Wisconsin Secretary of State UCC search showing unexpected results - need help understanding

This is actually pretty common with UCC searches, especially in Wisconsin. The search system picks up any close matches to what you enter, which is why you're seeing the name variations. The key thing is whether these are actually the same legal entity or different ones. Check the organizational ID numbers if they're listed, and definitely verify the exact legal name from the Articles of Incorporation. Those small differences in punctuation and formatting can represent the same company but filed at different times, or they could be genuinely separate entities.

You definitely want to be careful here. I've seen situations where multiple related LLCs use very similar names but are actually separate legal entities with different assets. The fact that you have overlapping collateral descriptions but different filing dates suggests these might be separate financing statements for different transactions. Have you looked at the actual secured party information? Are the lenders the same across all three filings?

I had a similar issue recently where I was doing due diligence and found multiple UCC filings with name variations. Spent way too much time trying to manually cross-reference everything. What finally helped was using Certana.ai's document verification tool - I uploaded the UCC search results and it automatically flagged which filings likely belonged to the same entity versus separate ones. The tool cross-checks debtor names, addresses, and filing patterns to identify potential matches. Made the whole process much faster and gave me confidence I wasn't missing anything critical.

Don't forget to check if any of these filings have been terminated or amended. The Wisconsin SOS system should show the current status, but sometimes you need to look at the individual filing details to see the complete picture. If one has lapsed as you mentioned, that could significantly affect lien priority for your transaction.

Wisconsin is notorious for this kind of confusion in their UCC database. I swear half my searches turn up multiple variations of the same company name. The system is overly broad in what it returns as potential matches.

For your specific situation, I'd recommend getting copies of all three UCC-1 statements and reviewing the detailed collateral descriptions. Manufacturing equipment can be described in various ways, and you want to make sure you understand exactly what's covered under each filing. Also check the filing dates against any equipment purchase or lease agreements you have access to.

Have you considered running the search with just part of the company name to see if there are any other variations you missed? Sometimes UCC searches don't catch everything if you search with the complete name including punctuation.

What's the time sensitivity on your transaction? If you have some time, you might want to contact the secured parties directly to get clarification on the scope of their liens. Most banks are pretty responsive to inquiries about UCC filings when there's a potential transaction involved.

This is giving me flashbacks to my own Wisconsin UCC search nightmare last year. Ended up being three separate but related entities all using similar names. The key was getting the tax ID numbers for each entity and cross-referencing with their business registrations.

Just a thought - have you checked if any of these companies have DBA (doing business as) names filed? Sometimes that can explain name variations in UCC filings. Wisconsin businesses often file under their DBA names rather than their formal legal names.

Whatever you do, make sure you document your search methodology and results thoroughly. If questions come up later about due diligence, you'll want to show that you identified and investigated all potential UCC filings. I always save screenshots of search results and keep copies of all the filing documents.