Hauliers are ripe for takeovers
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• Nearly one in 10 road haulage companies are ripe for takeover because they offer huge profit potential for a buyer who can afford the capital investment, according to a business research specialist.
Plimsoll Publishing has identified the best takeover targets in 362 industries. In road haulage, 92 of the 1,040 limited and public limited companies it lists are said to be likely takeover candidates.
Analysis is based on annual accounts for the past four years which are obtained from Companies House, the government record office.
Plimsoll manager David Pattison says the best targets are companies making an above-average gross profit but recording below-average pretax profit after factors such as overheads, salaries, depreciation on assets and interest payments are taken into account.
"Our service is aimed at the aggressive acquirers who don't want to wait for the for sale' signs to go up," he says.
He believes many hauliers are likely take-over targets because the sector generally has high borrowings. "Road haulage is capital intensive and banks can take such a huge wedge of the company's earn ings," Pattison concludes.
A Plimsoll acquisition pack for each industry costs 1450.
• Contact: 01642 257800 or www.whichcompam.net.