Annotated sample · Credit Analysts report
Example company credit report
This annotated example walks through every section of a full UK company credit report, so you know exactly what you are reading before you buy one. The notes in teal explain what each part means.
| Registered Number | 09246173 | Sales | £22,450,300 |
| Date Incorporated | 14 May 1998 | Pre-Tax Profit | £1,256,300 |
| Date Latest Accounts | 31 March 2026 | Working Capital | £4,080,000 |
| Employees | 84 | Net Assets | £6,654,215 |
What the summary tells you
The headline snapshot: size (sales, employees), profitability (pre-tax profit) and financial strength (working capital and net assets).| Risk Score (1–100) | 78 |
| Risk Assessment | Very Low Risk |
| Credit Limit | £420,000 |
Score & Limit
The risk score (here 78 out of 100, where a higher score means lower risk) and the suggested credit limit are the headline of the report. Both are a guide to inform your decision, not a guarantee.| Legal Form | Private company limited by shares |
| Previous Names | BRONZEBRIDGE HAWSEN TRADING LIMITED |
| Registered Number | 09246173 |
| Annual Return | 14 May 2026 |
| Registered Office | Tanners Court, 5 Wharf Road, Leeds LS10 1AB |
| Auditors | HALLWORTH & PAGE LLP |
| SIC Code & Operations | 46690 — Wholesale of other machinery and equipment |
| Parent Company | None |
| Ultimate Parent | None — independent company |
| Group Structure | Not part of a group |
Identity & group
Confirms you are reporting on the right entity, and shows whether it sits within a wider group. This company is independent, so its credit standing rests on its own results.| Shareholder | Shares | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Mr Alan Hargreaves Mercer | 60,000 | Ordinary £1 |
| Mrs Priya Devlin Okoro | 40,000 | Ordinary £1 |
Who owns the company
The principal shareholders hold the issued share capital (here 100,000 £1 ordinary shares, matching the £100,000 share capital on the balance sheet).| Name | Role | Date of Birth | Appointed | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Alan Hargreaves Mercer | Director | 12 March 1969 | 14 May 1998 | British |
| Mrs Priya Devlin Okoro | Director | 28 September 1974 | 02 June 2010 | British |
| Ms Helen Margaret Carrow | Secretary | – | 14 May 1998 | British |
People with significant control
A full report links each director to their other appointments. The Director Search example shows that in detail.| Period | Last 12m | 13–24m | 25–36m | 37–48m | 49–60m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of CCJs | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Value of CCJs | £0 | £0 | £540 | £0 | £0 |
| Date | Court | Amount | Status | Plaintiff Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 August 2023 | LEEDS | £540 | Satisfied | 4LS09188 |
Why CCJs matter
CCJs are a strong public signal of payment difficulty. A single small, satisfied judgment from over two years ago carries far less weight than recent or unsatisfied ones. CCJ data is sourced from the Registry Trust.| Date of Filing | Details |
|---|---|
| 12 December 2026 | New Accounts Filed |
| 14 May 2026 | Confirmation Statement |
| 12 December 2025 | New Accounts Filed |
| 14 May 2025 | Confirmation Statement |
| 12 December 2024 | New Accounts Filed |
| 14 May 2024 | Confirmation Statement |
| 14 May 1998 | Incorporated |
Filing track record
A steady record of accounts filed and confirmation statements on time is itself a positive sign. Gaps or late filings can be an early warning.| Paid before due | Paid late | Current due | Current overdue | Invoices sampled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92% | 5% | 0% | 3% | 38 |
A forward-looking signal
How promptly a company actually settles its bills often predicts trouble earlier than the filed accounts.| Date of Accounts | 31/03/26 | 31/03/25 | 31/03/24 | 31/03/23 | 31/03/22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover Sales excluding VAT | 22,450,300 | 20,180,900 | 18,640,500 | 16,920,750 | 15,340,200 |
| Cost of Sales | 16,160,000 | 14,530,000 | 13,420,000 | 12,180,000 | 11,045,000 |
| Gross Profit | 6,290,300 | 5,650,900 | 5,220,500 | 4,740,750 | 4,295,200 |
| Operating Costs | 4,990,000 | 4,620,000 | 4,360,000 | 4,050,000 | 3,760,000 |
| Interest Payable | 44,000 | 49,000 | 54,000 | 58,000 | 62,000 |
| Pre-Tax Profit | 1,256,300 | 981,900 | 806,500 | 632,750 | 473,200 |
| Taxation & Dividends | 376,890 | 294,570 | 241,950 | 189,825 | 141,960 |
| Retained Profit | 879,410 | 687,330 | 564,550 | 442,925 | 331,240 |
Reading the P&L
Work down from turnover to retained profit. Rising turnover with a steady gross margin and growing pre-tax profit points to a healthy business.| Date of Accounts | 31/03/26 | 31/03/25 | 31/03/24 | 31/03/23 | 31/03/22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tangible Assets | 3,360,000 | 3,180,000 | 3,010,000 | 2,820,000 | 2,650,000 |
| Intangible Assets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Fixed Assets | 3,360,000 | 3,180,000 | 3,010,000 | 2,820,000 | 2,650,000 |
| Stocks & WIP | 2,760,000 | 2,520,000 | 2,330,000 | 2,160,000 | 1,980,000 |
| Debtors | 3,260,000 | 2,960,000 | 2,720,000 | 2,480,000 | 2,260,000 |
| Cash | 1,620,000 | 1,260,000 | 980,000 | 780,000 | 620,000 |
| Other Current Assets | 430,000 | 400,000 | 380,000 | 360,000 | 340,000 |
| Total Current Assets | 8,070,000 | 7,140,000 | 6,410,000 | 5,780,000 | 5,200,000 |
| Current Liabilities | 3,990,000 | 3,780,000 | 3,610,000 | 3,420,000 | 3,250,000 |
| Working Capital | 4,080,000 | 3,360,000 | 2,800,000 | 2,360,000 | 1,950,000 |
| Long-Term Liabilities | 785,785 | 765,195 | 722,525 | 657,075 | 520,000 |
| Net Assets | 6,654,215 | 5,774,805 | 5,087,475 | 4,522,925 | 4,080,000 |
| Share Capital & Premium | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Retained Earnings | 6,554,215 | 5,674,805 | 4,987,475 | 4,422,925 | 3,980,000 |
| Shareholders Funds | 6,654,215 | 5,774,805 | 5,087,475 | 4,522,925 | 4,080,000 |
Strength and solvency
Net assets are everything owned less everything owed. Positive and rising net assets, with current assets comfortably above current liabilities, indicate the company can meet its obligations.| Date of Accounts | 31/03/26 | 31/03/25 | 31/03/24 | 31/03/23 | 31/03/22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Cost of Sales | 72.0 | 72.0 | 72.0 | 72.0 | 72.0 |
| Gross Profit | 28.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 |
| Operating Costs | 22.2 | 22.9 | 23.4 | 23.9 | 24.5 |
| Pre-Tax Profit | 5.6 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.1 |
| Total Assets | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Total Fixed Assets | 29.4 | 30.8 | 32.0 | 32.8 | 33.8 |
| Total Current Assets | 70.6 | 69.2 | 68.0 | 67.2 | 66.2 |
| Current Liabilities | 34.9 | 36.6 | 38.3 | 39.8 | 41.4 |
| Net Assets | 58.2 | 56.0 | 54.0 | 52.6 | 52.0 |
Comparing like with like
Common-size restates the P&L as a percentage of turnover and the balance sheet as a percentage of total assets, so you can compare years on the same footing.| Date of Accounts | 31/03/26 | 31/03/25 | 31/03/24 | 31/03/23 | 31/03/22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 2.02 | 1.89 | 1.78 | 1.69 | 1.60 |
| Acid Test | 1.33 | 1.22 | 1.13 | 1.06 | 0.99 |
| Stock Turnover | 5.86 | 5.77 | 5.76 | 5.64 | 5.58 |
| Credit Period (days) | 53.00 | 53.54 | 53.26 | 53.50 | 53.77 |
| Return on Capital (%) | 16.89 | 15.01 | 13.88 | 12.22 | 10.29 |
| Return on Assets (%) | 10.99 | 9.51 | 8.56 | 7.36 | 6.03 |
| Pre-Tax Margin (%) | 5.60 | 4.87 | 4.33 | 3.74 | 3.08 |
| Return on Shareholders Funds (%) | 18.88 | 17.00 | 15.85 | 13.99 | 11.60 |
| Equity Gearing (%) | 58.22 | 55.96 | 54.01 | 52.59 | 51.97 |
| Debt Gearing (%) | 11.81 | 13.25 | 14.20 | 14.53 | 12.75 |
What the ratios show here
Liquidity is improving (current ratio rising above 2.0), returns are strengthening (return on capital and pre-tax margin both up year on year), and gearing remains modest.| Number of Mortgages / Charges | 2 |
| Satisfied | 1 |
| Outstanding | 1 |
| Most Recent Charge | Fixed and floating charge — Barclays Bank PLC |
Who has first call on the assets
Registered charges show which lenders have security over the company’s assets, which can affect what an unsecured trade creditor would recover if the company failed.| Liquidation valuation | Estimate | Measure | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated High Value | £4,300,000 | Total Assets | £11,430,000 |
| Estimated Mid Value | £3,300,000 | Net Assets | £6,654,215 |
| Estimated Low Value | £2,050,000 | Tangible Equity | £6,654,215 |
An asset-based estimate
The liquidation valuation estimates what the assets might realise if the company stopped trading and assets were sold quickly. It is indicative only.Business Growth✓Turnover has grown in each of the last five years.
EBITDA✓Earnings before interest, tax and depreciation are rising year on year.
Retained Profits✓Profits have been retained and added to reserves every year.
Dividends–No dividends declared; profits reinvested in the business.
CCJs–One small, satisfied judgment over two years ago; none recent.
Age of Company✓Established company with a long trading history.
Solvency✓Liabilities are well covered by the asset base.
Secured Creditors–One outstanding charge over company assets.
Ownership✓Independent company; not dependent on a parent or group.
At a glance
The checklist turns the detail into simple ticks and flags. Here the picture is strongly positive.This appraisal is based on the company’s results to 31 March 2026. Turnover reached £22,450,300, up from £20,180,900 the year before and £18,640,500 two years earlier, with growth in every one of the last five years and an increase of just under 10% in the latest period. The gross margin has held steady at around 28%, so the extra sales have fed through to profit rather than being given away on price.
Pre-tax profit rose to £1,256,300 and EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) reached £1,563,300, up from £1,276,900 the previous year. Directors’ remuneration for the year was £820,000. After tax and dividends the company retained £879,410 of profit (against £687,330 the year before), continuing to build reserves.
The balance sheet is comfortable. Working capital stands at £4,080,000, with current assets well above amounts due within the year, and net assets have grown to £6,654,215. Long-term debt remains modest and gearing has eased as reserves have built. On this evidence the company presents a low credit risk, and the credit limit reflects that.
8 / 10 — Very Good
Financial strength
This score rates the company’s underlying financial strength and performance on a scale to 10, where 10 is the strongest. It is drawn from the filed accounts — the balance sheet, profitability and the trend over several years — so it reflects financial health. Here the company scores 8, ‘Very Good’.| Altman Z-Score | 4.41 — Low Risk (above 2.6) |
Z Score model
The Altman Z-Score is a long-established, independent measure of business-failure risk that combines several financial ratios into a single number. A score above 2.6 sits in the low-risk band, 1.1 to 2.6 is a cautionary middle zone, and below 1.1 indicates higher risk. Here the score of 4.41 sits comfortably in the low-risk band.Run a real report. Search any UK company to see its actual credit report through First Report.
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