Amshold Limited, the commercial property business owned by Lord Sugar and his sons, has returned to profitability in the past year as the valuation of its property portfolio begins to stabilize, mirroring trends in the broader market.

The total value of Amshold’s assets, which include notable properties such as a Premier Inn hotel located in Brentwood, Essex, and an Iceland supermarket in Leyton, East London, decreased by an additional £1.2 million between July 2023 and June 2024, bringing the current valuation to £85.7 million.

This figure, however, represents a significant recovery when compared to the previous year, during which the portfolio’s value plummeted by £28.5 million amid a commercial property market downturn exacerbated by rising interest rates.

After accounting for these valuation losses, Amshold reported a pre-tax profit of £932,000 for the fiscal year ending June, a recovery from the substantial loss of £29.1 million the year prior.

The company acknowledged in its annual report that the market for quality London freehold investment properties remains challenging due to high interest rates, ongoing uncertainty, and declining property values. “While this scenario presents investment opportunities, it simultaneously pressures the existing portfolio,” Amshold noted.

Established in 1985, Amshold Limited has grown to encompass a diverse range of commercial properties, primarily situated in and around London. This includes a grade II-listed office building on Fleet Street, alongside various other assets such as a McDonald’s in Liverpool, a Tesco Express in Newport, and a Barclays Bank in Portsmouth.

Currently valued at £85.7 million, the portfolio’s worth reflects a significant decline from its original acquisition cost of £97.2 million, highlighting the steep drop in commercial property valuations in recent years.

In addition to its property holdings, Amshold Limited also provides various services. For instance, it charged Dr Leah Limited, a skincare clinic chain established by Leah Totton, winner of the 2013 Apprentice series, £30,000 for accounting and IT support. The company also operates a small private jet charter service.

Lord Sugar, who founded the electronics company Amstrad at just 21 in 1968, gained fame for marketing audio and computer equipment, including pioneering home computers like the Amstrad CPC 464, as well as Sky television receivers and satellite dishes. He sold Amstrad to Sky for £125 million in 2007 and remains widely recognized for hosting the BBC’s reality series The Apprentice.

The board of Amshold is comprised of Lord Sugar, his sons Daniel and Simon, along with Mike Ray, his finance director. The company distributed dividends of £390 million in 2021 and a further £90 million in 2022; however, it has not declared any dividends over the last two years.