ABERDEEN JOURNALS LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC015256 · ltd · incorporated 1928-09-22
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 18110
Sector: Manufacturing
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 58130Publishing of newspapers
Investor take
Pursue
Conservative operator with a 76-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.

Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (83/100, director aged 76). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: strategic trade sale (78/100).

Data confidence

Overall: medium (75/100)

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
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
31 officers (3 active, 31 linked, 22 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
20 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
172 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
🔒Estimated company valuation

Sector-multiple EBITDA, turnover, and NAV-proxy valuation range with confidence tier — derived from extracted iXBRL financials.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →
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 · FRS 102
Profitable
Profit before tax £3,827,986

Key financials

1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-03-31
Profit before tax£3.83M
Average employees143

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
2
filings
  • • 2 officers
Last 90 days
2
filings
  • • 2 officers
Last 180 days
3
filings
  • • 2 officers
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (73 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-04-01
    ➕
    MCCALL, Peter appointed
    secretary
  2. 2026-04-01
    📄
    appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP03
  3. 2026-04-01
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  4. 2026-03-31
    ➖
    EVANS, Susannah resigned
    secretary
  5. 2025-12-10
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2024-12-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2023-12-21
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  8. 2022-12-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2022-04-01
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  10. 2022-03-31
    ➖
    THOMSON, Andrew Francis resigned
    director
  11. 2021-12-22
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  12. 2021-04-01
    ➖
    WATSON, Ellis Alan Nicholas resigned
    director
  13. 2021-04-01
    📄
    termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM01
  14. 2021-01-15
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2019-12-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2019-03-11
    📄
    appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP03
  17. 2019-03-11
    📄
    termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
    officers · TM02
  18. 2019-03-05
    ➖
    DOUGLAS, Irene resigned
    secretary
  19. 2019-03-05
    ➕
    EVANS, Susannah appointed
    secretary
  20. 2018-12-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  21. 2018-10-15
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  22. 2018-10-15
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  23. 2018-09-10
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  24. 2014-05-14
    ➕
    DOUGLAS, Irene appointed
    secretary
  25. 2014-05-14
    ➖
    MUTCH, Watson resigned
    secretary
  26. 2014-05-14
    ➖
    MUTCH, Watson resigned
    director
  27. 2013-09-27
    ➕
    WATSON, Ellis Alan Nicholas appointed
    director
  28. 2011-09-09
    ➖
    SCOTT, Alan Albert resigned
    director
  29. 2010-12-21
    ➖
    TUCKER, Derek resigned
    director
  30. 2006-04-02
    ➕
    THOMSON, Christopher Harold William appointed
    director
  31. 2006-04-02
    ➕
    THOMSON, David Howard Eric appointed
    director
  32. 2006-04-02
    ➖
    COLLINS, Paul Simon resigned
    secretary
  33. 2006-04-02
    ➕
    MUTCH, Watson appointed
    secretary
  34. 2006-04-02
    ➖
    HINDLEY, Martyn John resigned
    director
  35. 2006-04-02
    ➖
    PELOSI, Michael Paul resigned
    director
  36. 2006-04-02
    ➕
    THOMSON, Andrew Francis appointed
    director
  37. 2005-02-01
    ➕
    HINDLEY, Martyn John appointed
    director
  38. 2004-08-24
    ➖
    BEATTY, Kevin Joseph resigned
    director
  39. 2004-01-16
    ➖
    BLAIR, Andrew Gordon resigned
    director
  40. 2001-09-03
    ➕
    BEATTY, Kevin Joseph appointed
    director
  41. 2001-09-03
    ➖
    DAVIDSON, Alexander Lindsay resigned
    director
  42. 2001-02-01
    ➕
    MUTCH, Watson appointed
    director
  43. 1996-10-14
    ➕
    COLLINS, Paul Simon appointed
    secretary
  44. 1996-10-11
    ➖
    GLASS, Roland Edmondson resigned
    secretary
  45. 1996-09-02
    ➕
    BLAIR, Andrew Gordon appointed
    director
  46. 1996-07-01
    ➕
    GLASS, Roland Edmondson appointed
    secretary
  47. 1996-06-27
    ➖
    PERRIE, James Miller resigned
    secretary
  48. 1996-06-27
    ➖
    PERRIE, James Miller resigned
    director
  49. 1996-03-14
    ➕
    PERRIE, James Miller appointed
    director
  50. 1996-03-14
    ➕
    TUCKER, Derek appointed
    director
Showing most recent 50 of 73 events

Owner dependency

91/100
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
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 20 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 76 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

86/100
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 76 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 20 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

clean
No red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)

Group structure

Dc Thomson & Company Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Dc Thomson & Company Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
ultimate parent
⬇
ABERDEEN JOURNALS LIMITED
This company · SC015256

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Dc Thomson & Company Limited
Corporate entity
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.

See pricing →

Company details

Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1928-09-22
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC18110 — SIC 18110

Registered office

Courier Buildings
2 Albert Square
Dundee
DD1 9QJ
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-08-14
Last: 2025-07-31

Officers (3 active · 28 resigned)

MCCALL, Peter→
secretary · appointed 2026-04-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
THOMSON, Christopher Harold William→
director · ~76y · appointed 2006-04-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
THOMSON, David Howard Eric→
director · ~53y · appointed 2006-04-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
COLLINS, Paul Simon→
secretary · appointed 1996-10-14 · resigned 2006-04-02
Resigned
DOUGLAS, Irene→
secretary · appointed 2014-05-14 · resigned 2019-03-05
Resigned
EVANS, Susannah→
secretary · appointed 2019-03-05 · resigned 2026-03-31
Resigned
GLASS, Roland Edmondson→
secretary · appointed 1996-07-01 · resigned 1996-10-11
Resigned
GRIERSON, Ian David→
secretary · resigned 1993-05-28
Resigned
JAMES, Michael Basil→
secretary · appointed 1993-05-28 · resigned 1994-02-23
Resigned
MUTCH, Watson→
secretary · appointed 2006-04-02 · resigned 2014-05-14
Resigned
PERRIE, James Miller→
secretary · appointed 1994-02-23 · resigned 1996-06-27
Resigned
ADDLEY, Stephen Boyd→
director · ~76y · appointed 1994-11-23 · resigned 1996-01-05
Resigned
BEATTY, Kevin Joseph→
director · ~69y · appointed 2001-09-03 · resigned 2004-08-24
Resigned
BLAIR, Andrew Gordon→
director · ~62y · appointed 1996-09-02 · resigned 2004-01-16
Resigned
DAVIDSON, Alexander Lindsay→
director · ~80y · appointed 1996-02-29 · resigned 2001-09-03
Resigned
GARNER, Stuart Montague→
director · ~82y · appointed 1994-05-31 · resigned 1996-01-05
Resigned
HEEPS, William→
director · ~97y · resigned 1993-05-25
Resigned
HINDLEY, Martyn John→
director · ~64y · appointed 2005-02-01 · resigned 2006-04-02
Resigned
JAMES, Michael Basil→
director · ~89y · appointed 1993-05-25 · resigned 1995-07-31
Resigned
KNIGHT, Mark David→
director · ~83y · appointed 1996-01-05 · resigned 1996-02-29
Resigned

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

Recent filings (172 total)

appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-date
officers · AP03
2026-04-01
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2026-04-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2025-12-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-07-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-07-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-21
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-08-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-08-04
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2022-04-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2021-12-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-08-06
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2021-04-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2021-01-15