: Wholesale & retail
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 47300Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company. Family succession underway — not a classic acquisition target.

Opportunity 81/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Same-surname younger director in place — likely family handover, not open to sale. 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 (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

2 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 25.1y

50/100
clean up first

Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.

  • · Oldest live charge is 25.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (57/100)

Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.

Company profile
address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
10 officers (4 active, 10 linked, 5 with DOB)
80
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
83 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.

Recent activity

Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-08-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-08-21
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  3. 2024-08-21
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  4. 2024-07-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2023-07-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-08-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2021-11-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2021-09-09
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  9. 2021-09-09
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  10. 2021-09-01
    ➕
    SIMPSON, David James appointed
    director
  11. 2021-09-01
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Hugh Alexander appointed
    director
  12. 2020-11-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2019-07-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2018-08-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2017-08-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2016-08-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-medium
    accounts · AA
  17. 2016-02-09
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  18. 2010-01-07
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  19. 2009-12-09
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  20. 2009-01-11
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Elsie Catherine appointed
    secretary
  21. 2009-01-10
    ➖
    SIMPSON, Catherine resigned
    secretary
  22. 2001-04-20
    ➖
    SIMPSON, William resigned
    director
  23. 2001-04-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  24. 1996-08-28
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Hugh appointed
    director
  25. 1996-08-28
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Catherine appointed
    secretary
  26. 1996-03-06
    ➖
    SIMPSON, Hugh resigned
    secretary
  27. 1996-03-06
    ➖
    SIMPSON, Hugh resigned
    director
  28. 1996-01-30
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As SIMPSON OILS LIMITED
  29. 1996-01-30
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Hugh appointed
    secretary
  30. 1996-01-30
    ➕
    FIRST SCOTTISH SECRETARIES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  31. 1996-01-30
    ➖
    FIRST SCOTTISH SECRETARIES LIMITED resigned
    corporate-nominee-secretary
  32. 1996-01-30
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Hugh appointed
    director
  33. 1996-01-30
    ➕
    SIMPSON, William appointed
    director
  34. 1996-01-30
    ➕
    FIRST SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LIMITED appointed
    corporate-nominee-director
  35. 1996-01-30
    ➖
    FIRST SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LIMITED resigned
    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
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "SIMPSON" — 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 66 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

40/100
Moderate signal

Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFamily succession underway: Not a takeover target — SIMPSON, David James (same surname) appointed 2021-09-01. Pattern consistent with intra-family handover.
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 66. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • 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 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
Mr Hugh Simpson
Individual · British · DOB 10/1960 · age 66
75–100%
—75-100% shares06/04/2016

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 →

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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.

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Company details

Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1996-01-30
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC46719 — SIC 46719

Registered office

South Quay
Harbour
Wick
Caithness
KW1 5HA
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-07-31
Last made up to: 2024-10-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-02-13
Last: 2026-01-30

Officers (4 active · 6 resigned)

SIMPSON, Elsie Catherine→
secretary · appointed 2009-01-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SIMPSON, David James→
director · ~43y · appointed 2021-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SIMPSON, Hugh Alexander→
director · ~44y · appointed 2021-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SIMPSON, Hugh→
director · ~66y · appointed 1996-08-28
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SIMPSON, Catherine→
secretary · appointed 1996-08-28 · resigned 2009-01-10
Resigned
SIMPSON, Hugh→
secretary · appointed 1996-01-30 · resigned 1996-03-06
Resigned
FIRST SCOTTISH SECRETARIES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1996-01-30 · resigned 1996-01-30
Resigned
SIMPSON, Hugh→
director · ~99y · appointed 1996-01-30 · resigned 1996-03-06
Resigned
SIMPSON, William→
director · ~72y · appointed 1996-01-30 · resigned 2001-04-20
Resigned
FIRST SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LIMITED→
corporate-nominee-director · appointed 1996-01-30 · resigned 1996-01-30
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
Floating charge1 property09/12/2009—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Bond & floating charge1 property20/04/200107/01/2010
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (83 total)

confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-13
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-08-21
change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
address · AD01
2024-08-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-07-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2022-08-01
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2021-11-01
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-09-09
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-09-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-04-04