PHOTON FORCE LTD
💤Zombieactive
SC501215 · ltd · incorporated 2015-03-23
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 Feb 2025
Net worth
£375.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 26701
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and acceptable with review structure.
Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 67/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 5.0y
5/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Charge age ~5.0 years — mid-life; refi window approaching.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · 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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (1 active, 6 linked, 4 with DOB)
83
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
51 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
73/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
55
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £375,650
Net assets shrinking
Down £216,937 YoY
Cash YoY
+421%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£522k
↑ 421% YoY
Net Worth
£376k
↓ 37% YoY
Current Assets
£1.1m
↑ 85% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-02-28 | 2024-02-29 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £404.8k | £645.0k |
| Current assets | £1.15M | £620.9k |
| Cash | £522.5k | £100.2k |
| Debtors | £540.1k | £374.3k |
| Net assets | £375.6k | £592.6k |
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
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (37 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-07📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-10-01🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Ifs - Debt LP Acting by Its General Partner Fse Ifs Debt Gp Limited
- 2025-09-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-09-24🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2025-08-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-05-23📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-05-23🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2025-03-28📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-03-28🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Sprk Capital Limited
- 2025-02-18📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-02-18🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Sprk Capital Limited
- 2024-10-01📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-10-01🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2024-07-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-11-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-11-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-09➖ATKINSON, Alastair Burns resigneddirector
- 2022-09-09📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-05-05📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2022-05-01➕ATKINSON, Alastair Burns appointeddirector
- 2021-11-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-18📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2021-05-12🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
- 2021-04-01📄second-filing-of-annual-return-with-made-up-dateannual-return · RP04AR01
- 2021-03-23📄second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-dateconfirmation-statement · RP04CS01
- 2021-03-23📄second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-dateconfirmation-statement · RP04CS01
- 2021-03-23📄second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-dateconfirmation-statement · RP04CS01
- 2017-11-13➖RILEY, Martyn James resigneddirector
- 2017-05-01➕RILEY, Martyn James appointeddirector
- 2015-03-23🏢Company incorporatedAs PHOTON FORCE LTD
- 2015-03-23➕WALKER, Richard John, Dr appointeddirector
- 2015-03-23➕COSEC LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2015-03-23➖COSEC LIMITED resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2015-03-23➕MCMEEKIN, James Stuart appointeddirector
- 2015-03-23➖MCMEEKIN, James Stuart resigneddirector
- 2015-03-23➕COSEC LIMITED appointedcorporate-director
- 2015-03-23➖COSEC LIMITED resignedcorporate-director
Owner dependency
75/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
50/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- 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
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dr Richard John Walker Individual · British · DOB 11/1984 · age 42 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Manufacturing · EH postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PACE PRINT (EDINBURGH) LIMITED→ SC100481 · est 1986 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 39y | — | — |
| PARADIGM SHIFT OPEN STUDIO LTD→ SC785157 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| PATIENCE JEWELLERY LIMITED→ SC372932 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| PENTLAND BLACKSMITHS LTD→ SC653594 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| PENTLAND MEDICAL LTD.→ SC223422 · est 2001 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 24y | — | — |
| PENTLAND SERVICES (UK) LTD→ SC388948 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| PIPE BINDERS LTD→ SC673996 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| PMD REFRIGERATION LIMITED→ SC462326 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| PRECISION GATES AND RAILINGS LTD→ SC849284 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PRIME KINGDOM LIMITED→ SC775251 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| PROTON POWER LIMITED→ SC562956 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| PROTOSHAPE LIMITED→ SC560045 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2015-03-23
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC26701 — SIC 26701
Registered office
Murchison House
10 Max Born Crescent
Edinburgh
EH9 3BF
Scotland
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-11-30
Last made up to: 2025-02-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-03-31
Last: 2026-03-17
Officers (1 active · 5 resigned)
WALKER, Richard John, Dr→
Activedirector · ~42y · appointed 2015-03-23
View their other companies + combined net worth →
COSEC LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2015-03-23 · resigned 2015-03-23
ATKINSON, Alastair Burns→
Resigneddirector · ~63y · appointed 2022-05-01 · resigned 2022-09-09
MCMEEKIN, James Stuart→
Resigneddirector · ~59y · appointed 2015-03-23 · resigned 2015-03-23
RILEY, Martyn James→
Resigneddirector · ~63y · appointed 2017-05-01 · resigned 2017-11-13
COSEC LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-director · appointed 2015-03-23 · resigned 2015-03-23
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
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Ifs - Debt LP Acting by Its General Partner Fse Ifs Debt Gp Ifs - Debt LP Acting by Its General Partner Fse Ifs Debt Gp Limited | A registered charge | — | 01/10/2025 | — | |
| satisfied | Sprk Capital Sprk Capital Limited | A registered charge | — | 28/03/2025 | 24/09/2025 | |
| satisfied | Sprk Capital Sprk Capital Limited | A registered charge | — | 18/02/2025 | 23/05/2025 | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc UK Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 12/05/2021 | 01/10/2024 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (51 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-03-25
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-10-07
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-09-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-08-19
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-05-23
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-03-28
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-20
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-02-18
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-10-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-07-04
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-03-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-11-03
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-03-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-11-30