The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The Group's turnover for the year was £38,949,900 (2023: £38,443,645) which represents a 1.3% increase in turnover from the prior year. The operating profit for the year was £954,611 (2023: £874,118) which represents a 9.2% decrease from the prior year. The Group's balance sheet shows net assets of £12,338,031 (2023: £12,196,857) and net current assets £8,888,228 (2023: £9,277,979).

The group takes a risk averse attitude to risk and the directors regularly review the group's exposure to various risks and uncertainties.

The principal risks and uncertainties faced by the group are competition and price sensitivity in the market. The group mitigates these risks by ensuring its continued focus on its core business principles, as outlined below.

The group mitigates credit risk associated with its debts by applying credit verification, having good control procedures and by insuring credit balances against default or insolvency with an appropriate insurance company. As such, the directors do not consider the group to have any significant exposure to credit risk.

The group requires foreign currencies from time to time for trading activities. Some natural hedging occurs through income receipts from customers in the required currencies and the group also has at its disposal various foreign exchange hedging instruments. The group also carries appropriate business insurance including public and product liability.

The demand for high quality motor vehicle components continues to grow, both in the UK and emerging markets, and the directors are very optimistic about the group's prospects for the future as a result. The group invests in many initiatives aimed at driving efficiency within its operations whilst also continuing to develop the growth in the Borg and Beck clutch programme, braking programmes and in the group's export activities.

The group's key performance indicators during the year were turnover and operating profit.

The average call ring time for the year was 5.20 seconds (2023: 6.10 seconds), being the time it takes to answer each incoming telephone call.

The board retains full confidence to deliver its strategic plan and is committed to maintaining its status as an internationally renowned distributor of premium quality components in the automotive aftermarket.

On behalf of the board

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

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

The results for the year are set out on page 7. The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.

The group has made qualifying third party indemnity provisions for the benefit of its directors during the year. These provisions remain in force at the reporting date.

The auditor, Ellacotts Audit Services Limited, is deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors are responsible for preparing the strategic report, directors' 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 group and company, and of the profit or loss of the group 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;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

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

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the group’s and company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the group and 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 group and company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Each of the directors in office at the date of approval of this annual report confirms that:

• so far as the director is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company and group auditors are unaware, and

• the director has taken all the steps that they ought to have taken as a director in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company and group auditors are aware of that information.

We have audited the financial statements of First Line Limited (the 'parent company') and its subsidiaries ('the group') for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the group statement of comprehensive income, the group balance sheet, the company balance sheet, the group statement of changes in equity, the company statement of changes in equity, the group statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 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 group's and the parent company's affairs as at 31 December 2024 and of the group's profit 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 group and parent 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 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 directors' 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 group's and parent 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 annual 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 that 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 strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• The strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the parent company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or 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 by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the parent company 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.

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, 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 parent 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 parent 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.

The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs (UK), we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also perform the following procedures:

- Enquiry of management, those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims.

- Enquiry of entity staff in tax and compliance functions to identify any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations.

- Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance.

- Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

- Auditing the risk of management override of controls, including through testing journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, and evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business.

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 parent 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 parent 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 parent company and the parent company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

All of the activities of the group are classed as continuing operations.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions relating to medium-sized groups.

As permitted by s408 Companies Act 2006, the company has not presented its own statement of total comprehensive income and related notes. The company’s profit for the year was £39,346 (2023 - £244,778 loss).

The group consists of First Line Limited and all of its subsidiaries.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

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

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

The group meets the definition of a qualifying entity under FRS102 and has therefore taken advantage of the disclosure exemptions available to it in respect if its separate financial statements, which are presented alongside the consolidated financial statements. Exemptions have been taken in relation to financial instruments and presentation of a cash flow statement.

The consolidated financial statements incorporate the financial statements of the company and all group undertakings. These are adjusted, where appropriate, to conform to group accounting policies. Acquisitions are accounted for under the acquisition method and goodwill on consolidation is capitalised and reviewed for impairment annually. The results of companies acquired or disposed of are included in the statement of total comprehensive income after or up to the date that control passes respectively. As a consolidated statement of total comprehensive income is published, a separate statement of total comprehensive income for the parent company is omitted from the group financial statements by virtue of section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.

At the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

The group turnover in the statement of total comprehensive income represents the amounts derived from the sale of goods and services during the year after deduction of trade discounts and exclusive of Value Added Tax.

Intangible assets are carried at cost less any provision for impairment and are amortised over their useful economic life.

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 recognised in the statement of total comprehensive income.

Interest in subsidiaries are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. The investments are assessed for impairment at each reporting date and any impairment losses or reversals of impairment losses are recognised immediately in profit or loss.

A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the group. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.

An associate is an entity, being neither a subsidiary nor a joint venture, in which the company holds a long-term interest and where the company has significant influence. The group considers that it has significant influence where it has the power to participate in the financial and operating decisions of the associate.

Investments in associates are initially recognised at the transaction price (including transaction costs) and are subsequently adjusted to reflect the group’s share of the profit or loss, other comprehensive income and equity of the associate using the equity method. Any difference between the cost of acquisition and the share of the fair value of the net identifiable assets of the associate on acquisition is recognised as goodwill. Any unamortised balance of goodwill is included in the carrying value of the investment in associates.

Losses in excess of the carrying amount of an investment in an associate are recorded as a provision only when the company has incurred legal or constructive obligations or has made payments on behalf of the associate.

In the parent company financial statements, investments in associates are accounted for at cost less impairment.

Entities in which the group has a long term interest and shares control under a contractual arrangement are classified as jointly controlled entities.

Intangible assets with indefinite useful lives and intangible assets not yet available for use are tested for impairment annually, and whenever there is an indication that the assets may be impaired.

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost comprises direct materials and where applicable, direct labour costs and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the stocks to their present location and condition.

Net realisable value is the estimated selling price less all estimated costs of completion and costs to be incurred in marketing, selling and distribution.

Cash at bank 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. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

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

Financial assets and liabilities are offset and 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.

Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in the statement of total comprehensive income, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publically traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.

Trade debtors, loans and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market are classified as 'loans and receivables'. Loans and receivables are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment.

Interest is recognised by applying the effective interest rate, except for short-term receivables when the recognition of interest would be immaterial. The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a debt instrument and of allocating the interest income over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the debt instrument to the net carrying amount on initial recognition.

Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through the statement of total comprehensive income, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.

Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. The impairment loss is recognised in the statement of total comprehensive income.

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the group transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity.

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 group after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, 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 receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

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 creditors: amounts falling due within one year if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Derivatives, including interest rate swaps and forward foreign exchange contracts, are not basic financial instruments. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently re-measured at their fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognised in profit or loss in finance costs or finance income as appropriate, unless hedge accounting is applied and the hedge is a cash flow hedge.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the group's contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct issue 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. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the group statement of total comprehensive income because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The group’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Deferred tax is recognised in respect of all timing differences that have originated but not reversed at the balance sheet date where transactions or events have occurred at that date that will result in an obligation to pay more, or a right to pay less or to receive more tax, with the following exceptions:

Provision is made for tax on gains arising from the revaluation (and similar fair value adjustments) of fixed assets, and gains on disposal of fixed assets that have been rolled over into replacement assets, only to the extent that, at the balance sheet date, there is a binding agreement to dispose of the assets concerned. However, no provision is made where, on the basis of all available evidence at the balance sheet date, it is more likely than not that the taxable gain will be rolled over into replacement assets and charged to tax only where the replacement assets are sold.

Deferred tax assets are recognised only to the extent that the directors consider that it is more likely than not that there will be suitable taxable profits from which the future reversal of the underlying timing differences can be deducted.

Deferred tax is measured on an undiscounted basis at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the periods in which timing differences reverse, based on tax rates and laws enacted or substantively enacted at the balance sheet date.

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.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

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 for its employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the group. The annual contributions payable to the scheme are charged to the group statement of total comprehensive income.

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 assets 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 the group statement of total comprehensive income 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 profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leased asset are consumed.

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 are included in the statement of total comprehensive income for the period.

In the application of the group’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The following judgements and estimates have had the most significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements.

Depreciation and amortisation is provided so as to write down the assets to their residual values over their estimated useful lives as set out in the group's accounting policy. The selection of these estimated lives requires the exercise of management judgement. Useful lives are regularly reviewed and should management's assessment of useful lives change then depreciation or amortisation charges in the financial statements would be amended and carrying amounts of fixed assets would also change accordingly.

Stock levels and valuations are constantly reviewed and should there be an indication of impairment or obsolescence the stock is written down to its assessed net realisable value.

An analysis of the group's turnover is as follows:

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

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The number of directors for whom retirement benefits are accruing under defined contribution schemes during the year amounted to 2 (2023 - 2).

The key management personnel comprise of the statutory directors. The total amount of employee benefits received by key management personnel was £758,864 (2023: £699,076).

The charge for the year can be reconciled to the profit per the group statement of total comprehensive income as follows:

Details of the company's subsidiaries at 31 December 2024 are as follows:

The bank loan is secured by way of a fixed equitable charge on all the company's trade debtors, stock and assets.

Finance leases are secured against the relevant tangible fixed assets.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset where the group or company has a legally enforceable right to do so. The following is the analysis of the deferred tax balances (after offset) for financial reporting purposes:

The group operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the group in an independently administered fund.

Winding up or other return of capital

On a return of assets to the shareholders, the assets of the company available for distribution shall be distributed to the holders of all the ordinary shares in proportion to the amounts paid up or credited as paid up, excluding any premiums paid on subscription, on all the ordinary shares held by such holders respectively.

Voting

All ordinary shares carry the right to receive notice of and attend and vote at all general meetings of the company, other than a meeting of a class of ordinary shareholders to which a particular shareholder does not belong to.

During the year, HMRC have raised an enquiry on a previously submitted corporation tax return. This enquiry is still ongoing at the date of signing the accounts and the directors believe it will be successfully answered.

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

Included within creditors are cumulative loans of £162,778 (2023: £225,278) due to the directors' at 31 December 2024. The loans are unsecured, bear interest at the rate of 0% p.a (2023: 0% p.a) and are repayable on demand.

In the opinion of the directors, there is no ultimate controlling party of the company.

The largest and smallest group in which the results of the company are consolidated is First Line Limited.