Northern Financial Review

Frasers Group plc announced it has acquired a strategic stake of 18.9% in Bolton-based online electrical retailer AO World plc. Frasers, formerly called Sports Direct, is…

A “policy campus” for UK government staff in key policy roles has been launched in Sheffield, as new figures show Yorkshire and the Humber have benefitted…

Shares of Chesire-based NWF Group plc, the business that delivers fuel, food and agricultural feeds across the UK, rose about 5% after it published a trading…

Shares of Croda International, the East Yorkshire-based FTSE 100 speciality chemicals giant, fell about 13% on Friday after it published a trading update for the period…

The University of Manchester announced on Friday it has been the victim of a “cyber incident” and that “data have likely been copied.” Patrick Hackett, University…

Blackburn-based petrol forecourt and retail company EG Group, which last week sold its UK and Ireland operations to Asda, announced it is seeking to amend…

By Mark McSherry New York-based Stellex Capital Management, a middle-market private equity firm, announced the acquisition of Bryden Capital Limited (BCL) and MPL Group Limited,…

Harrogate-based equipment rental group Vp plc said its revenue rose 6% to £371.5 million and adjusted profit before tax, amortisation, impairment of intangible assets and exceptional…

Carlisle-based Cumberland Building Society said its mortgage lending increased from £2.2 billion to £2.37 billion as the society’s balance sheet topped £3 billion for the…

The UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has announced its confirmation of the merger of Newcastle Building Society with Manchester Building Society. “The confirmation follows announcement…

The University of Manchester has unveiled the next phase of its plans to provide more high-quality, modern student accommodation on its Fallowfield campus. A major…

Assura plc, the Warrington-based FTSE 250 healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT), said it will relocate its head office from to Altrincham. Assura has a portfolio…

Shares of Manchester-based online fashion and home goods retailer N Brown Group fell about 10% after it said group revenue fell 5.3% to £677.5 million…

Wakefield-based Team17 Group, the developer of video games and educational entertainment apps, has announced the appointment of Steve Bell as chief executive officer. Bell, 50, will join the…

Kromek Group plc, the Sedgefield, County Durham-based radiation detection and bio-detection firm, announce that it has secured a contract worth $1.5 million in the civil nuclear…

Manchester and Bristol have been identified as the UK’s highest-growth cities across multiple real estate sectors over the next 10 years, according to new research…

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig have been backed by the leading businesses in the North of England…

ParkVia – the Manchester-based company behind a global parking reservation platform – has been acquired by CAVU, part of the Manchester Airports Group plc. The…

By Mark McSherry Swedish private equity firm EQT and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) have agreed a deal to buy Cheshire veterinary drugs giant…

Wetherby-based life sciences company Avacta Group announced it has acquired Belgium-based Coris Bioconcept SRL for an upfront cash consideration of £7.4 million with an earnout…

Manchester-based FTSE 100 firm Auto Trader Group plc reported that its revenue grew 16% to £500.2 million in the year ended March 31, 2023, despite “historically low…

Shares of North Yorkshire power generator Drax Group fell as much as 6% after UK energy regulator Ofgem said it has launched a formal investigation into…

Bodycote, the Macclesfield-based heat treatment and thermal processing giant, announced that CEO Stephen Harris has decided to retire next year, as the firm revealed it made…

Shares of Liverpool-based FTSE 100 firm B&M European Value Retail S.A. rose as much as 8% as it published results for the 52 weeks to March 25,…

Peel Ports Group announced it is investing £28 million on a new facility at the Port of Liverpool in its biggest single investment in warehousing…

Liverpool-based Surface Transforms plc, manufacturers of carbon fibre reinforced ceramic automotive brake discs, announced the appointment of Stephen Easton as its new (non-board) chief operating officer, effective September…

Shares of Manchester-headquartered international law firm DWF Group plc rose about 5% as it published a trading update for its financial year ended April 30, 2023,…

Leeds-based supermarket giant Asda announced it would buy Blackburn-based petrol station operator EG Group’s UK and Ireland business for an enterprise value of £2.27 billion —…

UK Biobank, the large biomedical database, is set to receive £127.6 million to fund a move to purpose-built facility at Bruntwood SciTech’s Manchester Science Park….

SysGroup plc, the Liverpool-based IT services, cloud hosting and cyber security firm, announced that CEO Adam Binks will step down on June 26 and non-executive…

Wilmslow-based pet and vet retailer Pets at Home Group reported revenue growth of 6.6% to £1.404 billion in the 52-week period to March 30, 2023,…

Sheffield-based property investment and construction group Henry Boot plc said it started the year well and is trading in line with expectations. The firm described market…

AJ Bell plc, the Salford-based investment platform giant, reported that its revenue rose 37% to £103.6 million and profit before tax soared 61% to £41.9 million…

Warrington-based water giant United Utilities has reported an underlying loss before tax of £34 million for the year to March 31, 2023, amid a “challenging…

Durham-based Atom Bank, the UK’s first app based bank, announced it will appoint Lee Rochford as its new chairman, subject to full regulatory approval. Rochford will replace…

Benchmark Holdings, the Sheffield-based aquaculture genetics, health and nutrition company, reported a 25% increase in revenues to £98.9 million for the six months ended March…

Skelmersdale, Lancashire-based bathroom retailer Victorian Plumbing Group, said its revenue rose 10% to £146.8 million in the six months ended March 31, 2023, and profit…

Assura plc, the Warrington-based healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT), reported an IFRS loss before tax of £119.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2023,…

Hull-based meat processing giant Cranswick said its adjusted profit before tax for the 52 weeks ended March 26, 2023, rose 2.3% to £140.1 million on…

Begbies Traynor Group plc, the Manchester-based business recovery, financial advisory and property services consultancy, said its revenue is expected to increase 11% to £122 million and adjusted…

Shares of Dechra Pharmaceuticals, the Cheshire-based veterinary drugs giant, fell about 10% on Monday after it published a trading update for the financial year ending June 30,…

Manchester nano-material firm Nanoco Group — which produces quantum dots used to make vibrant screen displays — on Friday rejected a letter by shareholder Tariq Hamoodi asking for the…

Bradford-based Vanquis Banking Group plc — formerly known as Provident Financial — announced on Friday that its chairman Patrick Snowball has informed the board of his…

Shares of Manchester-based molecular diagnostics company Genedrive rose about 10% after it announced the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended in draft guidance…

Speedy Hire plc, the Newton-le-Willows-based tools and equipment hire firm, announced the completion of an external investigation into “non-itemised assets” at the firm. Speedy Hire…

Shares of Leeds-based piping and ventilation systems firm Genuit Group plc — formerly called Polypipe Group — rose as much as 14% on Thursday after it said…

Newcastle-headquartered Grainger plc — the UK’s largest listed residential landlord — has welcomed the UK government’s Renters Reform Bill “and its principal aim of improving and raising…

Alderley Park-based Redx Pharma announced it made a loss of £20.8 million for the six months ended March 31, 2023, “driven by lower revenue, higher…

By Mark McSherry Shares of Sage Group plc, the Newcastle-based FTSE 100 global tech business, rose as much as 4% after it reported that its…

By Mark McSherry Bury-based FTSE 100 retailer JD Sports Fashion plc said on Wednesday it expects that its headline profit before tax and adjusted items for…

Shares of Blackburn-based toilet roll and tissue maker Accrol Group rose as much as 4% after it published a trading update ahead of its final…

Leeds-based engineering services and infrastructure group Renew Holdings said its revenue increased 13.9% to £471.8 million and profit before tax rose 20.9% to £26.3 million in…

Manchester-based online holiday retailer On the Beach Group plc (OTB) said its revenue rose 38% to £73.2 million in the six months to March 31, 2023, while…

Shares of Manchester-based online fashion giant Boohoo rose as much as 14% on Tuesday after CEO John Lyttle spoke of “a clear path to improved…

Newcastle-based Greggs said in a trading update that like-for-like (LFL) sales in company-managed shops grew 17.1% in the first 19 weeks of 2023 “in part…

By Mark McSherry Wynyard, Stockton-on-Tees chemical products and pigments firm Venator Materials announced that it has reached an agreement with the “overwhelming majority” of its…

Manchester-based DSW Ventures, the venture capital business of the Dow Schofield Watts group, has announced the successful first close of its debut Seed Enterprise Investment…

Peel L&P said its plans for two new sustainable communities have been submitted to Salford City Council for approval following consultation with residents and stakeholders….

Kao Data announced it has secured an extensive, industrial-scale site for redevelopment at Kenwood Point, Manchester, with the aim of establishing a new 40MW data…

By Mark McSherry Manchester-based consumer brands giant THG plc announced it has terminated talks with with New York private equity firm Apollo Global Management on Apollo’s indicative…

Dechra Pharmaceuticals, the Cheshire-based international veterinary drugs giant, said on Thursday it has extended the deadline for a possible £4.63 billion all-cash takeover offer from Swedish…

Lord Jim O’Neill has been announced as the new chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership (NPP), the business-led think tank and advocacy group based in…

Newcastle-headquartered Grainger plc — the UK’s largest listed residential landlord and a leader in the build-to-rent sector — announced a 10% rise in its dividend as it revealed a…

The UK government’s Transport Secretary Mark Harper has announced he will not renew or extend FirstGroup’s contract for the Transpennine Express (TPE) business at the end…

Bury-based FTSE 100 retailer JD Sports Fashion plc announced that Dominic Platt has been appointed as its chief financial officer (CFO) and as a member of the…

Gateshead-based Vertu Motors plc said its revenue rose £399.4 million or 11% to £4.015 billion in the year ended February 28, 2023, but adjusted profit before tax…

Rotherham-based property and land regeneration firm Harworth Group announced the sale of Towngate Business Park, Widnes and Four Oaks Business Park in Walton Summit, Preston,…

York-based life sciences firm Aptamer Group plc announced that Arron Tolley has left his position as chief executive officer and board director with immediate effect….

Lidl GB announced that it is recruiting over 1,500 warehouse staff across its existing regional distribution centre (RDC) network, while confirming plans to build a…

Skipton Building Society announced it plans to launch a 100% mortgage aimed at potential first-time buyers who cannot save for a deposit — the first…