SOTHEBY'S

1. SOTHEBY'S 1984-08-31 → present
2. SOTHEBY PARKE BERNET & CO. 1966-03-24 → 1984-08-31

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

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.

Accounting basis

FRS 102

Reporting scope

Standalone (parent only)

Auditor

Constantin

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“The directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Sotheby's (Delaware), has issued a letter of support to the Company. The directors have made enquiries of Sotheby's (Delaware), and concluded that it will provide sufficient support to enable the Company to meet its liabilities as they fall due for at least the next 12 months from the date of signing this report. For further disclosures refer to the accounting policies in note 2. Accordingly, the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.”

Group structure

1. SOTHEBY'S · parent
   1. Sotheby's Financial Services Limited 100% · England and Wales · Loans and advances
   2. Sotheby's Properties Limited 100% · England and Wales · Intermediary for Sotheby's CIS
   3. Bidfair UK Property Holdings Limited 100% · England and Wales · Holdings company
   4. Sotheby's Art Services Limited (Dubai) 100% · United Arab Emirates · Auction company
   5. Sotheby's Belgium Limited 99% · Belgium · fine art auction company
   6. RM Classic Cars Inc. 75% · Canada · auctioning investment quality automobiles
   7. 34-35 New Bond Street Limited 100% · England
   8. RM Aviation Inc. 75% · Canada

Significant events

• “On 13 January 2025, the Company subscribed in cash for 13,993 Ordinary shares with a nominal value of £0.01 each in the capital of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bidfair UK Property Holdings Limited, paid at a premium of £846.0225 and thus an aggregate subscription price of £11,838,393.”
• “Effective March 2025, the Sotheby's Ireland branch was closed.”
• “On 11 April 2025, the Company subscribed in cash for a further 2,560 Ordinary shares with a nominal value of £0.01 in the capital of its wholly, Bidfair UK Property Holdings Limited, paid at a premium of £846.0225 and thus an aggregate subscription price of £2,165,818.”
• “The Company entered into a credit agreement acting as a Guarantor and a New York law governed joinder agreement (see note 26).”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

13

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

1

last 12 months

Officers resigned

1

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  -23.7%

  £144,895,000 → £110,611,000

• Cash

  -90.6%

  £9,634,000 → £910,000

• Net assets

  -18.9%

  £202,337,000 → £164,061,000

• Employees

  -6.9%

  403 → 375

• Operating profit

  -142.2%

  £34,068,000 → -£14,376,000

• Profit before tax

  -151.2%

  £27,223,000 → -£13,932,000

• Wages

  -8.1%

  £38,315,000 → £35,194,000

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