The Accounts · daily brief
26 August 2026
WPP data arm swings to profit, Dyce Caravans ceases trading
The takeaways
- WPP's data subsidiary swung to an £8.5m operating profit as revenue jumped 70% and admin costs contracted
- Cotteswold Dairy passed the £100m revenue mark but saw operating profit fall by a third
- Aberdeen-based retailer Dyce Caravans filed on a break-up basis after deciding to cease trading
Hiring signals · who grew, who shrank
Hiring
- Hutton & Co (Ships Chandlers) Limited 36 → 51 staff ▲ +42% staff cost +35%
- Toray Advanced Composites Uk Ltd 82 → 103 staff ▲ +26% staff cost +38%
Cutting
- Understanding Recruitment Ltd 82 → 63 staff ▼ −23% staff cost −26%
- Alfred Bagnall & Sons (North East) Limited 40 → 33 staff ▼ −18%
Average headcount from the accounts filed yesterday — a look back at last year's payroll, not a live hiring tracker.
Filing of note
Dyce Caravans Limited
Dyce Caravans Limited is an independent family-owned retailer based in Aberdeen, specialising in the sale, servicing, and repair of touring caravans and motorhomes from brands including Adria and Bailey of Bristol.
Filed on a break-up basis — the business is being wound up.
| Line | FY25 | FY24 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash & balance sheet | |||
| Cash | £48,442 | £314k | ▼ −85% |
| Net assets | £1.9m | £2.3m | ▼ −18% |
| People & pay | |||
| Avg. headcount | 15 | 16 | ▼ −6% |
A notable filing comes from this Aberdeen-based caravan retailer, which has filed its accounts on a break-up basis. The filing notes a decision to cease trading post year-end and the company has provided for termination costs. As a small filer the top line is hidden, but the balance sheet shows cash dropping from £314k to £48k, while net assets settled at £1.9m.
Wpp Data & Technology Solutions Ltd [1]
The company operates as a data and technology services subsidiary of WPP plc, the London-listed global advertising and communications group, providing enterprise solutions and marketing platforms to support the wider group's creative and media operations.
Platform growth
| Line | FY25 | FY24 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit & loss | |||
| Turnover | £112m | £66m | ▲ +70% |
| Gross profit | £11.5m | £18.9m | ▼ −39% |
| Admin expenses | £6.3m | £37.2m | ▼ −83% |
| Operating profit | £8.5m | −£17.9m | ▲ +147% |
| Finance costs | £3.9m | £4.6m | ▼ −14% |
| Profit before tax | £4.6m | −£22.4m | ▲ +120% |
| Net profit | −£4.6m | −£23.3m | ▲ +80% |
| Cash & balance sheet | |||
| Cash | £0 | £0 | |
| Net assets | £80.4m | −£70.3m | ▲ +214% |
| People & pay | |||
| Staff cost | £38.6m | £27.7m | ▲ +40% |
| Director pay | £956k | £343k | ▲ +179% |
Revenue jumped 70% to £112m, an increase attributed in the filing to the expanded rollout of the WPP Open Media Platform. The £8.5m operating profit — a swing from last year's £17.9m loss — coincided with a substantial reduction in administrative expenses, which fell from £37.2m to £6.3m. A £9.1m tax charge brought the bottom line back to a £4.6m net loss, while the balance sheet was supported by a £155m equity injection from the parent company.
Cotteswold Dairy Limited [2]
Cotteswold Dairy Limited is an independent, family-owned business that processes, packs, and delivers fresh milk and cream to residential doorsteps and commercial customers across England and Wales.
Margin squeeze
| Line | FY25 | FY24 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit & loss | |||
| Turnover | £102.3m | £92.3m | ▲ +11% |
| Gross profit | £28.2m | £27.5m | ▲ +3% |
| Admin expenses | £12.9m | £12.2m | ▲ +6% |
| Operating profit | £1.7m | £2.7m | ▼ −36% |
| Finance costs | £51,569 | £45,469 | ▲ +13% |
| Profit before tax | £1.7m | £2.6m | ▼ −37% |
| Net profit | £1.5m | £2m | ▼ −22% |
| Cash & balance sheet | |||
| Cash | £1.9m | £2.9m | ▼ −35% |
| Net assets | £10.5m | £9.7m | ▲ +8% |
| Dividends paid | £750k | — | |
| People & pay | |||
| Avg. headcount | 490 | 477 | ▲ +3% |
| Staff cost | £18.3m | £16.5m | ▲ +11% |
| Director pay | £265k | £241k | ▲ +10% |
| Highest-paid director | £120k | £104k | ▲ +16% |
Volume growth and higher milk prices pushed revenue past the £100m mark for the first time, up 11% to £102.3m. The expanded sales base coincided with a margin contraction, with operating profit falling 36% to £1.7m. A £1.9m rise in the total staff cost bill accompanied the squeeze, while the period under review also saw a £750k dividend paid out to the shareholders.
Go Green Limited [3]
The business is a privately owned provider of outsourced waste management and recycling solutions, operating services such as skip hire and rubbish removal under the WasteOnline brand.
Profitable growth
| Line | FY25 | FY24 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit & loss | |||
| Turnover | £61.1m | £52.1m | ▲ +17% |
| Gross profit | £13.7m | £11.4m | ▲ +20% |
| Admin expenses | £8.6m | £7.4m | ▲ +16% |
| Operating profit | £5.2m | £4.1m | ▲ +26% |
| Finance costs | £13,415 | £2,522 | ▲ +432% |
| Profit before tax | £5.2m | £4.1m | ▲ +26% |
| Net profit | £3.9m | £3.1m | ▲ +26% |
| Cash & balance sheet | |||
| Cash | £2.9m | £3.9m | ▼ −26% |
| Net assets | £5.4m | £4.9m | ▲ +11% |
| Dividends paid | £3.3m | £3.3m | ▲ +2% |
| People & pay | |||
| Avg. headcount | 182 | 168 | ▲ +8% |
| Staff cost | £6.6m | £5.4m | ▲ +21% |
| Director pay | £483k | £427k | ▲ +13% |
| Highest-paid director | £107k | £92,763 | ▲ +15% |
The outsourced waste manager saw turnover rise 17% to £61.1m. Operating profit outpaced that top-line growth, rising 26% to £5.2m, while the company recorded an expansion in average headcount from 168 to 182. A £3.3m dividend was paid out during the period, leaving net assets standing at £5.4m.
Seven Asset Limited [4]
Trading as Seven Asset Management, the company is part of the Seven Group and provides commercial vehicle leasing, fleet management services, and equipment rental.
Leaner operations
| Line | FY25 | FY24 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit & loss | |||
| Turnover | £55m | £53.3m | ▲ +3% |
| Gross profit | £4.7m | £5.9m | ▼ −19% |
| Admin expenses | £3.6m | £5.4m | ▼ −33% |
| Operating profit | £1.1m | £503k | ▲ +125% |
| Finance costs | £17,280 | £2,888 | ▲ +498% |
| Profit before tax | £1.6m | £1.1m | ▲ +51% |
| Net profit | £942k | £919k | ▲ +2% |
| Cash & balance sheet | |||
| Cash | £4.3m | £5.1m | ▼ −16% |
| Net assets | £9.3m | £8.4m | ▲ +11% |
| People & pay | |||
| Avg. headcount | 77 | 84 | ▼ −8% |
| Staff cost | £3.9m | £4.4m | ▼ −11% |
| Director pay | £930k | £944k | ▼ −1% |
| Highest-paid director | £229k | £223k | ▲ +3% |
A steady year for the commercial vehicle lessor, with turnover edging up 3% to £55.0m. Operating profit more than doubled to £1.1m, an increase attributed in the filing to a strategic pivot away from less profitable contracts. The operation recorded a reduction in average headcount from 84 to 77, while total staff costs fell by 11%.
Sbs Insurance Services Limited [5]
Operating as SBS, the privately owned company provides digital claims management and contents replacement solutions for UK household insurers.
Solid expansion
| Line | FY26 | FY25 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit & loss | |||
| Turnover | £51.6m | £42.5m | ▲ +21% |
| Gross profit | £7.4m | £7m | ▲ +5% |
| Admin expenses | −£6.6m | −£6.6m | ▲ +0% |
| Operating profit | £811k | £420k | ▲ +93% |
| Finance costs | −£370 | −£29,466 | ▲ +99% |
| Profit before tax | £812k | £396k | ▲ +105% |
| Net profit | £589k | £255k | ▲ +131% |
| Cash & balance sheet | |||
| Cash | £456k | £498k | ▼ −9% |
| Net assets | £1.6m | £1.7m | ▼ −4% |
| Dividends paid | −£650k | −£520k | ▼ −25% |
| People & pay | |||
| Avg. headcount | 94 | 93 | ▲ +1% |
| Staff cost | £4.5m | £4.6m | ▼ −1% |
| Director pay | £625k | £612k | ▲ +2% |
| Highest-paid director | £166k | £170k | ▼ −3% |
The claims management outsourcer recorded a 21% rise in turnover to £51.6m, attributed to new contract wins in a competitive market. Operating profit nearly doubled to £811k, leaving a final net profit of £589k. The filing notes a distinct upturn in claims volumes early in the new financial year, pointing to a positive outlook.
Proof that even £100m of milk can't protect you from a margin squeeze.
Sources
- Wpp Data & Technology Solutions Ltd
- Cotteswold Dairy Limited
- Go Green Limited
- Seven Asset Limited
- Sbs Insurance Services Limited