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Chamber report puts people at the centre of growing regional economy

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The People of the North East paper talks about the opportunities and challenges facing the region – and how working and hiring practices can rise to them

The People of the North East report was published recently.

Tim Marsden, knowledge manager at North East Chamber of Commerce.(Image: Kevin Gibson Photography)

North East firms that are adopting flexible working models, inclusive hiring and investing in skills have been highlighted in a new report from a top regional business group.

The North East Chamber of Commerce’s People of the North East publication draws on a number of business leaders and experts to highlight the importance of creating healthier, happier and more inclusive places to live and work. The report lays out how firms are facing a period of massive upheaval that includes changing workforce expectations, rising costs and shifting labour markets.

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It calls for a collaborative effort from firms, using examples from the fields of recycling, housing and business services to show what success looks like.

Tim Marsden, knowledge manager at North East Chamber of Commerce, said: “The North East’s greatest strength has always been its people. Across every sector and community, we see individuals and organisations driving innovation and creating opportunities for future generations.

“This report highlights both the opportunities and challenges facing our region. While we know there is fantastic talent, creativity and ambition here, we also recognise the barriers that still exist around economic inactivity, skills gaps, health inequalities and access to opportunity.

“As the economy continues to change at pace, one thing is clear: the future success of the North East will be shaped not only by investment and infrastructure, but by how well businesses support people, communities and opportunities.”

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The report looks at how explores how businesses are adopting flexible business models and inclusive hiring practices to unlock untapped potential, enrich workplace culture and improve business performance. Sam Spoors, founder and managing director at recruitment firm Talentheads, talks about how firms are creating opportunities for people with criminal records, running targeted recruitment campaigns to get people from underrepresented groups and using partners to reach marginalised talent.

She said: “The North East’s future prosperity depends on more than economic growth – it hinges on how businesses support their people. Through inclusive hiring, flexible work, wellbeing strategies, skills development and purpose-led cultures, regional employers are setting a powerful example.

“These innovative practices are not just good for business – they are helping to reshape the region’s identity and build a more equitable and resilient workforce.”

Lee Eckert, senior operations manager at digital transformation specialist ArvatoConnect, talks about freeing up people from repetitive tasks to do higher-value work. He argues such a move can improve job satisfaction and build confidence.

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He said: “Digital transformation often sparks concerns about jobs being replaced by machines. In reality, the most effective transformations are those that put employees at the centre.

“It’s about creating opportunities for people to live better lives, whether that’s through faster access to services, a more inclusive workforce or communities that feel supported rather than excluded by technology.”

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Manhattan Associates Stock Jumps 27% as Cloud Revenue Growth Powers Record Second-Quarter Results Today

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DoorDash Wins FAA Approval and Launches DoorDash Air, Its Own

Shares of Manhattan Associates surged 26.70% in Wednesday morning trading, climbing $44.90 to $213.07, after the supply chain software company reported record second-quarter results driven by strong growth in its cloud subscription business.

The Atlanta-based company reported second-quarter revenue of $297.8 million, up 9.3% from $272.4 million in the same period a year earlier and ahead of the consensus analyst estimate of roughly $293.7 million. Cloud subscription revenue, the segment investors have watched most closely as a signal of the company’s transition away from legacy licensing and services, climbed 26% year over year to $126.7 million. Services revenue came in at $133.0 million for the quarter.

On the earnings side, Manhattan Associates reported non-GAAP adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.39, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $1.34 and improving from $1.31 reported in the second quarter of 2025. GAAP diluted earnings per share, however, declined to 85 cents from 93 cents a year earlier, with net income falling to $50.4 million from $56.8 million over the same period, a divergence that reflects differences between the company’s adjusted and unadjusted accounting measures.

The company’s remaining performance obligations, a metric that reflects contracted future revenue not yet recognized, grew 23% year over year to reach $2.5 billion as of June 30, according to the company’s earnings release. Manhattan Associates said the quarter marked its third consecutive period of record bookings, a trend executives described as reflecting sustained business momentum and effective execution of the company’s go-to-market strategy.

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Company leadership highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence capabilities in driving the quarter’s results. Manhattan Associates said the introduction of AI-related features across its supply chain and omnichannel commerce platforms has become a meaningful differentiator in customer conversations, contributing directly to both deal activity and the company’s broader sales pipeline growth.

The company maintained an active share buyback program during the quarter, repurchasing 874,029 shares for a total of $125.0 million. Manhattan Associates ended the quarter with $186.1 million in cash and generated $90.7 million in cash flow from operations during the three-month period, according to its financial disclosures.

Manhattan Associates’ stock had already shown strength heading into the earnings report, rising 9.8% over the month prior to the release, alongside an average analyst price target of $185.45 compared with the stock’s pre-earnings price of $151.67. The magnitude of Wednesday’s rally, however, significantly exceeded the roughly 10% to 11% gains the stock initially posted in after-hours trading following the results, suggesting that additional buying interest developed as investors had more time to digest the details of the report and the strength of the underlying cloud growth trends.

Wednesday’s surge continues a broader pattern for Manhattan Associates, whose stock has repeatedly posted double-digit single-session gains following past quarterly reports when cloud revenue growth has exceeded expectations. The company posted a similar roughly 10% jump following its first-quarter 2025 results, when cloud revenue grew 21% year over year and the company subsequently raised its full-year guidance for that fiscal year.

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The company’s five-year historical sales growth rate stands at approximately 12.7% annually, according to recent analysis, though some market observers have noted that growth has moderated somewhat in more recent periods, with annualized revenue growth of roughly 6.3% over the trailing two years running below the longer five-year trend. Analysts have said that pattern reflects a broader dynamic within the enterprise software sector, where growth rates for even strong-performing companies have generally cooled from the elevated pace seen during and immediately following the pandemic-era surge in cloud software adoption.

Manhattan Associates provides supply chain management and omnichannel commerce software used by large retailers, logistics companies and other enterprises to manage complex inventory, fulfillment and distribution operations. The company has positioned its ongoing shift toward cloud-based subscription offerings as central to its long-term growth strategy, arguing that the recurring revenue model provides greater predictability and higher long-term customer value compared with the company’s legacy on-premises software licensing business.

Despite Wednesday’s sharp gain, the stock remains well below its most recent highs reached earlier in the year, having traded as much as 34% below those peak levels amid a period of broader volatility across software and technology stocks tied to shifting investor sentiment around enterprise software valuations and growth expectations more broadly.

Investors are likely to continue monitoring Manhattan Associates’ cloud revenue growth trajectory and the pace of its remaining performance obligations expansion in the coming quarters as key indicators of whether the company can sustain the kind of momentum reflected in Wednesday’s results, particularly as the broader enterprise software sector continues to navigate questions about the durability of growth rates following the initial post-pandemic acceleration in cloud adoption across the industry.

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MGP Ingredients, Inc. (MGPI) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript

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OneWater Marine Inc. (ONEW) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript