DORLING KINDERSLEY LIMITED
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Next accounts due
2026-09-30 (in 4mo)
Last filed for 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement due
2027-02-13 (in 9mo)
Last made up 2026-01-30
Watchouts
None on the register
Cash
£407K
+4,040.9% highest in 3 filed years
Net assets
-£22M
-8,514.2% lowest in 3 filed years
Employees
425
-3.2% vs 2023
Profit before tax
-£22M
-328% lowest in 3 filed years
Name history
Renamed 2 times since incorporation
- DORLING KINDERSLEY LIMITED 1991-04-02 → present
- DORLING KINDERSLEY HOLDINGS LIMITED 1985-06-27 → 1991-04-02
- DORLING KINDERSLEY LIMITED 1974-07-18 → 1985-06-27
Net assets
4-year trend · vs Consumer Discretionary median
Accounts
4-year trend · latest reflected 2024-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2022-01-01 | 2022-12-31 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | — | £143,743,929 | £116,327,479 | £123,239,060 | |
| Operating profit | — | £18,377,404 | -£4,218,009 | -£1,599,930 | |
| Profit before tax | — | £16,215,391 | -£5,143,309 | -£22,015,554 | |
| Net profit | — | £13,010,519 | -£5,175,015 | -£22,285,914 | |
| Cash | — | £62,558 | £9,818 | £406,558 | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | — | £17,812,213 | £8,777,260 | -£20,474,286 | |
| Net assets | — | £5,437,863 | £261,749 | -£22,024,165 | |
| Equity | -£7,572,656 | £5,437,863 | £261,749 | -£22,024,165 | |
| Average employees | — | 0 | 439 | 425 | |
| Wages | — | £15,853,482 | £17,829,156 | £17,192,470 |
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 | 2022-01-01 | 2022-12-31 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | — | 12.8% | -3.6% | -1.3% | |
| Net margin | — | 9.1% | -4.4% | -18.1% | |
| Return on capital employed | — | 103.2% | -48.1% | 7.8% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | — | — | 99.7% | 126.1% | |
| Current ratio | — | — | 0.77x | 0.74x | |
| Interest cover | — | 8.50x | -1.07x | -0.43x |
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 101
- Reporting scope
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- Grant Thornton UK LLP
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“Based on the Company's current trading performance, the sensitivity and reverse stress testing scenarios performed and the written confirmation of support from Bertelsmann UK Limited, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, being a period of no less than twelve months from the date of approval of these financial statements. Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.”
Group structure
- DORLING KINDERSLEY LIMITED · parent
- Dorling Kindersley Vision Limited 100%
- Funfax Limited 100%
- Phonic Books Limited 100%
- Canelo Digital Publishing Limited 100%
Significant events
- “On 1 November 2024 the Company acquired the entire share capital of Canelo Digital Publishing Limited. The cost of the investment was £4,626,827.”
- “The trade and assets of Phonic Books Limited, a subsidiary company, were hived up into the Company on 1 October 2024 for consideration of £3,241,267 which represents the book value of assets transferred.”
- “The residual net book value of the investment of £16,681,073 has been impaired.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
4 active · 51 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARTIN, Sinead Mary | Secretary | 2016-06-30 | — | — |
| GATES, Robert James Squire | Director | 2022-05-01 | Sep 1985 | British |
| HODGKINSON, Shaun David | Director | 2011-04-18 | Jan 1972 | British |
| KELLY, Paul Nicholas | Director | 2016-08-30 | Jul 1978 | British |
Show 51 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLACKMAN, Linda Mary | Secretary | — | 1993-08-02 |
| FULTON, Anita Therese | Secretary | 1998-01-01 | 2000-08-04 |
| GILL, Peter Richard | Secretary | 1993-08-02 | 1997-12-31 |
| PEACOCK, Helena Caroline | Secretary | 2000-08-04 | 2016-06-30 |
| ALLAN, Alexandra Stephanie | Director | 2012-07-02 | 2018-07-30 |
| BARSBY, Dorothea | Director | 1995-01-01 | 1998-09-25 |
| BLACKMAN, Linda Mary | Director | — | 1996-08-02 |
| CUNNINGHAM, Giles Peter Christian | Director | — | 1995-12-12 |
| DAVIS, Christopher John | Director | 2000-05-10 | 2005-08-18 |
| DAVIS, Christopher John | Director | — | 1999-12-31 |
| DENVIR, Philip John | Director | 1998-01-01 | 2000-11-01 |
| DEVAS, Richard James | Director | 1999-10-01 | 2000-09-30 |
| DUHIGG, John William | Director | 2009-07-06 | 2016-06-30 |
| FIELD, Peter | Director | 2009-07-06 | 2012-07-02 |
| FORBES WATSON, Anthony David | Director | 2000-05-10 | 2005-02-28 |
| FORT, Alan James | Director | 1999-09-08 | 2000-05-09 |
| FOX, Kathryn Marya | Director | 1995-01-01 | 2002-01-31 |
| FULTON, Anita Therese | Director | 1996-01-15 | 2000-08-04 |
| GILL, Peter Richard | Director | 1993-08-02 | 1997-12-31 |
| HARE, Rodney James | Director | — | 1998-09-11 |
| HARMAN, Richard | Director | — | 1993-12-15 |
| HOLMES, David | Director | 1999-02-26 | 2000-05-09 |
| HOUSTON, David Oliver | Director | 1998-02-02 | 1999-09-06 |
| JACKSON, Katharine Mary | Director | 1996-09-02 | 2000-09-22 |
| JACKSON, Madeleine Barbara | Director | 1995-05-01 | 1997-12-05 |
| JOHN, Annette Ellen | Director | 1999-07-27 | 2000-08-31 |
| JOHNSON, Sally Kate Miranda | Director | 2009-07-06 | 2011-05-26 |
| JUNE, Gary Lee | Director | 2005-08-18 | 2009-07-06 |
| KINDERSLEY, Peter David | Director | — | 2000-05-19 |
| LANDERS, Brian James | Director | 2003-05-20 | 2009-07-31 |
| MAKINSON, John Crowther | Director | 2007-02-02 | 2013-06-13 |
| MAKINSON, John Crowther | Director | 2005-02-28 | 2007-01-01 |
| MANSELL, Angela | Director | 1998-09-07 | 2000-12-31 |
| MIDDLEHURST, James Thomas | Director | 1998-08-17 | 2000-02-01 |
| NUGENT, Colette Marie | Director | 1999-03-22 | 2000-03-06 |
| PEMBERTON, Clive Robert | Director | 1996-01-01 | 2000-07-31 |
| PHILLIPS, Andrew John | Director | 2007-01-01 | 2010-08-02 |
| POWER, Charles Richard | Director | 2000-05-10 | 2003-02-28 |
| ROBERTS, Barry Neville | Director | 1998-04-01 | 2000-07-31 |
| ROSENHEIM, Andrew Keeney | Director | 2000-07-18 | 2001-10-05 |
| ROXBURGH, Philip | Director | 1999-07-19 | 2000-07-31 |
| SHAH, Katharine Marie | Director | 1997-09-11 | 1998-07-31 |
| SHEPHERD, Daniel Peter | Director | 2013-05-08 | 2016-05-19 |
| SHORE, Genevieve Helen | Director | 2005-10-07 | 2007-07-01 |
| SMART, Rebecca Jane | Director | 2019-01-01 | 2023-12-31 |
| SYMONS, Michael John | Director | 2007-10-15 | 2013-05-08 |
| TAYLOR, David Arnold | Director | 1998-06-15 | 2000-07-31 |
| TAYLOR, Susan Elizabeth | Director | 2000-08-04 | 2005-12-31 |
| TWILLIGER, Stephen Todd | Director | 2011-04-18 | 2016-08-05 |
| WELHAM, Andrew Peter | Director | 2000-05-10 | 2005-08-18 |
| WORTHINGTON, Michael John | Director | 1995-01-01 | 2001-01-22 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penguin Random House Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2016-04-06 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 304 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2025-12-18 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-12 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2025-12-19 | SH19 | capital | Capital statement capital company with date currency figure | |
| 2025-12-18 | SH01 | capital | Capital allotment shares | |
| 2025-12-18 | SH20 | capital | Legacy | |
| 2025-12-18 | CAP-SS | insolvency | Legacy | |
| 2025-12-18 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution | |
| 2025-09-30 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-01-31 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-09-12 | AD02 | address | Change sail address company with old address new address | |
| 2024-09-11 | AD04 | address | Move registers to registered office company with new address | |
| 2024-09-11 | AD01 | address | Change registered office address company with date old address new address | |
| 2024-07-01 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2024-02-02 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-01-02 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2023-10-02 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2023-09-26 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2023-02-02 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2022-10-04 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2022-05-25 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2022-02-02 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 7
- Capital events
- 3
- Officers appointed
- 0
- Officers resigned
- 0
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
+5.9%
£116,327,479 £123,239,060
-
Cash
+4,040.9%
£9,818 £406,558
highest in 3 filed years
-
Net assets
-8,514.2%
£261,749 -£22,024,165
lowest in 3 filed years
-
Employees
-3.2%
439 425
-
Operating profit
+62.1%
-£4,218,009 -£1,599,930
-
Profit before tax
-328%
-£5,143,309 -£22,015,554
lowest in 3 filed years
-
Wages
-3.6%
£17,829,156 £17,192,470
Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. Periods don't have to be exactly 12 months apart — a long or short period (typical around incorporation or year-end changes) will distort the comparison. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers