This study looks at all companies registered in Wales and where their total assets are
more than GBP850,000.

The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the key movers and shakers in the Welsh corporate sector. Only key data has been isolated, particularly the company’s net worth and total assets, but also their full name, date incorporated, registered office, activities, shareholders, directors (with date of birth, occupation and nationality) and number of employees.

Two indicators of size are used: net worth and total assets. These are preferable to turnover which is influenced by profit margins and whether the companies are capital or labour intensive.

A short summary of the Welsh corporate sector:

Wales has a population of 3 million or 5% of UK total.

In 2016, Welsh GVA reached GBP59.6 billion (up 4.0% on 2015) with GVA per head of the population at GBP19,140, or 73% of the UK average.

Of nearly 252,000 SMEs, over 95% are in the micro firm category, accounting for 56% of SME employment and 42% of SME sales. Medium sized enterprises (51-249) make up less than 1% of all SMEs but account for nearly one fifth of SME employment and nearly 30% of sales. A little over 17,000 SMEs in production sectors account for 56,000 employees.

Since 1999, the number of jobs in the manufacturing has fallen by 30% (40% in UK), whereas the number of self-employed has increased by 40% overall. Between 2001-2015, ‘human health and social work’ had the largest increase in employment at 23%. This is now also the second largest sector by employment with a total of 205,000 workers. Social care for adults contributes more than GBP2 billion to the Welsh economy. However, ‘wholesale and retail trade with motor vehicle repairs’ remains the largest sector by employment with 207,000 workers.

Welsh exports are worth nearly GBP15 billion in 2016, a rise of more than 10% year-on-year.

For every 100 enterprises that started in 2013, typically only around 60 would still be active three years later. UK Start-Up Loans Company (SULCO), established in 2013, has provided an average of GBP8,000 to 1943 new companies.