A & K BUILDING SERVICES LIMITED
Company number 04607167 · Monitor this company
This analysis was written by an AI from the company's public filings. It may contain errors or omissions and is not financial or professional advice.
Credit Assessment: A & K Building Services Limited
1. Credit Opinion: APPROVE
Rationale: This is a well-established, profitable business with a 22-year trading history demonstrating consistent and impressive growth in net assets. The balance sheet is strong with £1.58M in equity against £762K total liabilities, yielding a comfortable debt-to-equity ratio of approximately 48%. Liquidity is sound with a current ratio of 2.28x, and the company holds substantial tangible assets (property at £1.28M NBV) providing collateral coverage. The primary risks are sector cyclicality and key-person dependency on the sole director, but these are manageable with standard covenants.
2. Financial Strength
Balance Sheet Composition (FY2024):
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed Assets | £1,528,529 | Dominated by land & buildings (£1,282,364) |
| Current Assets | £812,113 | Stock £54K, Debtors £365K, Cash £392K |
| Current Liabilities | (£356,041) | Trade creditors £176K, HP £6K, Tax £162K |
| Long-term Liabilities | (£405,758) | Bank loans £406K |
| Net Assets | £1,578,843 | Up 19.3% YoY |
Key Observations: - Equity growth trajectory is exceptional: Net assets have grown from £123K (2015) to £1.58M (2024) — a compound annual growth rate of approximately 33% over nine years. This demonstrates disciplined retention of profits. - Retained profits drive the balance sheet: P&L reserve increased by £255,411 in FY2024 (from £1,247,832 to £1,503,243), indicating strong operational profitability. - Significant capital investment: £636,799 in additions during FY2024, primarily in land and buildings (£504K) and motor vehicles (£111K). This signals confidence in the business and provides strong asset backing. - Gearing is moderate: Total debt (£762K) against equity (£1.58M) gives a debt-to-equity ratio of 48%. The long-term bank loan (£406K) appears to be property-related and is reducing (down from £431K), suggesting amortisation is on track.
Concern: The company has only £100 in called-up share capital, meaning the equity cushion is almost entirely retained profits. While this is common for small owner-managed companies, it does mean dividends could rapidly erode the capital base if unrestricted.
3. Cash Flow Assessment
Liquidity Position:
| Metric | FY2024 | FY2023 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | £392,478 | £534,136 | ▼ 26.5% |
| Current Ratio | 2.28x | 3.48x | ▼ |
| Quick Ratio | 2.13x | 3.33x | ▼ |
| Net Current Assets | £456,072 | £789,310 | ▼ 42.2% |
Analysis: - The decline in cash and net current assets is explained by the significant capital expenditure programme (£637K in additions). This is investment-driven, not operational deterioration. - Trade debtors increased 36% (from £267K to £363K). This warrants monitoring — it could reflect business growth or slowing collections. Debtor days analysis would clarify this, but the raw data is not concerning given the cash position. - Trade creditors increased 44% (from £122K to £176K), broadly in line with debtor growth, suggesting the business is scaling. - Working capital of £456K remains robust and more than covers the current liability base with comfortable headroom. - The HP obligations are modest (£6,313 current) and declining, indicating the company is not over-leveraged on asset finance.
Cash Flow Trajectory: The company has historically operated with lower cash balances (as low as £4,564 in 2015) and has clearly improved its cash generation capability. The current £392K cash position is healthy relative to the business size.
4. Monitoring Points
| Metric | Current Position | Watch Threshold | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 2.28x | <1.5x | Early warning of liquidity strain |
| Trade Debtor Days | Unknown (debtors £365K) | >60 days | Collection efficiency critical in construction |
| Dividend Extraction | £0 apparent (retained profits growing) | Any dividend >50% of annual profit | Director owns >75% — could extract significant funds without restriction |
| Bank Loan Balance | £406K | Missed repayments or restructuring | Long-term debt is the primary fixed obligation |
| Net Assets Trend | £1.58M (growing) | Any year-on-year decline | Would signal either losses or dividend extraction |
| Key Person Risk | Anthony Pagett (sole director, >75% shareholder) | Death/incapacity | No apparent succession plan; 3 employees only |
| Sector Conditions | Building completion/finishing | Contract pipeline, construction PMI | Cyclicality of construction sector |
Additional Considerations: - Filing compliance: Accounts and confirmation statement are up to date with no overdue filings — positive governance indicator. - Director conduct: No disqualification records identified. Anthony Pagett has been with the company since incorporation (22 years), demonstrating stability. - Related party: Christine Pagett serves as secretary — family business structure, which is typical but adds key-person concentration. - Audit exemption: Company operates under small companies regime with no audit. This is standard but limits independent verification of financials.