SOTHEBY'S
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Cash
£8.3m
+815.3% vs 2024
Net assets
£176m
+7.3% vs 2024
Employees
328
-12.5% lowest in 3 filed years
Profit before tax
£17m
+222.6% first positive since 2024
Net assets
3-year trend · vs Consumer Discretionary median
Accounts
3-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £144,895,000 | £110,611,000 | £133,197,000 | +20.4% | |
| Operating profit | £34,068,000 | -£14,376,000 | £21,301,000 | +248.2% | |
| Profit before tax | £27,223,000 | -£13,932,000 | £17,079,000 | +222.6% | |
| Net profit | £22,053,000 | -£13,276,000 | £11,901,000 | +189.6% | |
| Cash | £9,634,000 | £910,000 | £8,329,000 | +815.3% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £228,695,000 | £188,349,000 | £197,208,000 | +4.7% | |
| Net assets | £202,337,000 | £164,061,000 | £175,963,000 | +7.3% | |
| Equity | £202,337,000 | £164,061,000 | £175,963,000 | +7.3% | |
| Average employees | 403 | 375 | 328 | -12.5% | |
| Wages | £38,315,000 | £35,195,000 | £39,833,000 | +13.2% | |
| Directors' remuneration | £852,000 | £1,777,000 | £499,000 | -71.9% |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. The Δ column is the change from the prior filed period as a percentage of |prior|; lines a company doesn't report show —. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 23.5% | -13.0% | 16.0% | |
| Net margin | 15.2% | -12.0% | 8.9% | |
| Return on capital employed | 14.9% | -7.6% | 10.8% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 54.6% | 56.3% | — | |
| Current ratio | 1.43x | 1.14x | 1.12x | |
| Interest cover | 21.62x | -33.43x | 59.50x |
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.
Name history
Renamed 1 time since incorporation
- SOTHEBY'S 1984-08-31 → present
- SOTHEBY PARKE BERNET & CO. 1966-03-24 → 1984-08-31
Audit & accounting basis
- 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. A parent company, 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 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
- SOTHEBY'S · parent
- Sotheby's Financial Services Limied 100%
- Bidfair UK Property Holdings Limited 100%
- Sotheby's Art Services Limited (Dubai) 100%
- Sotheby's Belgium Limited 99%
- RM Classic Cars Inc. 75%
- 34-35 New Bond Street Limited 100%
- RM Aviation Inc. 75%
Significant events
- “In February 2026, Sotheby's Art Payment, LLC, a special purpose entity within the group ("SAP") entered into an accounts receivable securitisation facility with a private institutional investor ("Securitisation Facility") relating to certain receivable amounts owed to Sotheby's (Delaware) from auction sales.”
- “In April 2026, the Company, as 'Lender', entered into a subordinated intragroup loan agreement with its indirect subsidiary, 34-35 New Bond Street Limited as 'Borrower', effective 30 January 2026.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
2 active · 58 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PETROVA, Krasimira Krasimirova | Director | 2025-02-17 | Oct 1993 | British |
| WOLSTENCROFT, James Michael Alfred Hugh | Director | 2025-11-18 | Oct 1987 | British |
Show 58 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRISTOPHERSON, Thomas Gerald | Secretary | 2000-01-01 | 2013-08-13 |
| CURLE, Michael Guy Lister | Secretary | 1994-07-30 | 2000-01-01 |
| GUELFI, Natalie | Secretary | 2018-07-04 | 2019-11-19 |
| MYLWARD, Caroline | Secretary | 2019-11-19 | 2023-10-18 |
| OCH, Joseph Andrew | Secretary | — | 1994-07-29 |
| SCOTT, Antonia | Secretary | 2013-08-13 | 2018-07-04 |
| AINSLIE, Michael Lewis | Director | — | 1994-03-31 |
| BAILEY, George Henry Selborne | Director | — | 2013-03-05 |
| BELL, Alexander Kilner | Director | 1998-10-05 | 2013-10-22 |
| BENNETT, David William | Director | — | 2000-12-31 |
| BERREBI, Jean-Luc | Director | 2019-12-12 | 2021-07-14 |
| BOUSQUETTE, Kevin Arthur | Director | 1997-01-01 | 1998-04-30 |
| BROOKS, Diana Dwyer | Director | — | 2000-03-06 |
| CERVINO, Paul Michael | Director | 1993-01-21 | 1995-07-31 |
| CHESTER, Rona | Director | 2001-12-10 | 2003-12-31 |
| CLORE, Melanie Sarah Jane | Director | 1995-02-01 | 2008-12-15 |
| CORNELL, Mark Ralph Delano | Director | 2013-08-13 | 2015-03-09 |
| DAVIDS, Roy Leslie | Director | — | 1994-02-14 |
| DE BEAUVAU CRAON, Laure, Princess | Director | — | 2004-01-21 |
| DE LA MARE THOMPSON, Rupert Julian | Director | — | 1997-09-30 |
| DOUGLAS, Christopher Acaibald Ludwig Freiedrich, Graf | Director | — | 1995-12-31 |
| FAHEY, Sebastian | Director | 2019-12-12 | 2024-12-31 |
| FAXON, Roger Conant | Director | — | 1993-12-31 |
| FLEMING, Iain Moray | Director | 2004-09-17 | 2016-02-10 |
| FLEMING, Sofia | Director | 2016-02-10 | 2018-07-04 |
| FRANKS, Jayne Louise | Director | 2019-12-12 | 2024-06-03 |
| GEUNA, Elena | Director | 1998-10-05 | 1999-10-27 |
| GOWRIE, Alexander, Lord | Director | — | 1993-12-31 |
| HOOK, Ross Philip | Director | 1998-10-05 | 2013-10-16 |
| HOOK, Ross Philip | Director | 1994-02-01 | 1995-02-01 |
| JENNINGS, Guy Anthony Crispian | Director | 2000-03-06 | 2005-01-15 |
| LASTER, Jennifer Marie | Director | 2024-06-03 | 2025-11-14 |
| LLEWELLYN, Timothy David | Director | — | 1994-03-31 |
| LORD, Clive Graham | Director | 2004-09-17 | 2019-12-12 |
| LUXEMBORG, Daniella | Director | 1996-01-01 | 1997-12-31 |
| MACK, Paul Johnstone | Director | 1995-02-01 | 2003-03-31 |
| MASSON, Patrick Erwan Rene | Director | 2017-03-17 | 2018-04-10 |
| MCGUIRE, Kevin John | Director | 2015-03-20 | 2019-02-28 |
| MEYER, Tobias | Director | 1996-09-01 | 2013-10-30 |
| MILLER, James Percy | Director | 1996-01-01 | 2004-01-21 |
| PRASENS, Jan | Director | 2017-11-13 | 2019-12-05 |
| PURY, Simon De | Director | — | 1997-10-31 |
| SHERIDAN, William Scott | Director | 2000-03-03 | 2013-09-20 |
| SOUTHERN, Margaret | Director | 2002-05-01 | 2003-06-06 |
| STOURTON, James Alastair, The Hon | Director | 1995-02-01 | 2010-02-10 |
| STRAUSS, Michael Jules | Director | — | 2000-12-31 |
| SUTCLIFFE, Serena | Director | 1998-10-05 | 2013-10-22 |
| TAVELLA, Mario | Director | 1998-10-05 | 2013-10-14 |
| TAYLOR, Simon Arthur | Director | 1995-02-01 | 2002-09-30 |
| TEN HOLDER, Maarten | Director | 2015-09-04 | 2017-03-17 |
| TIDY, Thomas Peter | Director | — | 1993-04-27 |
| VAN MARIS VAN DIJK, Patrick Josephus | Director | 2008-07-22 | 2012-07-26 |
| VAN RIEL, Kristen | Director | 1997-01-01 | 1998-07-31 |
| WEBB, Sara | Director | 2013-11-11 | 2015-02-11 |
| WHIFFIELD, Paul Martin | Director | 1994-02-21 | 1995-02-01 |
| WOODHEAD, Robin George | Director | 2012-07-18 | 2013-08-13 |
| WOODHEAD, Robin George | Director | 1998-01-07 | 2010-03-17 |
| WYNDHAM, Henry Mark | Director | 1994-02-01 | 2003-10-24 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oatshare Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2016-04-06 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 351 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2025-11-04 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
- 2025-11-04 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-12 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2026-06-26 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2026-06-16 | MR04 | mortgage | Mortgage satisfy charge full | |
| 2026-06-16 | MR04 | mortgage | Mortgage satisfy charge full | |
| 2026-06-16 | MR04 | mortgage | Mortgage satisfy charge full | |
| 2026-06-11 | MR04 | mortgage | Mortgage satisfy charge full | |
| 2026-04-02 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2026-02-06 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2026-02-06 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2026-02-06 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2026-02-06 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2026-02-06 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2026-02-06 | MR05 | mortgage | Mortgage charge part release with charge number | |
| 2025-11-21 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2025-11-18 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-11-04 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution | |
| 2025-11-04 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution | |
| 2025-09-23 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-09-17 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date | |
| 2025-04-08 | MR01 | mortgage | Mortgage create with deed with charge number charge creation date |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 19
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 1
- 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.