IAN JOHNSTON & SONS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
SC035263 · ltd · incorporated 1960-05-16
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
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to May 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 01500
Sector: Agriculture, forestry & fishing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 81-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 81). 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 (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
5 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 42.1y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 42.1 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
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
5 charges (5/5 with lender, 5/5 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (4 active, 7 linked, 5 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
118 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
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
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-05-31 | 2024-05-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 1 | 100 |
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 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (31 events)Click to expand
- 2026-02-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-02-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-06-01📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2024-05-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-30📄gazette-notice-compulsorygazette · GAZ1
- 2023-02-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-05-26📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-05-09🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Charlotte Theresa Lane
- 2022-05-03📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-04-29📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2022-04-29🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2022-04-26🔒Charge registered #4Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
- 2022-04-19📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-04-19📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-04-11🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
- 2022-04-07🔒Charge registered #3Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
- 2022-03-31📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-02-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2019-06-21📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2019-02-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-15📄gazette-filings-brought-up-to-dategazette · DISS40
- 2012-01-24➕JOHNSTON, Ian Bruce appointeddirector
- 2012-01-24➕JOHNSTON, Stewart Alexander appointeddirector
- 2011-02-21➕JOHNSTON, Florence appointeddirector
- 2010-09-26➖JOHNSTON, Ian Routledge resigneddirector
- 2006-07-05➕BLACKADDERS LLP appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2006-07-05➖STRONACHS resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 1997-06-24➖JOHNSTON, Edward William resigneddirector
- 1984-03-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company
- 1960-05-16🏢Company incorporatedAs IAN JOHNSTON & SONS LIMITED
Owner dependency
98/100
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
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "JOHNSTON" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 15 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 81 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
83/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 81 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 15 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 66 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| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Florence Johnston Individual · Scottish · DOB 08/1945 · age 81 | 50–75% | 50–75% | board control50-75% shares · 50-75% voting · board control · firm interest | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Florence Johnstonceased 21/06/2019· 50-75% shares
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Similar companies
Active · Agriculture · AB postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FYVIE ESTATE MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED→ SC052080 · est 1972 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 53y | — | — |
| GRAMPIAN AGRICULTURAL SERVICES LTD.→ SC294646 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| GROUND BOUND LTD→ SC853435 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IAN G DONALD (POTATOES) LTD→ SC331783 · est 2007 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 18y | — | — |
| J L WEST LTD.→ SC299758 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| J MORGAN FISHING LTD→ SC732920 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| J N I AGRICULTURAL LIMITED→ SC511191 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| J. DOUGLAS FOWLIE LIMITED→ SC157213 · est 1995 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| J.A. BUCHAN LTD.→ SC268534 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| J.A.L. (FISHING) LIMITED→ SC241182 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | — | — |
| J.J. FISHING LTD.→ SC343627 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| JACK SLEIGH & SONS LIMITED→ SC063668 · est 1977 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 48y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1960-05-16
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC01500 — SIC 01500
Registered office
6 Bon Accord Square
Aberdeen
AB11 6XU
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-02-28
Last made up to: 2025-05-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-06-15
Last: 2025-06-01
Officers (4 active · 3 resigned)
BLACKADDERS LLP→
Activecorporate-secretary · appointed 2006-07-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
JOHNSTON, Florence→
Activedirector · ~81y · appointed 2011-02-21
View their other companies + combined net worth →
JOHNSTON, Ian Bruce→
Activedirector · ~58y · appointed 2012-01-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
JOHNSTON, Stewart Alexander→
Activedirector · ~52y · appointed 2012-01-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
STRONACHS→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · resigned 2006-07-05
JOHNSTON, Edward William→
Resigneddirector · ~78y · resigned 1997-06-24
JOHNSTON, Ian Routledge→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · resigned 2010-09-26
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
5
Total charges
4
Outstanding
3
Active lenders
Status:Lender:5 of 5 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Charlotte Theresa Lane | A registered charge | 1 property | 09/05/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 26/04/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 11/04/2022 | — | |
| satisfied | The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 07/04/2022 | 29/04/2022 | |
| outstanding | Virgin Money Clydesdale Bank Public Limited Company | Floating charge | 1 property | 30/03/1984 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (118 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2026-02-27
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-02
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-02-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-04
gazette-filings-brought-up-to-date
gazette · DISS40
2024-06-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-05-29
gazette-notice-compulsory
gazette · GAZ1
2024-04-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-06-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2023-02-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-06-07
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-05-26
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-05-03
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2022-04-29
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-04-19
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-04-19