The directors present their report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The principal activity of the company continued to be that of services for major institutional investors including monitoring shareholder actions and financial antitrust cases around the world and providing recovery and advisory services to manage the risk of participation in investor actions.

The company has made a net loss for the year after taxation of £8,667 (2023 profit: £107,788). During the year, the company has not paid any dividends.

The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that S&W Partners Audit Limited be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.

So far as each of the directors at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditors are unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditors are aware of that information. The directors are not aware of any relevant audit information of which the auditors are unaware.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

We have audited the financial statements of Institutional Protection Services Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the profit and loss account, the balance sheet, the statement of changes in equity and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 31 December 2024 and of its loss for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard and the provisions available for small entities, in the circumstances set out in note 1.1 to the financial statements, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the director's use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report, other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the Directors' Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report the fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

• the information given in the Directors' Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the Directors' Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Directors' Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

• the directors were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the Directors' Report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.

As explained more fully in the Statement of Directors' Responsibilities set out on page 2, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

We obtained a general understanding of the company’s legal and regulatory framework through enquiry of management concerning: their understanding of relevant laws and regulations; the entity’s policies and procedures regarding compliance; and how they identify, evaluate and account for litigation claims. We also drew on our existing understanding of the company’s industry and regulation.

We understand that the company complies with the framework through:

• Outsourcing accounts preparation, and tax compliance to external experts.

• Subscribing to relevant updates from external experts and making changes to internal procedures and controls as necessary.

In the context of the audit, we considered those laws and regulations: which determine the form and content of the financial statements; which are central to the company’s ability to conduct its business; and where failure to comply could result in material penalties. We identified the following laws and regulations as being of significance in the context of the company:

• The Companies Act 2006 and FRS 102 in respect of the preparation and presentation of the financial statements.

The senior statutory auditor led a discussion with senior members of the engagement team regarding the susceptibility of the entity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including how fraud might occur. The key areas identified as part of the discussion were with regard to the manipulation of the financial statements through manual journal entries and incorrect recognition of revenue.

The procedures we carried out to gain evidence in the above areas included:

• Testing the occurrence of revenue, specifically around the balance sheet date;

• Testing journal entries, selected based on specific risk assessments applied based on client processes and controls surrounding manual journals.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The profit and loss account has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

Institutional Protection Services Limited is a private company, limited by shares, incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Third Floor, 1-3 Staple Inn, London, WC1V 7QH.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 Section 1A "Small Entities" and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 as applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime. The disclosure requirements of section 1A of FRS 102 have been applied other than where additional disclosure is required to show a true and fair view.

The preparation of financial statements in compliance with FRS 102 Section 1A requires the use of certain critical accounting estimates. It also requires management to exercise judgement in applying the accounting policies.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

Atruet the time of approving the financial statements, the Board has prepared cash flow forecasts and formed a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the Board continues to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Turnover represents the fair value of services provided to clients net of value added tax. Fair value reflects the amount expected to be recoverable from clients. Non-contingent fee services provided to clients during the year which at the year end have not been invoiced to clients are recognised on a straight line basis over the specified period. Where revenue has been invoiced in advance of services provided, the income is included within creditors as deferred income.

Turnover is recognised in respect of contingent fees on confirmation of the amount of award to the company's clients following the outcome of a class action. Until this significant act, the directors do not consider this type of revenue to be either probable or capable of reliable estimation.

In the research phase of an internal project, it is not possible to demonstrate that the project will generate future economic benefits and hence all expenditure on research shall be recognised as an expense when it is incurred. Intangible assets are recognised from the development phase of a project if certain specific criteria are met in order to demonstrate the asset will generate probable future economic benefits and that its cost can be measured reliably. Where development expenditure increases the life of the asset the remaining economic life is reviewed.

Amortisation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost, or valuation of assets, less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.

Fixed assets do not require replacement parts or the cost of major inspections to be recognised separately.

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts.

The company holds monies on behalf of clients, in which the company has no beneficial interest. Such monies are therefore excluded from the balance sheet.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Tax is recognised in the profit and loss account, except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity.

Current or deferred taxation assets and liabilities are not discounted.

Current tax is recognised at the amount of tax payable using the tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date.

Deferred tax is recognised in respect of all timing differences that have originated but not reversed at the balance sheet date.

Timing differences arise from the inclusion of income and expenses in tax assessments in periods different from those in which they are recognised in financial statements. Deferred tax is measured using tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the year end and that are expected to apply to the reversal of the timing difference.

Unrelieved tax losses and other deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits.

Provisions are recognised when the company has a legal or constructive present obligation as a result of a past event, it is probable that the company will be required to settle that obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation.

The amount recognised as a provision is the best estimate of the consideration required to settle the present obligation at the reporting end date, taking into account the risks and uncertainties surrounding the obligation.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets.

No liability is recognised in respect of holiday pay as employees are unable to carry forward holiday into future periods.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the company's pension scheme are charged to profit or loss in the period to which they relate.

The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

Where share options are awarded to employees, the fair value of the options at the date of grant is charged to profit or loss over the vesting period. Non-market vesting conditions are taken into account by adjusting the number of equity instruments expected to vest at each balance sheet date so that, ultimately, the cumulative amount recognised over the vesting period is based on the number of options that eventually vest. Market vesting conditions are factored into the fair value of the options granted. The cumulative expense is not adjusted for failure to achieve a market vesting condition.

The fair value of the award also takes into account non-vesting conditions. These are either factors beyond the control of either party (such as a target based on an index) or factors which are within the control of one or other of the parties (such as the company keeping the scheme open or the employee maintaining any contributions required by the scheme).

Where the terms and conditions of options are modified before they vest, the increase in the fair value of the options, measured immediately before and after the modification, is also charged to profit or loss over the remaining vesting period.

Where equity instruments are granted to persons other than employees, the profit and loss account is charged with the fair value of goods and services received.

Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessees. All other leases are classified as operating leases.

Assets held under finance leases are recognised as assets at the lower of the asset's fair value at the date of inception and the present value of the minimum lease payments. The related liability is included in the balance sheet as a finance lease obligation. Lease payments are treated as consisting of capital and interest elements. The interest is charged to profit or loss so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to income on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease.

Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in profit or loss.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The net carrying value of tangible fixed assets includes the following in respect of assets held under finance leases or hire purchase contracts.

At the year end, the company held £586,679 of monies on behalf of its clients which are not included in the reported cash balance of the company.

Finance lease payments represent rentals payable by the company for certain items of IT equipment. The lease does not include a purchase option at the end of the lease period, and no restriction is placed on the use of the assets. The lease is on a fixed repayment basis and no arrangements have been entered into for contingent rental payments.

The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company and movements thereon:

Provision is made for property lease dilapidations accruing over the life of the lease which ends on 19 January 2026. The amount was assessed by an independent expert at £30,000 as at 31 December 2021, and the provision has been incrementally increased in subsequent periods in line with an industry average rate of cost inflation. However, the timing of this cost may be deferred beyond 2026 if the company elects to renew its lease at the same premises.

20,833 share options were granted in 2016 and a further 10,000 share options were granted in 2021.

Share options outstanding at 31 December 2024 had an exercise price ranging from £4.80 to £10 per share, and a remaining contractual life of between 5 and 10 years. Share options can be exercised either on a trade sale of the business, or at 10 years after grant, or at the discretion of the Board.

The company has measured the fair value of options granted using the Black Scholes option pricing model.

During the year, the company recognised total share-based payment expenses of £10,258 (2023 - £10,771) which related to equity settled share based payment transactions. After provision for deferred tax on these expenses, the net adjustment to profit and loss reserve was £7,693 (2023: £8,078).

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, as follows:

There are no related party transactions involving the company, its directors or shareholders which require disclosure in the current or previous financial years.

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund. The company contributes a specified percentage of payroll costs to the retirement benefit scheme to fund the benefits. The only obligation of the company with respect to the scheme is to make the specified contributions.

At the end of the year the company owed £5,038 (2023: £4,414) in respect of pension contributions.