AOTEAROA LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
SC184810 · ltd · incorporated 1998-04-14
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 Apr 2025
Net worth
£35.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Management consultancy activities other than financial management
Sector: Professional, scientific & technical
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 68-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 68). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)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
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
8 officers (1 active, 8 linked, 3 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 3 total, 3 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
98 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £35,602
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£36k
↑ 26% YoY
Current Assets
£38k
↓ 8.5% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-04-30 | 2024-04-30 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £35.6k | £28.3k |
| Current assets | £38.0k | £41.6k |
| Net assets | £35.6k | £28.3k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
3
filings
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 officers
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 90 days
4
filings
- • 2 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
4
filings
- • 2 officers
- • 1 persons-with-significant-control
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
- 2026-04-16📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2026-04-16📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2026-03-20📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2026-02-01➖MCGAAN, Rhoda resignedsecretary
- 2025-06-23📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-06-19📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-06-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-12📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-01-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-13📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-06-13📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2023-04-24📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2023-04-12📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2022-12-01📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-26📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2022-01-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-03-27📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2021-03-27📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-03-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-01-22📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2007-08-06➕MCGAAN, David James appointeddirector
- 2007-08-06➖MCGAAN, David James resignedsecretary
- 2007-08-06➕MCGAAN, Rhoda appointedsecretary
- 2007-08-06➖MCGAAN, Rhoda Mary Lennox resigneddirector
- 2000-04-01➕MCGAAN, David James appointedsecretary
- 2000-04-01➕MCGAAN, Rhoda Mary Lennox appointeddirector
- 2000-03-30➖HAMILTON, David resignedsecretary
- 2000-03-30➖HAMILTON, David resigneddirector
- 1998-04-14🏢Company incorporatedAs AOTEAROA LIMITED
- 1998-04-14➕HAMILTON, David appointedsecretary
- 1998-04-14➕HIGHSTONE SECRETARIES LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1998-04-14➖HIGHSTONE SECRETARIES LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1998-04-14➕HAMILTON, David appointeddirector
- 1998-04-14➕HIGHSTONE DIRECTORS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 1998-04-14➖HIGHSTONE DIRECTORS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
100/100
Critical — business is the founderThe 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.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 19 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
88/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong 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.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 19 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 28 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
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr David James Mcgaan Individual · British,New Zealander · DOB 05/1958 · age 68 | 75–100% | — | 75-100% shares | 01/04/2023 |
2 historic (ceased) PSCs
- Mr David James Mcgaanceased 01/03/2021· 25-50% shares
- Mrs Rhoda Mcgaanceased 23/04/2025· 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.
See pricing →Similar companies
Active · Professional services · EH postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AV BUSINESS LTD→ SC434149 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| AVER CORPORATE ADVISORY SERVICES LTD.→ SC362121 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| AVL PRODUCTIONS LTD→ SC575797 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| AVROX ASSET LTD→ SC751516 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AZENCHO LIMITED→ SC688333 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| B15 ADVISORY LTD→ SC818820 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BADENOCH ADVISORS LIMITED→ SC455428 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| BADGER CAMPERS LTD→ SC832428 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| BAHADAR SINGH ENGINEERING LIMITED→ SC172173 · est 1997 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| BAIL INNOVATIONS LTD→ SC682364 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| BALANCED IMPACT GROUP LTD→ SC590968 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BALATONI FINANCIAL PLANNING LTD→ SC798663 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1998-04-14
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC70229 — Management consultancy activities other than financial management
Registered office
Summit House
Mitchell Street
Edinburgh
EH6 7BD
Scotland
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-23
Last: 2026-04-09
Officers (1 active · 7 resigned)
MCGAAN, David James→
Activedirector · ~68y · appointed 2007-08-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HAMILTON, David→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1998-04-14 · resigned 2000-03-30
MCGAAN, David James→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-04-01 · resigned 2007-08-06
MCGAAN, Rhoda→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2007-08-06 · resigned 2026-02-01
HIGHSTONE SECRETARIES LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 1998-04-14 · resigned 1998-04-14
HAMILTON, David→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 1998-04-14 · resigned 2000-03-30
MCGAAN, Rhoda Mary Lennox→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2000-04-01 · resigned 2007-08-06
HIGHSTONE DIRECTORS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 1998-04-14 · resigned 1998-04-14
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (98 total)
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2026-04-16
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2026-04-16
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-09
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2026-03-20
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-06-23
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-06-19
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-06-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-04-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-11-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-01-16
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-06-13
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2023-06-13
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-04-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-04-18