Watford, Hertfordshire

2014 Half Year Business Confidence Report

Headlines

  • Q2 2014 saw a new record in company registrations in Watford when compared to any previous Q2.
  • June 2014 saw a new record in company registrations in Watford when compared to any previous June.
  • May 2014 saw a new record in company registrations in Watford when compared to any previous May.
  • April 2014 saw a new record in company registrations in Watford when compared to any previous April.
  • April 2014 saw a new record in net growth in Watford when compared to any previous April.

Contents

  1. New Company Registrations
  2. Closed Companies (dissolved)
  3. Net Company Growth
  4. UK Company Share
  5. Director Age
  6. Director Gender
  7. Naming Trends
  8. SIC Data
  9. Recent Companies

New Company Registrations

  1. Half Year Data (Jan-Jun 2014)

    In the first half of 2014 a total of 927 companies were formed in Watford. This figure is 40.5% higher than last year, which compares well to the UK wide figure of 11.6%.

    The highest total for a first half year in Watford occurred in 2007 when a total of 1,021 were formed.

    Half Year (Jan-Jun)WatfordUK
    2014927300,731
    2013660269,432
    % change40.5%11.6%
    Record Year2007 (1,021)2014 (300,731)
    New Companies by Half Year
  2. Quarterly Data (Q2 Apr-Jun 2014)

    Q2 2014 saw a new record in company registrations in Watford when compared to any previous Q2.

    A total of 490 companies were registered in Watford during the second quarter of 2014 (Apr 2014 - Jun 2014).

    This figure is an increase of 47.6% versus the same period last year (Q2 2013). This figure compares well to the UK as a whole, which saw an increase of 11.4% against the same period last year.

    second quarter (Apr 2014 - Jun 2014)WatfordUK
    2014490150,009
    2013332134,630
    % change47.6%11.4%
    Record Year 2014 (490) 2014 (150,009)
    New Companies by Quarter
  3. Monthly Data (Apr, May & Jun 2014)

    June 2014 saw a new record in company registrations in Watford when compared to any previous June.

    May 2014 saw a new record in company registrations in Watford when compared to any previous May.

    April 2014 saw a new record in company registrations in Watford when compared to any previous April.

    New Companies by Month
    AprilMayJune
    New companies in 2014178175137
    New companies in 201311312099
    % change57.5%45.8%38.4%
    Record Year2014 (178)2014 (175)2014 (137)

Closed Companies (dissolved)

  1. Half Year Data (Jan-Jun 2014)

    In the first half of 2014 a total of 536 companies were dissolved in Watford. This figure is 15.0% higher than last year, which compares badly to the UK wide change of 14.2%.

    The highest total for a first half year in Watford occurred in 2009 when a total of 1,354 were closed.

    Half Year (Jan-Jun)WatfordUK
    2014536177,207
    2013466155,192
    % change15.0%14.2%
    Record Year2009 (1,354)2009 (289,245)
    Dissolved Companies by Half Year
  2. Quarterly Data (Q2 Apr-Jun 2014)

    A total of 272 companies were dissolved in Watford during the second quarter of 2014 (Apr 2014 - Jun 2014).

    This figure is an increase of 26.5% versus the same period last year (Q2 2013). This figure compares poorly to the UK as a whole, which saw an increase of 22.7% against the same period last year.

    second quarter (Apr 2014 - Jun 2014)WatfordUK
    201427294,837
    201321577,278
    % change26.5%22.7%
    Record Year 2009 (729) 2009 (181,179)
    Dissolved Companies by Quarter
  3. Monthly Data (Apr, May & Jun 2014)

    Dissolved Companies by Month
    AprilMayJune
    Closed companies in 20145811896
    Closed companies in 2013696383
    % change-15.9%87.3%16%
    Record Year2009 (226)2009 (396)2009 (107)

Net Company Growth

  1. Half Year Data (Jan-Jun 2014)

    In the first half of 2014 the company register for Watford increased by 391 companies.

    Half Year (Jan-Jun)WatfordUK
    2014391123,524
    2013194114,240
    Record Year2007 (745)2007 (171,296)
    Net Growth by Half Year
  2. Quarterly Data (Q2 Apr-Jun 2014)

    Net company growth for Watford during the second quarter of 2014 (Apr 2014 - Jun 2014) was 218 companies.

    second quarter (Apr 2014 - Jun 2014)WatfordUK
    201421855,172
    201311757,352
    Record Year 2014 (218) 2007 (60,014)
    Net Growth by Quarter
  3. Monthly Data (Apr, May & Jun 2014)

    April 2014 saw a new record in net growth in Watford when compared to any previous April.

    Net Growth by Month
    AprilMayJune
    Net growth in 20141205741
    Net growth in 2013445716
    Record Year2014 (120)2013 (57)2006 (55)

UK Company Share

  1. Half Year Data (Jan-Jun 2014)

    In the first half of 2014 Watford formed 0.3% of all UK companies. This is more than the 2013 figure of 0.2%.

    Half Year (Jan-Jun)Watford
    20140.3%
    20130.2%
    20120.2%
    20110.3%
    20100.3%
    Record Year (since 1960) 2007 (0.4%)
    Company Share by Half Year
  2. Quarterly Data (Q2 Apr-Jun 2014)

    In the second quarter of 2014, Watford formed 0.3% of all UK companies.

    second quarter (Apr 2014 - Jun 2014)Watford
    20140.3%
    20130.2%
    20120.3%
    20110.3%
    20100.2%
    Record Year (since 1960) 1961 (0.4%)
    Company Share by Quarter
  3. Monthly Data (Apr, May & Jun 2014)

    Company Share by Month
    AprilMayJune
    UK formation share in 20140.3%0.4%0.3%
    UK formation share in 20130.2%0.3%0.2%
    % change42.1%34.6%19.9%
    Record Year1990 (0.5%)1992 (0.4%)1961 (1.1%)

Director Age

  1. Half Year Data (Jan-Jun 2014)

    The average age of a director in the first half of 2014 was 42.8.

    The percentage of directors under the age of 25 was 3.1% compared to the UK figure of 4.3%.

    The percentage of directors over the age of 65 was 3.1% compared to the UK figure of 3.5%.

    Director Age by Half Year
  2. Quarterly Data (Q2 Apr-Jun 2014)

    The average age of a director in the second quarter of 2014 was 42.2.

    The percentage of directors under the age of 25 was 2.7% compared to the UK figure of 3.9%.

    The percentage of directors over the age of 65 was 3.3% compared to the UK figure of 3.6%.

    Director Age by Quarter

Director Gender

  1. Half Year Data (Jan-Jun 2014)

    The record first half year for female directors in Watford was 2011 when 27.0% of all directors were female.

    22.6% of all director appointments in Watford in the first half of 2014 were female. This compares to a UK average of 26.1% for the same period.

    Director Gender by Half Year
  2. Quarterly Data (Q2 Apr-Jun 2014)

    The record second quarter for female directors in Watford was in 2008 when 30.7% of all directors were female.

    20.2% of all director appointments in Watford in the second quarter of 2014 were female. This compares to a UK average of 25.9% for the same period.

    Director Gender by Quarter

Naming Trends

  1. Previous 12 months (Jun 2013-Jun 2014)

    Excluding: LIMITED, LTD, &, UK, SERVICES, THE, (UK), AND, LTD., A, LLP, SOLUTIONS, COMPANY, OF.

    wordpercentageuk worduk percentage
    CONSULTING3.13%CONSULTING5.16%
    MANAGEMENT1.42%MANAGEMENT4.64%
    CONSULTANCY1.42%CONSULTANCY3.50%
    WATFORD1.04%PROPERTY2.66%
    PROPERTY1.00%TRADING2.03%
    LONDON0.92%ENGINEERING1.99%
    NUTRA0.79%CONSTRUCTION1.93%
    CARE0.79%LONDON1.93%
    HEALTH0.79%CARE1.85%
    DESIGN0.67%DESIGN1.75%
    IT0.67%CONSULTANTS1.73%
    ELECTRICAL0.67%BUSINESS1.69%
    BUSINESS0.67%PROPERTIES1.63%
    FINANCIAL0.63%TRANSPORT1.58%
    MEDIA0.63%GLOBAL1.55%
    SECURITY0.63%INVESTMENTS1.55%
    CONSTRUCTION0.58%J1.51%
    J0.58%ASSOCIATES1.48%
    ASSOCIATES0.58%MEDIA1.44%
    CONSULTANTS0.58%ELECTRICAL1.40%
    PROJECTS0.54%IT1.33%
    ELITE0.54%DEVELOPMENTS1.33%
    BUILDING0.54%BUILDING1.26%
    GLOBAL0.50%M1.24%
    M0.50%CO.,1.20%

SIC Data

  1. Previous 36 months, excluding companies less than 12 months old

    sic codenumber of companiesuk companies
    None Supplied618261,557
    70229 - Management consultancy activities other than financial management15240,250
    62020 - Information technology consultancy activities12629,029
    99999 - Dormant Company9248,436
    82990 - Other business support service activities not elsewhere classified8657,421
    96090 - Other service activities not elsewhere classified6728,352
    62090 - Other information technology service activities4013,024
    62012 - Business and domestic software development329,834
    41100 - Development of building projects3210,527
    74909 - Other professional, scientific and technical activities not elsewhere classified2919,058
    68209 - Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate2910,133
    47990 - Other retail sale not in stores, stalls or markets286,286
    74990 - Non-trading company2714,351
    41202 - Construction of domestic buildings277,053
    86900 - Other human health activities2611,292
    69201 - Accounting and auditing activities247,415
    43390 - Other building completion and finishing235,855
    56290 - Other food services234,324
    43999 - Other specialised construction activities not elsewhere classified198,533
    86101 - Hospital activities183,357

Recent Companies

  1. Randomly selected companies from this quarter

    COMPANY NUMBERCOMPANY NAMEINCORPORATION DATE
    09027697 THE LITTLE GREEN HEALTH COMPANY LIMITED 07 May 2014
    09036987 SHAPESHIFT CONSULTANTS LIMITED 13 May 2014
    09037075 WRITE LELLIE LTD 13 May 2014
    09037662 AMALO PHARMA LIMITED 13 May 2014
    09041336 COUCH AVCO LIMITED 15 May 2014
    09044401 ABIEL CONSULTANCY LIMITED 16 May 2014
    09045713 NICOL'S HOME CARE LTD 19 May 2014
    09049185 ELIA CONSULTANCY LTD 21 May 2014
    09050473 ELITE LAW SOLICITORS LIMITED 21 May 2014
    09051020 KGS1 LIMITED 21 May 2014
    09052589 PICK N MIX EVENTS LTD 22 May 2014
    09055000 JNP CONSULTANTS LTD 23 May 2014
    09055415 LINDSEY OLIVER CONSULTING LIMITED 23 May 2014
    09063507 GRACEWELL HEALTHCARE 7 LIMITED 30 May 2014
    09024736 CLAYTON RD (2014) LTD 06 May 2014
    09025849 FLEX-IT-SOLUTIONS LONDON LTD 06 May 2014
    09026645 SOURCE OF ESSENCE LIMITED 07 May 2014
    09030962 P H (SLOUGH) LTD 08 May 2014
    OC393081 CLB GLOBAL LLP 09 May 2014
    09036259 WATFORD WAFFLE LOUNGE LIMITED 13 May 2014
    09042636 INNACO LTD. 15 May 2014
    09049062 M A 14 LIMITED 20 May 2014
    09052895 RORY DAVIDSON CONSULTING LIMITED 22 May 2014
    09062028 IMRANS INDEPENDENT SOLUTION LTD 29 May 2014
    09038610 GAS ENGINEERS & ELECTRICIANS 4 U LTD 14 May 2014