4L (UK) LTD
Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 75/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Deleverage or restructure. Leverage at 100% of assets — consider sale of non-core assets or equity injection. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (78/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredKey financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-07-31 | 2024-07-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £70.3k | £76.1k |
| Current assets | £17.3k | £21.7k |
| Net assets | £23.0k | £36.3k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
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
- • 1 accounts
Corporate timeline (19 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-11-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-02-29📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2024-02-28📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-02-28📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-02-28📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-02-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-02-27📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2024-02-27📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2024-02-26📄capital-allotment-sharescapital · SH01
- 2023-12-11📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2022-09-14📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-10-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-11-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-08-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-03-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2013-05-17🏢Company incorporatedAs 4L (UK) LTD
- 2013-05-17➕FARREL, Leon appointeddirector
Owner dependency
The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +No director turnover: Company is 13 years old with no director changes — suggests a very tight-knit founder team never broadened.
Succession & seller-readiness
Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 13 years.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanShareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mrs Helen Louise Farrel Individual · British · DOB 09/1984 · age 42 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 08/02/2024 |
Mr Leon Farrel Individual · British · DOB 06/1976 · age 50 | 25–50% | 25–50% | 25-50% shares · 25-50% voting | 17/05/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Manufacturing · BS postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 DELTA ENGINEERING EC LIMITED→ 02903909 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 32y | — | — |
| 20/20 FITNESS SERVICES LIMITED→ 10103046 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| 2601 CREATIVE PRINT LTD→ 08960428 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| 27 WEB MANAGEMENT LIMITED→ 11317325 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| 28 TECHNOLOGY LIMITED→ 07455186 · est 2010 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 15y | — | — |
| 299 LIGHTING LIMITED→ 06927908 · est 2009 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 16y | — | — |
| 2HGEN LIMITED→ 13553162 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| 2XGL LTD→ 11820372 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| 3DPRINTSHED LTD→ 13181658 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| 4 CONCRETE LTD→ 10328865 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
| A.B.C. (ENAMELLING & FABRICATIONS) LIMITED→ 01291149 · est 1976 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 49y | — | — |
| A&B REFURBISHMENTS LTD→ 15806069 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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 →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
Registered office
Filing status
Officers (1 active · 0 resigned)
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.