Salesforce Cuts 700 Jobs in Streamlining Effort, Yet Eyes Growth with 1,000 Open Roles
Portfolio Pulse from Anusuya Lahiri
Salesforce Inc (CRM) is laying off nearly 700 employees, about 1% of its workforce, as part of cost-cutting measures urged by investors like Elliott Management. Despite this, Salesforce has 1,000 open roles, indicating a strategic realignment rather than a downsizing. The company's stock has risen nearly 80% over the past year. Other tech companies, including Alphabet Inc (GOOG, GOOGL) and SAP SE (SAP), are also restructuring to focus on AI, with Alphabet planning more layoffs. Amazon (AMZN) has made cuts in some divisions while investing in cloud infrastructure for AI in Japan.

January 26, 2024 | 11:34 am
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Alphabet Inc's Google is planning more layoffs as it shifts investments towards AI, reflecting a broader trend in the tech industry to focus on strategic areas while cutting back in others.
The announcement of further layoffs at Google could negatively affect the stock in the short term as it may raise concerns about the company's current operational efficiency. However, the focus on AI could be seen as a positive strategic move in the long term.
CONFIDENCE 80
IMPORTANCE 65
RELEVANCE 70
NEUTRAL IMPACT
Amazon has laid off workers in various divisions while planning significant investments in Japan to expand cloud computing infrastructure for AI, indicating a strategic shift towards high-growth areas.
Amazon's layoffs in certain divisions contrast with its investment in AI cloud infrastructure, suggesting a reallocation of resources towards more promising growth areas. This could be perceived neutrally by investors as it reflects a focus on long-term strategic growth despite short-term cuts.
CONFIDENCE 70
IMPORTANCE 55
RELEVANCE 50
NEUTRAL IMPACT
Salesforce Inc is reducing its workforce by 700 positions, which is part of a broader cost-cutting initiative. Despite the layoffs, the company is maintaining 1,000 open roles and focusing on growth, particularly in AI and cloud services.
The layoffs at Salesforce are a small percentage of its workforce and are balanced by the company's open positions, indicating a strategic realignment rather than a negative outlook. The stock's recent performance suggests investor confidence, which may mitigate the short-term impact of the layoff news.
CONFIDENCE 85
IMPORTANCE 75
RELEVANCE 90
NEUTRAL IMPACT
SAP SE is restructuring about 8,000 roles to concentrate more on AI, planning to manage this through voluntary leave and internal re-skilling, aiming to maintain headcount by year-end.
SAP's restructuring to focus on AI indicates a strategic shift rather than downsizing. The approach of voluntary leave and re-skilling could be viewed positively by investors, as it suggests a proactive adaptation to market demands without drastic workforce reductions.
CONFIDENCE 75
IMPORTANCE 60
RELEVANCE 60