EMS (FIFE) LIMITED
Opportunity 76/100 (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: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsHover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2024-07-31 | 2023-07-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 400 | 400 |
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
Corporate timeline (9 events)Click to expand
- 2025-04-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2024-04-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-07-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2022-04-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2021-04-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2020-07-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2018-07-23🏢Company incorporatedAs EMS (FIFE) LIMITED
- 2018-07-23➕HEADEN, David Mark appointeddirector
- 2018-07-23📄incorporation-companyincorporation · NEWINC
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.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
- +No director turnover: Company is 8 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.
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 64. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
Red flags
cleanShareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr David Mark Headen Individual · British · DOB 04/1962 · age 64 | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 23/07/2018 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
Active · Automotive · KY postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLEAR & THOMSON LIMITED→ SC028660 · est 1951 | £2.08M £1.66M–£2.49M | — | — | — | 74y | 82 | 80y |
| FIFE AUTO CENTRE LTD.→ SC194842 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 27y | 83 | 64y |
| ALAN BENNIE MOTOR ENGINEERS LIMITED→ SC260726 · est 2003 | — | — | — | 700 | 22y | 82 | 58y |
| BODYWYSE AUTOCARE LIMITED→ SC285841 · est 2005 | — | — | £1.08M | — | 20y | 82 | 59y |
| CLEVEDEN CARS LIMITED→ SC180119 · est 1997 | — | — | — | 200 | 28y | 82 | 63y |
| FIFE ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE LIMITED→ SC276436 · est 2004 | — | — | — | 1100 | 21y | 82 | 64y |
| FIFE SEAT LIMITED→ SC331707 · est 2007 | — | — | £26.8k | — | 18y | 82 | 59y |
| FRANK MUNRO & SONS LIMITED→ SC241429 · est 2002 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 23y | 82 | 62y |
| GRANGE GARAGE (FIFE) LIMITED→ SC217994 · est 2001 | — | — | — | 200 | 25y | 82 | 66y |
| SHIFTY PSYCLES LTD→ SC864645 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SINCLAIR-ROJAS LIMITED→ SC152154 · est 1994 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 31y | — | — |
| SWAN CAR BROKERS LTD→ SC822342 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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 →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)
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