HACHETTE UK LIMITED
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Cash
£7.2m
+263% vs 2024
Net assets
£242m
-2.6% lowest in 3 filed years
Employees
1
-99.8% lowest in 3 filed years
Profit before tax
£39m
+38.2% highest in 3 filed years
Watchouts
Facts from the Companies House register and the latest accounts — not a rating
-
3 officer resignations in last 12 months
Multiple officers have left the board recently — see the People section for who.
-
1 PSC ceased in last 24 months
Significant control changed hands — see the Ownership section.
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 | — | — | — | — | |
| Operating profit | -£3,790,697 | £2,107,154 | £2,751,876 | +30.6% | |
| Profit before tax | £29,991,786 | £27,952,482 | £38,635,323 | +38.2% | |
| Net profit | £27,734,904 | £26,096,450 | £38,023,913 | +45.7% | |
| Cash | £11,143,117 | £1,974,604 | £7,168,783 | +263% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | — | £290,939,075 | £274,947,917 | -5.5% | |
| Net assets | £258,535,516 | £248,066,216 | £241,593,378 | -2.6% | |
| Equity | £258,535,516 | £248,066,216 | £241,593,378 | -2.6% | |
| Average employees | 366 | 415 | 1 | -99.8% | |
| Wages | £27,918,504 | £30,943,572 | £34,059,131 | +10.1% | |
| Directors' remuneration | £3,842,112 | £3,668,403 | £2,891,585 | -21.2% | |
| Directors' pension contributions | £30,954 | £20,000 | £20,000 | 0% | |
| Highest paid director | £2,600,477 | £2,089,818 | £1,294,987 | -38% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Return on capital employed | — | 0.7% | 1.0% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 30.4% | 24.1% | 22.3% | |
| Current ratio | 1.05x | 1.89x | 1.94x | |
| Interest cover | -2.12x | 1.23x | 0.72x |
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 3 times since incorporation
- HACHETTE UK LIMITED 2008-12-03 → present
- HLUK (EUSTON ROAD) LIMITED 2007-07-17 → 2008-12-03
- HODDER HEADLINE LIMITED 1993-06-29 → 2007-07-17
- HEADLINE BOOK PUBLISHING PLC 1986-05-15 → 1993-06-29
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 101
- Reporting scope
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- Constantin
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“the directors are satisfied that the Company will be able to meet its obligations as they fall due and therefore that the going concern basis of preparation remains appropriate.”
Group structure
- HACHETTE UK LIMITED · parent
- Headline Publishing Group Limited 100%
- Hachette UK Distribution Limited 100%
- Hodder & Stoughton Limited 100%
- Quercus Editions Limited 100%
- Hachette Australia Pty Ltd 100%
- Hachette New Zealand Limited 100%
- Hachette Book Publishers India Private Limited 100%
- Alliance Distribution Services Pvt Limited 100%
- Starfire Limited 100%
- Laurence King Publishing Limited 100%
- Laurence King Verlag GmbH 100%
- Illuminate Publishing Limited 100%
- John Catt Educational Limited 100%
- Paperblanks Limited 100%
- Paperblanks Journals Limited 100%
- Welbeck Publishing Group Limited 100%
- Mortimer Books Limited 100%
- Carlton Books Limited 100%
- Andre Deutsch Limited 100%
- Welbeck Fiction Limited 100%
- Welbeck Non-Fiction Limited 100%
- Welbeck Children's Limited 100%
- Welbeck Publishing Pty Ltd 100%
- Flame Tree Publishing Limited 49.245%
Significant events
- “During the year, voluntary strike off action was taken for dormant subsidiaries. The companies that were struck off were Hachette Singapore Private Limited, Noon Play Limited and Welbeck Publishing & Group Services Limited.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
4 active · 62 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WRIGHT, Dylan Matthew | Secretary | 2026-04-01 | — | — |
| KITSON, Richard David | Director | 2011-09-30 | Jun 1977 | British |
| SHELLEY, David Richard | Director | 2017-12-12 | Apr 1976 | British |
| WRIGHT, Dylan Matthew | Director | 2026-04-01 | Mar 1973 | British |
Show 62 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| BROWN, Anthony Malcolm | Secretary | 1999-09-03 | 2002-02-25 |
| BUCKLEY, Michael David | Secretary | 2004-06-15 | 2004-08-02 |
| COLEY, Paul Murray | Secretary | — | 1995-07-05 |
| DE CACQUERAY, Pierre | Secretary | 2005-05-03 | 2026-04-01 |
| FAIRBAIRN, Colin Graham Campbell | Secretary | 2002-02-25 | 2004-06-15 |
| HUGHES, Henry Stuart | Secretary | 1993-06-30 | 1994-02-07 |
| OPZOOMER, Mark William | Secretary | 1995-07-05 | 1999-09-03 |
| ROBINSON, Stephen Leonard | Secretary | 2004-08-02 | 2005-05-03 |
| ADAM, Richard John | Director | 1996-04-15 | 1999-10-18 |
| ATTENBOROUGH, Michael Francis | Director | 1993-06-30 | 1993-09-24 |
| ATTENBOROUGH, Philip John | Director | 1993-06-30 | 1996-01-08 |
| ATTWOOLL, David John | Director | 2000-09-01 | 2002-02-12 |
| BAKHOUCHE, Fabrice | Director | 2021-06-15 | 2023-08-31 |
| BEAVAN, Susan Patricia | Director | — | 1993-06-30 |
| BIGGS-DAVISON, Thomas George Julian | Director | 1993-06-30 | 1993-08-26 |
| BROOKE, John Alan De Leighton | Director | — | 1993-06-30 |
| BRYARS, Anthony Martin | Director | 1999-09-03 | 2002-12-17 |
| COLEY, Paul Murray | Director | — | 1993-06-30 |
| DAWSON, Jeremy | Director | — | 1994-10-12 |
| DE CACQUERAY, Pierre | Director | 2004-09-25 | 2026-04-01 |
| DONOUGHMORE, Richard Michael John, The Earl Of Donoughm | Director | — | 1997-05-07 |
| EDWARDS, Malcolm John | Director | 1994-03-01 | 2007-06-13 |
| EVANS, Martin John | Director | 2005-03-01 | 2007-06-13 |
| FAIRBAIRN, Colin Graham Campbell | Director | 2001-12-01 | 2004-06-15 |
| FLETCHER, Susan Jane | Director | — | 2007-06-13 |
| HAMILL, Keith | Director | 1999-06-04 | 2000-05-31 |
| HANDOVER, Richard Gordon | Director | 1999-06-04 | 2003-11-04 |
| HELY HUTCHINSON, Timothy Mark | Director | — | 2017-12-12 |
| HODDER WILLIAMS, James | Director | 2001-09-01 | 2007-06-13 |
| HODDER-WILLIAMS, James | Director | 2009-12-03 | 2022-03-31 |
| HUGHES, Henry Stuart | Director | 1993-06-30 | 1994-02-07 |
| JOHNSON, Marlene | Director | 2005-04-01 | 2015-01-22 |
| KITSON, Richard David | Director | 2006-11-15 | 2007-06-13 |
| LLOYD, John Eliot Fraser | Director | 1995-03-28 | 1999-09-03 |
| MAJOR, Eric Patrick | Director | 1993-06-30 | 1995-12-31 |
| MORPETH, Jane Sinclair | Director | 1991-06-26 | 1993-06-30 |
| MORTIMORE, Jon William | Director | 1999-10-18 | 2001-11-30 |
| MURRAY HILL, Hilary | Director | 2015-01-22 | 2025-10-01 |
| NEILD, Martin John | Director | 1993-07-28 | 2009-12-03 |
| NETTLETON, Charles | Director | 1999-09-03 | 2005-05-13 |
| NOURRY, Arnaud | Director | 2004-09-25 | 2021-03-29 |
| OPZOOMER, Mark William | Director | 1994-12-05 | 1999-09-03 |
| PHILIPPS, Roland Alexander | Director | 2003-03-05 | 2007-06-13 |
| PICKETT, Kenneth Edwin | Director | 1992-07-29 | 1995-07-06 |
| RIDOUT, Amanda Jane | Director | 1996-10-01 | 2001-09-30 |
| ROBINSON, Stephen Leonard | Director | 2004-08-02 | 2005-05-03 |
| ROCHE, Peter Charles Kenneth | Director | 2004-09-25 | 2013-06-30 |
| STEVEN, Brian Michael | Director | 1993-09-01 | 1998-01-15 |
| STILEMAN, Richard | Director | 1993-09-01 | 2001-12-31 |
| STOCKDALE, Michael Clive Reginald | Director | 2004-01-07 | 2006-01-03 |
| SWANN, Kathryn Elizabeth | Director | 2003-11-04 | 2004-09-25 |
| TAPISSIER, Mary | Director | 1994-05-05 | 2007-02-05 |
| TAYLOR, Susan Elizabeth | Director | 2006-09-19 | 2007-06-13 |
| THOMAS, Sian Elizabeth | Director | — | 1996-08-02 |
| TRIBE, Elisabeth Jane | Director | 2012-08-02 | 2023-03-31 |
| WALTERS, Philip John Kedgerley | Director | 1998-01-01 | 2009-12-03 |
| WARNFORD-DAVIS, Karelyn Mandy | Director | 1995-03-28 | 1999-09-03 |
| WARREN, John Anthony | Director | 2000-09-01 | 2004-09-25 |
| WEBSTER, Thomas Peter | Director | 2009-12-03 | 2012-08-02 |
| WESTON, Christopher John | Director | — | 1999-09-03 |
| WRIGHT, Patrick Michael Mckee | Director | 1993-06-30 | 1993-08-26 |
| YOUNG, David John | Director | 2006-04-20 | 2007-06-13 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Hachette Group Sa | Corporate entity | Shares 50–75% | 2024-12-16 | Active |
| Vivendi Se | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100% | 2016-04-06 | Ceased 2024-12-16 |
| Hachette Uk (Holdings) Limited | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100% | 2016-04-06 | Active |
| Lagardère Sa | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100% | 2016-04-06 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 392 total filings
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-14 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2026-09-04 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2026-04-01 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2026-04-01 | AP03 | officers | Appoint person secretary company with name date | |
| 2026-04-01 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2026-04-01 | TM02 | officers | Termination secretary company with name termination date | |
| 2025-10-14 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-10-14 | PSC02 | persons-with-significant-control | Notification of a person with significant control | |
| 2025-10-14 | PSC07 | persons-with-significant-control | Cessation of a person with significant control | |
| 2025-10-01 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-08-07 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2024-10-15 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2024-10-15 | PSC02 | persons-with-significant-control | Notification of a person with significant control | |
| 2024-10-15 | PSC02 | persons-with-significant-control | Notification of a person with significant control | |
| 2024-07-29 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2023-10-16 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2023-08-31 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2023-08-04 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2023-05-04 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2022-10-14 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 10
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 2
- Officers resigned
- 3
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.