DORLING KINDERSLEY LIMITED
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Cash
£41k
-89.9% vs 2024
Net assets
-£758k
+96.6% vs 2024
Employees
0
Average over period
Profit before tax
-£10m
+54.4% vs 2024
Watch the reel
Our short-form breakdown of DORLING KINDERSLEY LIMITED's latest filing
The publisher behind the books we all grew up with is in the red. Here is what is happening inside the accounts at Dorling Kindersley (DK). 📚
Watchouts
Facts from the Companies House register and the latest accounts — not a rating
-
Negative shareholders' funds
Net assets
4-year trend · vs Consumer Discretionary median
Accounts
4-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2022-12-31 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £143,743,929 | £116,327,479 | £123,239,060 | £115,529,676 | -6.3% | |
| Operating profit | £18,377,404 | -£4,218,009 | -£1,599,930 | -£6,342,554 | -296.4% | |
| Profit before tax | £16,215,391 | -£5,143,309 | -£22,015,554 | -£10,038,832 | +54.4% | |
| Net profit | £13,010,519 | -£5,175,015 | -£22,285,914 | -£8,734,132 | +60.8% | |
| Cash | £62,558 | £9,818 | £406,558 | £41,065 | -89.9% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £17,812,213 | £8,777,260 | -£20,474,286 | £290,390 | +101.4% | |
| Net assets | £5,437,863 | £261,749 | -£22,024,165 | -£758,297 | +96.6% | |
| Equity | £5,437,863 | £261,749 | -£22,024,165 | -£758,297 | +96.6% | |
| Average employees | 0 | 439 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Wages | £15,853,482 | £17,829,156 | £17,192,470 | £17,534,961 | +2% | |
| Directors' remuneration | — | £1,526,131 | £1,053,317 | £1,053,017 | 0% |
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 | 2022-12-31 | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 12.8% | -3.6% | -1.3% | -5.5% | |
| Net margin | 9.1% | -4.4% | -18.1% | -7.6% | |
| Return on capital employed | 103.2% | -48.1% | — | — | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | — | 99.7% | 126.1% | — | |
| Current ratio | — | 0.77x | 0.74x | 0.92x | |
| Interest cover | 8.50x | -1.07x | -0.43x | -1.72x |
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 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
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 and Bertelsmann SE Co. KGaA, 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
- “DK relocated to Vauxhall Bridge Road in August 2024.”
- “During the 2025 reporting year, PRH's Distribution Centre expanded its on-site renewable generation capacity with the installation of an additional 906 kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system, supplementing the existing 429 kWp installation commissioned in 2021.”
- “Commissioning and testing of the additional solar PV and battery system took place in late 2025, with full operational use expected from 2026.”
- “On 01 December 2025 the Company allotted and issued one new ordinary share of £0.10 each... Following this a capital reduction took place reducing the share capital from 1,022,589 Ordinary shares of £0.10 each to 1 Ordinary share of £0.10 each.”
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 305 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2025-12-18 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-28 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 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 |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 8
- 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.