HUGH SIMPSON (CONTRACTORS) LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
SC067751 · ltd · incorporated 1979-05-01
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
—
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Turnover
—
year to Oct 2024
Net worth
£11.00M
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other specialised construction activities n.e.c.
Sector: Construction
Investor take
Pursue
Active trading company. Family succession underway — not a classic acquisition target.

Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Same-surname younger director in place — likely family handover, not open to sale. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Cash flow review and working-capital discipline. Cash down -64% YoY — forensic review of receivables, stock turns, and creditor days. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

3 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 25.0y

30/100
under pressure

Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.

  • · Oldest live charge is 25.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Cashflow trend is negative — lender view likely cautious.

Data confidence

Overall: high (80/100)

Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.

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
3 charges (3/3 with lender, 3/3 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (4 active, 8 linked, 6 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
101 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.

Signals from accounts

Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declared
Positive net assets
Net assets £11,004,905
Cash draining
Cash down 64% YoY
Cash YoY
-64%
Year on year

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
£468k
↓ 64% YoY
Net Worth
£11m
↑ 4.9% YoY
Current Assets
£3.2m
↓ 13% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
£0£2.2m£4.4m£6.6m£8.8m£11mOct 2023Oct 2024

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown
Metric2024-10-312023-10-31
Total assets£12.66M£12.15M
Current assets£3.24M£3.71M
Cash£468.0k£1.32M
Debtors£2.65M£2.26M
Net assets£11.00M£10.49M

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

2 signals 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
0
filings
Last 180 days
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (30 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-07-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-07-28
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-07-31
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  4. 2022-07-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  5. 2021-10-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
    accounts · AA
  6. 2021-09-09
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  7. 2021-09-09
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  8. 2021-09-01
    ➕
    SIMPSON, David James appointed
    director
  9. 2021-09-01
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Hugh Alexander appointed
    director
  10. 2020-11-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  11. 2019-07-30
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  12. 2019-02-26
    📍
    change-registered-office-address-company-with-date-old-address-new-address
    address · AD01
  13. 2018-08-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  14. 2017-08-01
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  15. 2016-08-04
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  16. 2016-05-05
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  17. 2015-08-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  18. 2015-05-06
    📄
    annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
    annual-return · AR01
  19. 2013-05-29
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  20. 2010-01-07
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  21. 2009-12-09
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Clydesdale Bank PLC
  22. 2009-01-11
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Elsie Catherine appointed
    secretary
  23. 2009-01-10
    ➖
    SIMPSON, Catherine resigned
    secretary
  24. 2009-01-10
    ➖
    SIMPSON, Catherine resigned
    director
  25. 2001-04-20
    ➖
    SIMPSON, William resigned
    director
  26. 2001-04-20
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
  27. 1996-03-06
    ➖
    SIMPSON, Hugh resigned
    director
  28. 1994-07-07
    ➕
    SIMPSON, Hugh appointed
    director
  29. 1994-07-07
    ➕
    SIMPSON, William appointed
    director
  30. 1979-05-01
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As HUGH SIMPSON (CONTRACTORS) LIMITED

Owner dependency

98/100
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
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "SIMPSON" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 32 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 66 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

40/100
Moderate signal

Some succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFamily succession underway: Not a takeover target — SIMPSON, David James (same surname) appointed 2021-09-01. Pattern consistent with intra-family handover.
  • primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 66. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 32 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 47 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

clean
No 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%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr Hugh Simpson
Individual · British · DOB 10/1960 · age 66
75–100%
75–100%75-100% shares · 75-100% voting06/04/2016

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
Incorporated1979-05-01
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC43999 — Other specialised construction activities n.e.c.

Registered office

The Harbour
The Harbour
Wick
KW1 5HA
Scotland

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2026-07-31
Last made up to: 2024-10-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-05-18
Last: 2025-05-04

Officers (4 active · 4 resigned)

SIMPSON, Elsie Catherine→
secretary · appointed 2009-01-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SIMPSON, David James→
director · ~43y · appointed 2021-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SIMPSON, Hugh Alexander→
director · ~44y · appointed 2021-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SIMPSON, Hugh→
director · ~66y · appointed 1994-07-07
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
SIMPSON, Catherine→
secretary · resigned 2009-01-10
Resigned
SIMPSON, Catherine→
director · ~94y · resigned 2009-01-10
Resigned
SIMPSON, Hugh→
director · ~99y · resigned 1996-03-06
Resigned
SIMPSON, William→
director · ~72y · appointed 1994-07-07 · resigned 2001-04-20
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

3
Total charges
2
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:3 of 3 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
A registered charge1 property29/05/2013—
outstanding
Virgin Money
Clydesdale Bank PLC
Floating charge1 property09/12/2009—
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
Bond & floating charge1 property20/04/200107/01/2010
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (101 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-07-30
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-07-28
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-07-31
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2022-07-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2021-10-29
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-09-09
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-09-09
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-05-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2020-11-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-05-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2019-07-30