UNISERVE LIMITED
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Next accounts due
2026-09-30 (in 4mo)
Last filed for 2024-12-31
Confirmation statement due
2026-08-30 (in 3mo)
Last made up 2025-08-16
Watchouts
None on the register
Cash
£22M
+236.1% highest in 6 filed years
Net assets
£353M
+6.9% highest in 5 filed years
Employees
635
-4.4% vs 2023
Profit before tax
£20M
-64.8% vs 2023
Net assets
10-year trend · vs Industrials median
Accounts
10-year trend · latest reflected 2024-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2018-04-01 | 2019-03-31 | 2019-04-01 | 2020-06-30 | 2021-12-31 | 2022-01-01 | 2022-12-31 | 2023-01-01 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | — | £183,704,796 | — | £561,581,000 | — | — | £606,419,000 | — | £200,495,000 | £243,858,000 | |
| Operating profit | — | £6,343,930 | — | £46,403,000 | — | — | £51,856,000 | — | £67,794,000 | £26,057,000 | |
| Profit before tax | — | £6,350,760 | — | £46,420,000 | £200,457,000 | — | £34,988,000 | — | £57,487,000 | £20,215,000 | |
| Net profit | — | £6,295,634 | — | £38,140,000 | — | — | £28,924,000 | — | £62,218,000 | £22,782,000 | |
| Cash | — | £2,876,641 | — | £5,871,000 | £13,386,000 | — | £8,494,000 | — | £6,402,000 | £21,516,000 | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | — | £56,080,417 | — | £74,222,000 | £366,898,000 | — | — | — | £397,973,000 | £413,456,000 | |
| Net assets | — | £56,080,417 | — | £74,222,000 | £239,509,000 | — | — | — | £330,651,000 | £353,433,000 | |
| Equity | £49,784,783 | £56,080,417 | £56,082,000 | £74,222,000 | £239,509,000 | £239,509,000 | £268,433,000 | £268,433,000 | £330,651,000 | £353,433,000 | |
| Average employees | — | 237 | — | 261 | 426 | — | 584 | — | 664 | 635 | |
| Wages | — | £6,555,870 | — | £9,819,000 | £23,694,000 | — | £23,063,000 | — | £24,869,000 | £24,265,000 |
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 | 2018-04-01 | 2019-03-31 | 2019-04-01 | 2020-06-30 | 2021-12-31 | 2022-01-01 | 2022-12-31 | 2023-01-01 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | — | 3.5% | — | 8.3% | — | — | 8.6% | — | 33.8% | 10.7% | |
| Net margin | — | 3.4% | — | 6.8% | — | — | 4.8% | — | 31.0% | 9.3% | |
| Return on capital employed | — | 11.3% | — | 62.5% | — | — | — | — | 17.0% | 6.3% | |
| Current ratio | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.22x | 4.03x | |
| Interest cover | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.06x | — | 6.34x | 3.91x |
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
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- MHA
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.”
Significant events
- “From December 2023 throughout 2024 most shipping lines have diverted traffic around the Cape of Good Hope instead of transiting via the Suez Canal due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea/Gulf of Aden, adding 7-14 days to transit times on Asia-Europe lanes and leading to significant increases in freight rates and costs.”
- “Experienced further increases in costs across all parts of the business, driven by inflation, higher labour expenses, and rising operational costs.”
- “Our 750,000 sq ft Mega Distribution Centre in Felixstowe provides specialist operations for efulfilment, frozen food, electronic and automotive sectors, significantly increasing volumes and enhancing UK warehousing and distribution operations.”
- “The Russia - Ukraine situation continues to impact various aspects and it is difficult to predict the overall effect this will have on the economy. Although the Company does not trade with either country the impact overall on supply chains could have an impact on the Company's business.”
- “Unrest in the Middle East poses challenges to industry, as the region is a critical hub for global trade and energy supplies. Escalating tensions or conflicts can disrupt key shipping routes, leading to delays, increased insurance costs, and rerouting expenses.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
5 active · 5 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BROOKS, Nicholas Kevin | Secretary | 2019-07-31 | — | — |
| BARRY, David Lee | Director | 2025-05-08 | Dec 1985 | British |
| COBBING, Gary Anthony | Director | 2025-05-08 | Oct 1970 | British |
| IRELAND, Stephen William George | Director | 2007-07-01 | Aug 1966 | British |
| LIDDELL, Iain Robert | Director | — | Jun 1963 | British |
Show 5 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHAMBERS, Terry George | Secretary | 1992-10-08 | 1996-04-01 |
| LIDDELL, Iris Sylvia | Secretary | — | 1992-10-08 |
| TUCK, Barry George | Secretary | 1996-04-01 | 2019-07-31 |
| CHAPLIN, Bruce James | Director | 2020-03-01 | 2020-11-30 |
| KEATES, Peter James | Director | 2017-03-03 | 2018-05-08 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uniserve Holdings Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100% | 2016-08-01 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 118 total filings
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-13 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2026-01-23 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-08-19 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-05-09 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2025-05-09 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2025-01-29 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2024-08-16 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-08-08 | AUD | auditors | Auditors resignation company | |
| 2024-02-23 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2023-08-16 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2023-02-13 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2022-09-30 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2022-08-18 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2021-12-21 | AA01 | accounts | Change account reference date company current extended | |
| 2021-08-18 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2021-05-27 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2021-02-03 | AA01 | accounts | Change account reference date company previous shortened | |
| 2021-02-02 | AA01 | accounts | Change account reference date company previous extended | |
| 2020-12-14 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2020-08-18 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 5
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 2
- 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
+21.6%
£200,495,000 £243,858,000
-
Cash
+236.1%
£6,402,000 £21,516,000
highest in 6 filed years
-
Net assets
+6.9%
£330,651,000 £353,433,000
highest in 5 filed years
-
Employees
-4.4%
664 635
-
Operating profit
-61.6%
£67,794,000 £26,057,000
-
Profit before tax
-64.8%
£57,487,000 £20,215,000
-
Wages
-2.4%
£24,869,000 £24,265,000
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