FRONTLINE LIMITED
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Next accounts due
2026-09-30 (in 4mo)
Last filed for 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement due
2026-12-03 (in 7mo)
Last made up 2025-11-19
Watchouts
None on the register
Cash
£25M
-19.9% vs 2023
Net assets
£2M
-34.6% vs 2023
Employees
313
+4.7% vs 2023
Profit before tax
£2M
-3.2% vs 2023
Name history
Renamed 4 times since incorporation
- FRONTLINE LIMITED 1993-12-10 → present
- BBC FRONTLINE LIMITED 1990-04-17 → 1993-12-10
- FRONTLINE (EMAP 1988-10-11 → 1990-04-17
- EMAP FRONTLINE LIMITED 1987-02-20 → 1988-10-11
- N.J. PUBLISHING CO. LIMITED(THE) 1937-07-08 → 1987-02-20
Net assets
2-year trend · vs Consumer Discretionary median
Accounts
2-year trend · latest reflected 2024-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £192,093,000 | £197,340,000 | |
| Operating profit | £898,000 | £728,000 | |
| Profit before tax | £2,030,000 | £1,965,000 | |
| Net profit | £1,860,000 | £1,387,000 | |
| Cash | £31,515,000 | £25,254,000 | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £3,957,000 | £2,792,000 | |
| Net assets | £3,217,000 | £2,104,000 | |
| Equity | £3,217,000 | £2,104,000 | |
| Average employees | 299 | 313 | |
| Wages | £13,259,000 | £14,698,000 |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 0.5% | 0.4% | |
| Net margin | 1.0% | 0.7% | |
| Return on capital employed | 22.7% | 26.1% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 95.2% | 96.5% | |
| Current ratio | 1.01x | 1.00x | |
| Interest cover | 2.78x | 3.66x |
Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 102
- Reporting scope
- Consolidated group
- Auditor
- Rödl & Partner Limited
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“Consequently, the Directors are confident that the Company and Group will have sufficient funds to continue to meet its liabilities as they fall due for at least 12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements and therefore have prepared the financial statements on a going concern basis.”
Group structure
- FRONTLINE LIMITED · parent
- Seymour International Limited 100%
- Seymour Distribution Limited 100%
- Routes to Retail Limited 100%
- Gold Key Media Limited 100%
Significant events
- “The company paid £2,500,000 in dividends during the year (2023 - NIL).”
- “The Group has delivered consecutive years of strong revenue growth, driven by expansion in book distribution and an increase in publisher services income through providing additional services.”
- “After successfully running our first data apprenticeship programme in 2023, we have continued to invest in apprentices in 2024, as well as re-running the data internship programme.”
- “Almost 95% of fleet vehicles are now battery electric vehicles and we will continue to move in this direction as leases come up for renewal.”
- “As of May 2025, the employees of Seymour Distribution Limited and Seymour International Limited have employment contracts with Frontline Limited.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
9 active · 59 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAUER GROUP SECRETARIAT LIMITED | Corporate Secretary | 2011-04-01 | — | — |
| CONSTANDA, Dan | Director | 2025-12-03 | May 1970 | British |
| CORNWELL, Sean Enrico | Director | 2025-12-03 | Oct 1974 | British |
| HAYDEN, Lisa | Director | 2020-11-06 | Mar 1972 | British |
| HOWITT, Nicholas Paul | Director | 2008-04-29 | Apr 1967 | British |
| LANGFORD, Kevin Donald | Director | 2008-05-09 | Jan 1964 | British |
| PARTINGTON, Anna | Director | 2025-12-03 | May 1985 | British |
| PRENTICE, Stephen | Director | 2024-03-29 | Jan 1970 | British |
| STRAETMANS, Frank Carl | Director | 2009-12-04 | Apr 1971 | Belgian |
Show 59 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELSDON, Kate | Secretary | 2007-03-30 | 2007-09-28 |
| FOLLAND, Nicholas James | Secretary | 2002-01-01 | 2007-03-30 |
| NAREBOR, Torugbene Eniyekeye | Secretary | 2007-09-28 | 2008-04-29 |
| WALMSLEY, Derek Kerr | Secretary | 1991-09-26 | 2001-12-31 |
| SISEC LIMITED | Corporate Secretary | 2008-04-29 | 2011-04-01 |
| ARCULUS, Thomas David Guy | Director | — | 1997-03-03 |
| ARTHUR, Marcus Peter | Director | 2006-04-03 | 2008-05-09 |
| BHANDARI, Rahul | Director | 1999-02-19 | 2003-10-13 |
| BLAND, Catherine Mary | Director | 2007-04-10 | 2010-05-24 |
| BRETT, Nicholas Richard John | Director | 2003-12-01 | 2006-04-03 |
| BRETT, Nicholas Richard John | Director | 1998-04-01 | 2003-12-01 |
| BUREAU, Thomas Pierre | Director | 2014-01-22 | 2025-10-31 |
| BURR, Leslie James | Director | — | 1998-05-01 |
| CARTER, David John | Director | 1998-05-01 | 2001-10-19 |
| COSTELLO, Kevin | Director | 2003-12-01 | 2021-10-28 |
| COSTELLO, Neil Christopher | Director | — | 1996-03-20 |
| COTTERILL, Vivien | Director | 2000-12-04 | 2003-03-17 |
| CURTIN, Simon | Director | 1995-06-29 | 2006-03-31 |
| DAUKES, Simon Francis | Director | 1998-05-01 | 2008-04-29 |
| DAVIDSON, Simon Anthony | Director | 2004-04-20 | 2009-08-28 |
| DEMPSEY, Paul Francis | Director | 1998-05-01 | 2001-09-17 |
| DEMPSEY, Paul Francis | Director | 1996-04-30 | 1997-11-11 |
| DUNCAN, Chris | Director | 2022-11-28 | 2024-03-29 |
| ELLIOT, Richard Emmerson | Director | 1999-09-27 | 2005-07-15 |
| EUAN, Deborah | Director | 2000-09-18 | 2006-05-05 |
| FREEMAN, Brian John | Director | 2009-03-09 | 2021-10-28 |
| FREEMAN, Brian John | Director | 2001-01-10 | 2003-12-15 |
| GADSBY, Christopher Michael | Director | 2001-11-21 | 2009-12-04 |
| GEOGHEGAN, Seamus | Director | 2001-01-10 | 2001-09-17 |
| GOODCHILD, David Paul | Director | 2004-12-24 | 2016-05-11 |
| GOUGH, Malcolm Howard | Director | 1994-09-07 | 2002-06-24 |
| GRIGSON, David John | Director | 1997-04-23 | 1998-05-01 |
| HAND, Kevin Lawrence | Director | — | 1998-05-01 |
| KEENAN, Paul Anthony | Director | 2001-09-17 | 2020-11-06 |
| LEVESCONTE, Nicole Marina | Director | 2008-04-29 | 2009-08-26 |
| LOVE, Ian David | Director | 1996-04-30 | 2003-08-29 |
| MCMILLAN, Glenn Douglas | Director | 1993-07-17 | 1996-03-20 |
| MISTRY, Dharmash Pravin | Director | 2002-06-24 | 2006-06-09 |
| MOLONEY, Thomas Charles | Director | 2001-09-17 | 2007-05-17 |
| MOLONEY, Thomas Charles | Director | — | 1998-05-01 |
| MORGAN, Gerard | Director | 1996-03-20 | 1999-05-07 |
| MUNRO-HALL, Robert James | Director | 2017-02-08 | 2022-03-31 |
| MYCOCK, Matthew | Director | 2006-03-06 | 2009-10-09 |
| OSBORNE, Peter Neil | Director | — | 1994-09-07 |
| PEACH, Leslie Trevor | Director | — | 1994-11-15 |
| PHIPPEN, Peter Sangster | Director | 2001-09-17 | 2014-01-02 |
| PHIPPEN, Peter Sangster | Director | 1992-11-24 | 1998-05-01 |
| PULLAN, David Michael | Director | 2006-06-09 | 2007-02-22 |
| SCOTT, Hamish Andrew | Director | 1998-05-01 | 2001-06-29 |
| STOTT, Geoffrey Thomas | Director | — | 2004-02-27 |
| TASKER, Kerry Lynn | Director | 2003-12-01 | 2008-04-29 |
| TAYLOR, Simon Francis Graves | Director | — | 1998-05-01 |
| THOMAS, Henry Carlton | Director | 2006-07-31 | 2006-07-31 |
| THOMAS, John Anthony Griffiths | Director | — | 1994-09-07 |
| TINDALL, Simon Papillon | Director | — | 1994-09-07 |
| TRIPLOW, Charles George | Director | 1991-10-07 | 1998-05-01 |
| VERDON-ROE, Eric Alliott | Director | 1994-09-07 | 2009-03-20 |
| WHITE, Gary Charles | Director | 2005-10-18 | 2007-04-10 |
| WIGGLESWORTH, Lloyd John | Director | 1991-09-06 | 1996-03-08 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bauer Consumer Media Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2016-04-06 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 319 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2021-12-07 MA Memorandum articles
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-23 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2026-02-23 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2026-02-23 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2025-12-04 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-12-03 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-10-02 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2024-11-19 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-10-05 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2024-04-11 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-04-05 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2023-12-05 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2023-10-13 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2022-12-12 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2022-11-21 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2022-10-07 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2022-04-12 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2022-04-12 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2022-04-04 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2021-12-20 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2021-12-07 | MA | incorporation | Memorandum articles |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 6
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 3
- Officers resigned
- 1
last 12 months
last 24 months
last 12 months
last 12 months
Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.
Year-on-year
FY2023 → FY2024 · period ending 2024-12-31 vs 2023-12-31
-
Turnover
+2.7%
£192,093,000 £197,340,000
-
Cash
-19.9%
£31,515,000 £25,254,000
-
Net assets
-34.6%
£3,217,000 £2,104,000
-
Employees
+4.7%
299 313
-
Operating profit
-18.9%
£898,000 £728,000
-
Profit before tax
-3.2%
£2,030,000 £1,965,000
-
Wages
+10.9%
£13,259,000 £14,698,000
Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers