WALKER CONSULTING ENGINEERS LTD

Executive Summary

Walker Consulting Engineers Ltd shows promising equity growth and asset stability but faces short-term liquidity challenges due to negative working capital and reliance on director loans. Credit approval is possible with conditions focusing on cash flow monitoring and prudent debt management. Continued financial discipline and operational growth will be essential to mitigate risks associated with its current funding structure.

WALKER CONSULTING ENGINEERS LTD - Analysis Report

Company Number: 14469858

Analysis Date: 2025-07-20 13:11 UTC

1. Credit Opinion: CONDITIONAL APPROVAL. Walker Consulting Engineers Ltd is a relatively new company (incorporated late 2022) showing a strengthening balance sheet with net assets doubling from £255k to £502k in one year. However, significant current liabilities exceed current assets, resulting in a negative working capital position, which poses a liquidity risk. The company relies heavily on director loans (£296k current) and medium-term debt finance (£228k). Given its small scale and lack of employees, it is important to monitor cash flow closely. Lending could be considered with conditions such as periodic financial reviews and limits on additional short-term borrowings.

2. Financial Strength: The company’s fixed assets (investments) remain stable at £1.2m, which forms the bulk of total assets. Shareholders’ funds have increased considerably, reflecting accumulated retained earnings or capital injections, improving solvency. However, current liabilities (£540k) significantly exceed current assets (cash only £71k), creating a net current liability of £469k. This indicates potential short-term funding pressure. Long-term debt has reduced from £404k to £229k, which is positive. Overall, the balance sheet shows improving equity but weak liquidity.

3. Cash Flow Assessment: Cash on hand decreased from £170k to £71k year-on-year, which along with negative working capital indicates constrained operational liquidity. The absence of employees suggests limited payroll outgoings, but it also implies potential dependency on a few contracts or projects. The large director loan balance (£297k) provides some internal funding flexibility but also reflects reliance on insider support rather than external credit. Monitoring operating cash flow conversions and debt servicing ability will be critical.

4. Monitoring Points:

• Working capital trends, especially current assets vs. current liabilities.
• Cash balance fluctuations and operating cash flow sufficiency.
• Changes in director loan balances and repayment patterns.
• Debt repayment schedule adherence and refinancing risk.
• Growth in turnover and profitability to support self-sustaining cash generation.
• Any changes in management or control that could impact governance or financial stewardship.