SDL LIMITED
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Cash
£2.7M
-71.3% lowest in 3 filed years
Net assets
£128M
-23.7% lowest in 3 filed years
Employees
746
-5% vs 2024
Profit before tax
-£52M
-110% lowest in 3 filed years
Net assets
3-year trend · vs Technology median
Accounts
3-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-09-30
| Metric | Trend | 2023-09-30 | 2024-09-30 | 2025-09-30 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | £97,600,000 | £109,400,000 | £103,400,000 | -5.5% | |
| Operating profit | -£4,400,000 | -£13,800,000 | -£40,000,000 | -189.9% | |
| Profit before tax | £62,600,000 | -£24,900,000 | -£52,300,000 | -110% | |
| Net profit | £63,800,000 | -£20,900,000 | -£41,400,000 | -98.1% | |
| Cash | £8,000,000 | £9,400,000 | £2,700,000 | -71.3% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £233,800,000 | £210,300,000 | £203,400,000 | -3.3% | |
| Net assets | £189,200,000 | £168,100,000 | £128,200,000 | -23.7% | |
| Equity | £189,200,000 | £168,100,000 | £128,200,000 | -23.7% | |
| Average employees | 555 | 785 | 746 | -5% | |
| Wages | £25,400,000 | £43,500,000 | £37,200,000 | -14.5% | |
| Directors' remuneration | £100,000 | £300,000 | £500,000 | +66.7% |
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 | 2023-09-30 | 2024-09-30 | 2025-09-30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | -4.5% | -12.6% | -38.7% | |
| Net margin | 65.4% | -19.1% | -40.0% | |
| Return on capital employed | -1.9% | -6.6% | -19.7% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 73.7% | 71.8% | — | |
| Current ratio | 0.87x | 0.55x | 0.60x | |
| Interest cover | -0.22x | -0.61x | -2.15x |
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 3 times since incorporation
- SDL LIMITED 2020-11-18 → present
- SDL PLC 1992-10-26 → 2020-11-18
- SOFTWARE & DOCUMENTATION LOCALISATION LIMITED 1992-02-07 → 1992-10-26
- BOWEDGE LIMITED 1992-01-06 → 1992-02-07
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 101
- Reporting scope
- Standalone (parent only)
- Auditor
- Ernst & Young LLP
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“After considering these factors, including the financial and operational ability of RWS Holdings plc to continue as a going concern, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company has access to adequate resources to continue in operational existence for a period to 30 June 2027. No material uncertainties that could cast significant doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern have been identified.”
Group structure
- SDL LIMITED · parent
- SDL Holdings BV 100%
- SDL Nominees Ltd 100%
- SDL Global Holdings Ltd 100%
- Automated Language Processing Services Ltd 100%
- Interlingua Group Ltd 100%
- Alterian Holdings Ltd 100%
- Intrepid Consultants Ltd 100%
- SDL (Newbury) Ltd 100%
- Alterian Holdings Inc 100%
- SDL Belgium NV 100%
- SDL do Brazil Global Solutions Ltda 100%
- SDL International (Canada) Inc 100%
- SDL Chile SA 100%
- SDL Zagreb doo 100%
- SDL CZ sro 100%
- SDL France SARL 100%
- SDL Hellas Efarmoges Pliroforikis Limited 100%
- SDL Hong Kong Ltd 100%
- SDL Magyaror szaj szolgaltato Kft 100%
- SDL Multilingual Solutions Private Ltd 100%
- SDL Italia Srl Unipersonale 100%
- SDL Luxembourg SARL 100%
- SDL Netherlands BV 100%
- SDL Poland Sp zoo 100%
- SDL Portugal Unipessoal LDA 100%
- LLC SDL Rus 100%
- SDL Multi-Lingual Solutions (Singapore) PTE Ltd 100%
- SDL doo Ljubljana 100%
- Software Development Language Solutions, Hispania, SL 100%
- SDL Sweden AB 100%
- SDL Tridion AB 100%
- SDL Turkey Translation Services and Commerce Ltd 100%
- SDL Sheffield Ltd 100%
- SDL Software Technology (Shenzhen) Co Ltd 100%
- SDL Global Solutions (Ireland) Ltd 100%
- SDL Japan K.K. 100%
- SDL Inc 100%
- SDL XyEnterprise LLC 100%
- Trados GmbH 100%
- SDL Technologies India PVT Ltd 100%
- SDL Tridion K.K. 100%
- SDL Xopus BV 100%
- Language Weaver SRL 100%
- SDL Media Manager BV 100%
- LLC SDL Ukraine 100%
- SDL Tridion Ltd 100%
- XyEnterprise Ltd 100%
- Alterian Technology Ltd 100%
- SDL Government Inc 100%
- SDL Vietnam Ltd 100%
- Liones Holding B.V. 100%
- Liones Group B.V. 100%
- Liones B.V. 100%
- Fonto Group B.V. 100%
- Blackburne Holdings Limited 100%
- Propylon Holdings Limited 100%
- Propylon Limited 100%
- Propylon Inc 100%
- ST Comms Language Specialists Proprietary Limited 100%
Significant events
- “Subsequent to the year end, the Group refinanced its revolving credit facility, under which the Company participates as a guarantor pursuant to a cross-group guarantee arrangement. The Group increased the available revolving credit facility commitment from US$220m to US$285m and extended the maturity to October 2029. This change did not impact the Group's financial position at 30 September 2025. There are no other significant post balance sheet events.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
3 active · 40 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREGORY, Robin Mark | Director | 2024-05-22 | Nov 1976 | British |
| HALL, Gary Peter William | Director | 2024-05-22 | Nov 1973 | British |
| JONES, William Henry | Director | 2022-02-14 | Mar 1982 | British |
Show 40 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADAMS, John William | Secretary | 1999-11-23 | 2010-04-04 |
| DONALDSON, Jola | Secretary | 1992-09-29 | 1993-01-14 |
| EVANS, Robert Anthony | Secretary | 1995-04-10 | 1997-06-04 |
| LANCASTER, Cristina Maria Elisa | Secretary | 1993-01-14 | 1994-05-16 |
| LEWEY, Christopher Guy Desmond | Secretary | 2022-04-08 | 2022-12-20 |
| PICKERING, Pamela | Secretary | 2010-04-04 | 2021-03-10 |
| POLLARD, Andrew Nicholas Geoffrey | Secretary | 1994-05-16 | 1995-04-10 |
| THOMAS, Christopher | Secretary | 1997-06-04 | 1999-11-23 |
| WEBBERLEY, Janet Susan | Secretary | 1992-01-30 | 1992-09-29 |
| LONDON LAW SECRETARIAL LIMITED | Corporate Nominee Secretary | 1992-01-06 | 1992-01-30 |
| BATTERHAM, Christopher Michael | Director | 1999-10-15 | 2017-04-27 |
| BRADLEY, Floyd Henry | Director | 1993-06-01 | 2001-05-10 |
| CAMPBELL, Joseph Sebastian | Director | 2005-07-01 | 2014-04-29 |
| CLAYTON, David Hugh | Director | 2009-12-16 | 2020-11-04 |
| COLLINSON, Glenn | Director | 2014-06-01 | 2020-11-04 |
| DAVIES, Candida Jane | Director | 2022-12-20 | 2024-05-22 |
| DAY, Roderick | Director | 2022-04-08 | 2022-12-20 |
| EVERITT, Timothy Mark | Director | 2021-07-22 | 2022-02-14 |
| GLASS, Desmond Kenneth Neil | Director | 2020-11-04 | 2022-04-08 |
| GORDON, Alastair Neil | Director | 1998-04-27 | 2010-03-31 |
| GRADDEN, Amanda Jane | Director | 2012-01-30 | 2020-11-04 |
| HERNANDEZ, Adolfo | Director | 2016-04-18 | 2020-11-04 |
| HUMPHREY, Christopher John | Director | 2016-06-08 | 2020-11-04 |
| HUNTER, John | Director | 2008-09-01 | 2012-11-02 |
| KNIGHT, Matthew | Director | 2011-04-14 | 2013-11-25 |
| LANCASTER, Cristina Maria Elisa | Director | 1993-07-04 | 2011-03-31 |
| LANCASTER, Mark Jonathan | Director | 1992-01-30 | 2015-10-01 |
| LAVELLE, Dominic Joseph | Director | 2013-11-25 | 2018-03-29 |
| MATTHEWS, John Waylett | Director | 2001-06-12 | 2012-04-17 |
| MCWALTER, Alan James | Director | 2014-03-01 | 2020-11-04 |
| MILLS, Keith Thomas | Director | 2000-09-01 | 2009-12-30 |
| PERCIVAL, Wolfdieter Eberhard | Director | 1997-12-01 | 1999-09-20 |
| POLLARD, Andrew Nicholas Geoffrey | Director | 1992-01-30 | 1997-06-12 |
| STUART, Gordon Mckenzie | Director | 2020-01-27 | 2020-11-04 |
| SVENDSEN, David Edward | Director | 1999-10-15 | 2001-03-28 |
| THOMPSON, Jane Anne | Director | 2009-12-16 | 2012-04-17 |
| THOMPSON, Richard James | Director | 2020-11-04 | 2021-07-22 |
| WALTERS, Xenia | Director | 2018-04-03 | 2020-11-04 |
| WEBBERLEY, Janet Susan | Director | 1992-01-30 | 1992-09-29 |
| LONDON LAW SERVICES LIMITED | Corporate Nominee Director | 1992-01-06 | 1992-01-30 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
| Name | Kind | Nature of control | Notified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rws Holdings Plc | Corporate entity | Shares 75–100%, Voting 75–100%, Appoints directors | 2020-11-04 | Active |
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 478 total filings
Material constitutional events — rename, articles re-file, resolution
- 2024-02-17 RESOLUTIONS Resolution
- 2024-02-17 MA Memorandum articles
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2026-01-13 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2026-01-12 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2026-01-07 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2025-05-07 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2025-03-31 | PSC05 | persons-with-significant-control | Change to a person with significant control | |
| 2025-03-31 | AD01 | address | Change registered office address company with date old address new address | |
| 2025-01-20 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with updates | |
| 2024-11-11 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2024-06-17 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2024-06-17 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-06-17 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-05-09 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2024-02-17 | RESOLUTIONS | resolution | Resolution | |
| 2024-02-17 | MA | incorporation | Memorandum articles | |
| 2024-01-20 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2023-02-28 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type full | |
| 2023-01-12 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2022-12-22 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2022-12-22 | TM02 | officers | Termination secretary company with name termination date |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 4
- Capital events
- 0
- 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.