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☆ Amazon's CFO declines to say layoffs are over and commits to 'very careful' investments
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Amazon's CFO Brian Olsavsky declined to say whether more layoffs are coming. Olsavsky said Amazon will make "very careful" investments. AdvertisementEven after cutting at least 27,000 jobs since late 2022, Amazon may not be done with layoffs. During a call with reporters on Thursday, Amazon's chief financial officer Brian Olsavsky declined to answer a question about whether layoffs are over and hinted even more job cuts may be on the table. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Brian Olsavsky, Olsavsky, — Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Mark Zuckerberg says Meta will 'keep things lean,' going big in AI with a lid on hiring
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Meta Connect event at Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on Sept. 27, 2023. Mark Zuckerberg is so pleased with his "year of efficiency" that he's extending it indefinitely. On Thursday's earnings call, after Meta reported fourth-quarter financials that sailed past analysts' estimates, Zuckerberg said he wants to "keep things lean" and has no plans to accelerate hiring. At the time, Meta was facing a tough digital ad market and the lingering effects of Apple's 2021 iOS update. On Thursday, Meta reported fourth-quarter sales growth of 25%, the fastest rate of expansion since mid-2021, to $40.1 billion.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Meta Organizations: Meta, Nvidia Locations: Menlo Park , California

☆ Okta to lay off 7% of staff, about 400 employees
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Identity management company Okta said on Thursday in a message to employees that it would lay off 400 employees, about 7% of the company's headcount. CEO Todd McKinnon said in his message that the "reality is that costs are still too high." Okta is only the latest tech company to trim headcount in the opening weeks of 2024. Nearly 24,000 tech workers lost their jobs in January alone, even as many tech companies saw their stock prices continue to grow. It was a smaller round of cuts, impacting around 300 employees, and at the time McKinnon said that prior overhiring had led to unsustainable staffing levels.

Persons: Okta, Todd McKinnon, McKinnon, overhiring

☆ Zoom is cutting about 150 jobs, or close to 2% of its workforce
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan speaks at the Dropbox Work In Progress Conference in San Francisco on Sept. 25, 2019. Zoom is cutting about 150 jobs, CNBC confirmed on Thursday, the latest tech company to slash headcount this year as investors continue to push for efficiency. A Zoom spokesperson confirmed the cuts amount to less than 2% of the company's workforce. In addition to Zoom, cloud software vendor Okta announced a downsizing on Thursday, telling employees that it's laying off 400 staffers, or about 7% of its workforce. Zoom shares are down about 10% this year and have dropped almost 90% from their record high in October 2020.

Persons: Eric Yuan, Zoom Organizations: Conference, CNBC, Bloomberg, Microsoft, Google, MGM Studios, Okta Locations: San Francisco, layoffs.fyi

☆ The cloud is back at Amazon, putting the stock on a path back to Covid-era record highs
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Would you look at the quarter Amazon just delivered. One of the main highlights came from its cloud unit, Amazon Web Services (AWS), where revenue growth finally accelerated. Better yet, management's comment about how it expects accelerating AWS revenue trends to continue through 2024 should keep the bulls happy. If the AWS revenue growth acceleration continues and the company continues its progress on expanding margins, the stock should get back there. Driving this accelerating revenue growth was an increase in larger new deals while the cost optimization headwind "continued to attenuate," the company said.

Persons: Amazon's, we're, Amazon, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Mike Segar Organizations: Amazon, Revenue, LSEG, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, AWS, Management, Prime, Subscription Services, CNBC Locations: North America, Robbinsville , New Jersey

Morgan Stanley raised its price target on General Motors. 6:56 a.m.: Morgan Stanley calls Bloom Energy a 'secular winner' Morgan Stanley reiterated its overweight rating on Bloom Energy , naming it an underappreciated AI beneficiary. The firm also maintained its $22 price target on shares, which suggests shares surging more than 94% from where they closed on Wednesday. — Hakyung Kim 6:14 a.m.: Morgan Stanley steps to the sidelines on ZoomInfo ZoomInfo Technologies is "unlikely to zoom into a recovery," according to Morgan Stanley. — Hakyung Kim 5:40 a.m.: Morgan Stanley raises GM price target A focus shift back to internal combustion engine vehicles can give General Motors another jolt higher, according to Morgan Stanley.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Andrew Percoco, — Hakyung Kim, Antonio Reale, Reale, Hakyung Kim, Elizabeth Porter, Porter, Richard Choe, Choe, Jefferies, NYCB, Jon Arfstrom, Arfstrom, Christopher Danely, Danely, Bank of America's Tal Liani, Liani, Samik Chatterjee, Chatterjee, Adam Jonas, Jonas, — Fred Imbert Organizations: CNBC, General Motors, Qualcomm, Citi, Bloom, Bloom Energy, Bank of America, Santander Santander, Santander, ZoomInfo, JPMorgan, T, RBC, New York, Bancorp New, Bancorp New York Community, Bank, NYCB, Citi Citi, chipmaker Qualcomm, Samsung, Bank of America's, GM Locations: Spanish, Spain, Santander, Europe, U.S, Wednesday's, Bancorp New York

☆ Okta announces it's laying off about 7% of its workforce
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The ID verification company told Business Insider it was a "necessary" decision to ensure profitable growth. CEO Todd McKinnon told employees in a memo sent at 5:30 PT that the company is laying off about 400 employees. If your role is impacted, your leadership will schedule a meeting today to discuss next steps. To the impacted employees, I am deeply sorry and we thank you for your many contributions. As we navigate these changes, remember that Okta is critical infrastructure for 18,800 organizations around the world.

Persons: Todd McKinnon, McKinnon, we've, Todd Organizations: Business, Okta Locations: U.S

☆ Fed Chair Powell says the job market is still strong. Here’s how the numbers break down
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

That can make the January jobs report among the trickiest to forecast, said Sarah House, a senior economist with Wells Fargo. Friday’s jobs report also will include the final annual benchmark review of payroll data for the 12 months that ended in March 2023. Fresh data on job cuts and productivityOn Thursday, the layoff picture became clearer. However, excluding January 2023, last month’s job cuts were the highest seen in January since 2009, according to Challenger. US worker productivity grew 3.2% in the fourth quarter, according to a BLS report released Thursday.

Persons: Jerome Powell, he’s, Sarah House, Wells, “ We’re, ”, there’s, Boussour, EY, ” Boussour, Daniel Zhao, Zhao, haven’t, ” Andrew Challenger, people’s paychecks, ” Diane Swonk, “, —, Swonk Organizations: New, New York CNN, of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Labor, Workers, Challenger, ”, BLS, KPMG, CNN Locations: New York, Wells Fargo, United States

☆ Elon Musk reportedly prefers to hire people who've never been laid off
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk reportedly still has a hand in hiring at X — and he's got some clear preferences. In an anonymous interview with Fortune, a person involved in hiring at X broke down how to get hired at the company. Musk, who handed over the title of CEO to Linda Yaccarino last year, used to be involved in directly interviewing potential hires. He has since taken to reviewing applications and giving yes or no answers to hires, the person said. Musk has laid off his fair share of workers.

Persons: Elon Musk, he's, Fortune, Musk, Linda Yaccarino, who'd, he'd, it's Organizations: SpaceX, Business Locations: Austin , Texas

☆ UPS is cutting 12,000 jobs as CEO cites soft demand and high labor costs following historic contract deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

UPS is set to reduce its headcount by 12,000 jobs in 2024 following a historic pay agreement with its drivers. UPS CEO Carol Tomé cited soft demand and the recent labor contract as reasons for missing analysts' expectations on a Tuesday earnings call. AdvertisementUPS also told analysts that its employees are expected to work in the office five days a week. Tomé told analysts that expected revenue for 2024 would be between $92 billion and $94.5 billion. AdvertisementTomé hinted at how UPS might try to offset the costs of such a deal in a September interview with CNBC.

Persons: —, Carol Tomé, Tomé Organizations: Service, UPS, Business, Teamsters, CNBC

☆ UPS is cutting 12,000 jobs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —UPS announced Tuesday that it will cut 12,000 jobs as part of a bid to save $1 billion costs. UPS lost business last year as customers concerned about a possible strike by the Teamsters shifted shipments to rival carriers, such as FedEx. Although UPS said it expects to get most of that business back, it had won back only about 60% of that lost business. UPS’ business surged to record levels in the first three years of the pandemic, as online shopping exploded. UPS’ (UPS) stock sank 7% on Tuesday.

Persons: Refinitiv, ”, Carol Tome, “, Brian Newman Organizations: New, New York CNN, UPS, Teamsters, FedEx, UPS ’ Locations: New York

☆ We're raising our Alphabet price target after earnings that shouldn't have dinged the stock
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Alphabet delivered better-than-expected fourth-quarter sales and earnings after the closing bell Tuesday. Total revenue rose 13.5% year-over-year to $86.31 billion, outpacing the $85.33 billion expected, according to estimates compiled by LSEG. However, it wasn't enough to jump over the high expectations that come with a stock trading at all-time highs. Google Search sales in Q4, by far the largest contributor to overall revenue, gained 12.7% to a lower-than-expected $48.02 billion. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.

Persons: Copilot, Ruth Porat, We're, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Michael M Organizations: LSEG, Wall Street, Google, Management, NFL, Microsoft, Google Network, Google Services, Web Services, CNBC, Washington, Santiago, Getty Locations: Hudson Square, New York City

☆ PayPal lays off 2,500 workers one week after CEO announces 'new chapter'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Paul Squire | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

PayPal is slashing 9% of its workforce — about 2,500 jobs. The CEO said cuts will "right-size our business." Last week, CEO Alex Chriss said the payment company would launch new products using AI. The payment company's CEO Alex Chriss told staff on Tuesday that another 9% of the workforce — about 2,500 positions — will be slashed. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Alex Chriss, —, Chriss Organizations: PayPal, Service, Business

☆ Microsoft to announce quarterly results after the close
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft will report fiscal second-quarter earnings after the market close on Tuesday. During the fiscal second quarter, Microsoft closed its acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard, its largest deal ever. Jefferies analysts raised their target on Microsoft shares to $465 from $450 in a note on Jan. 28. Microsoft shares have risen about 9% so far in 2024, while the S&P 500 index has gained 3% over that stretch. Executives will issue guidance and discuss the results with analysts on a conference call starting at 5:30 p.m.

Persons: tailwinds Organizations: Microsoft, LSEG, Gartner, IDC, CNBC, Activision Blizzard, LinkedIn, Activision, Jefferies

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Big Tech earnings on tap
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. China's luxury reboundChina's luxury sales market is bouncing back. Tech layoffs surgeSilicon Valley's tech companies are slashing headcount at a rapid pace. Since the start of January, some 23,670 workers have been laid off from 85 tech companies, according to the website Layoffs.fyi.

Persons: Google's Bard, Hong, Dow, It's, Brent, Kingsley Jones, Jevons, Tesla, Jones Organizations: Microsoft, CNBC, CSI, Nasdaq, LVMH, Hamas, U.S . West Texas Locations: Asia, Iran, Jordan, U.S

☆ A lower-cost way to get long this 'Magnificent 7' member trading at an all-time high
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Michael Khouw | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The five reporting this week — Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta — represent more than 23% of the index by market capitalization. But let's focus on Microsoft (MSFT) . Breaking down MSFT fundamentals Microsoft is one of the most important technology companies in the world. Over the past five years, Microsoft's price-to-earnings ratio has been as low as 25.8 and as high as 41. Some are anticipating organic sales growth of 15%, double the 7.5% average the company experienced over the past 4 quarters.

Persons: OpenAI, Sam Altman, Satya Nadella Organizations: Microsoft, Apple, Meta, Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Windows, Activision Blizzard

☆ Brad Gerstner says Meta is better positioned than the rest of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ this earnings season
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Altimeter Capital Chair and CEO Brad Gerstner said on Monday that Meta Platforms , one of his top holdings, is poised to outshine other so-called "Magnificent Seven" stocks during this busy earnings reporting week. "If there was one name that I think is better positioned this week, it's Meta," Gerstner said on CNBC's "Fast Money ." "I think people still underappreciate the commitment to efficiency at Meta." "Meta is actually deploying those AI tools to increase monetization to increase engagement for the benefit of the consumer," he said. For Big Tech earnings this week, Gerstner thinks the bar is high given how much the stocks have rallied this year.

Persons: Brad Gerstner, it's, Gerstner, Meta, —, he's, Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla Organizations: Meta, Apple, Microsoft, Big Tech Locations: Meta

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Big Tech earnings loom large
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Tech layoffs surgeSilicon Valley's tech companies are slashing headcount at a rapid pace. Since the start of January, some 23,670 workers have been laid off from 85 tech companies, according to the website Layoffs.fyi. U.S. crude posted its best week, rising 6.27%, since Sept. 1, while the global benchmark was last up 6.35% for the week.

Persons: Dow, Jake Sullivan, Wang Yi, Brent, Kingsley Jones, Jevons, Tesla, Jones Organizations: Artificial Intelligence, Intel, Economic, CNBC, Nasdaq, Tech Locations: Davos, Switzerland, China, Taiwan Beijing, Taiwan, U.S

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Intel, Visa, Spirit Airlines and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

On Thursday, Capital One posted fourth-quarter revenue of $9.51 billion, while analysts polled by LSEG called for $9.46 billion. Booz Allen Hamilton — Shares soared 12% after the company reported an earnings and revenue beat for its fiscal third quarter, per FactSet. Booz Allen Hamilton also raised its full-year earnings and revenue guidance, and raised its quarterly dividend by 8.5%. Colgate-Palmolive — The consumer products company rose more than 2% after posting an earnings and revenue beat in the fourth quarter. Visa — The stock slipped nearly 2% even though Visa beat estimates on the top and bottom lines in the fiscal first quarter.

Persons: LSEG, Booz Allen Hamilton, Horacio Rozanksi, Coinbase, Oppenheimer, CNBC's Lisa Kailai Han, Pia Singh, Samantha Subin, Michelle Fox, Tanaya Macheel Organizations: Capital, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, Booz, Colgate, Palmolive, LSEG, Intel, KLA Corporation, Visa, Western Digital

☆ Salesforce is the latest tech company to cut jobs with 700 layoffs, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The cuts will affect around 700 employees, The Wall Street Journal reported. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. The layoffs are the latest in a wave of cuts sweeping the tech industry this month. More than 20,000 tech workers across 80 companies have been affected by job cuts in the first month of the year, according to tracker Layoffs.fyi . January is historically a common month for layoffs as companies adjust budgets and plans for the new year.

Persons: Salesforce, —, Marc Benioff's, Sundar Pichai Organizations: Street Journal, Service, Business, Industry, Google, Tech

At Meta, in CEO Mark Zuckerberg's words, 2023 was the "year of efficiency," and the stock jumped almost 200% alongside 20,000 job cuts. AI demand is so great that some tech companies are cutting headcount in parts of the business to invest more heavily in developing AI products. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, appears at the Political Opening of the Gamescom conference in Cologne, Germany, on Aug. 23, 2023. Within tech, a wide variety of companies, big and small and spanning the consumer and enterprise markets, are eliminating jobs. But, he added, there's an "enormous base" of small and mid-sized tech companies across the U.S., and that in some cases contractors, freelancers and overseas workers are being hit particularly hard.

Persons: Peter Kramer, They've, Mark Zuckerberg's, Zeile, Phil Spencer, Franziska Krug, Sundar Pichai, Bob Carrigan, Nigel Vaz, Publicis Sapient, Salesforce, Meta's, " Vaz, Levi Strauss, Bob Bakish, Tim Herbert, Herbert, there's, Vaz, Michael Bloom, Annie Palmer, Jennifer Elias Organizations: Nasdaq, CNBC, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Investors, Activision Blizzard, SAP, Microsoft Gaming, Facebook, Citigroup, Paramount, Commerce Department, Gross Locations: Cologne, Germany, U.S

☆ Tiger Global-backed Productboard conducts third round of layoffs in two years, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Now, Productboard has begun another round of layoffs, the scale of which is unknown as yet, the former staffers said. Startups and Big Tech companies alike have slashed their wage bills as the high-interest rate environment encourages businesses to prioritize sustainability over growth. AdvertisementIn January alone, 76 tech companies have laid off 21,370 employees, according to tracker site Layoffs.fyi.

Persons: —, Productboard, Daniel Hejl, Hubert Palan, Kleiner Perkins, Palan, Productboard's headcount Organizations: Service, Business, Tiger Global, Dragoneer, Microsoft, Volkswagen, Sequoia, Bessemer Venture Partners, Index Ventures, Big Tech, Bloomberg, LinkedIn Locations: San Francisco, Czech Republic, Silicon Valley, Sequoia Capital, Productboard

☆ Ceezer just raised $11 million to bring transparency to carbon credits. Check out 12-slide pitch deck it used to secure the funds.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewGerman startup Ceezer, which helps companies plan, buy, and manage their carbon credit portfolio, has just raised 10.3 million euros, around $11.2 million, in Series A funding. Carbon credit marketplaces and accounting tools boomed in 2021 as large companies rushed to understand and offset their emissions. They were all vying for a slice of the projected $250 billion voluntary carbon market by 2050 , where private companies buy and sell carbon credits. Carbon credits are typically bought after achieving their stated impact, but this requires project developers to have cash upfront to get started, Drewelies said. AdvertisementThe fresh funding, led by HV Capital, will be used to launch new financial products so that project developers can unlock pre-financing.

Persons: —, Magnus Drewelies, Drewelies, Ceezer Organizations: Service, Business, Siemens, HV Capital, Norrsken, Picus, Partners Locations: Berlin, New York

☆ Layoffs from major companies to start the year have impacted thousands of workers. What to know if you're offered a buyout
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft joined a list of big tech companies that announced major layoffs at the start of 2024. The technology company plans to cut about 9% its Gaming Unit headcount, amounting to 1,900 laid off workers, according to a memo obtained by CNBC. Earlier this week, EBay said it plans to let go 1,000 employees, or 9% of the company's staff. These announcements join a flurry of layoffs from tech behemoths like Amazon and Google . For example, explore options to work fewer hours or find ways to boost your buyout deal, they advise.

Persons: Suzy Welch, Julia Pollak Organizations: Microsoft, CNBC, EBay, Google, Finance, SAP Locations: German

☆ Microsoft lays off 1,900 workers, nearly 9% of gaming division, after Activision Blizzard acquisition
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra said Thursday on social media platform X he would be leaving Microsoft and Blizzard. Activision Blizzard is the publisher and developer of several massive gaming franchises, including Call of Duty and Diablo. Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard was the company's largest ever acquisition, more than double the size of its 2016 purchase of LinkedIn. Unlike the Microsoft layoffs, eBay and SAP saw a significant bump in their share prices following their announcements. Read the full memo below:It's been a little over three months since the Activision, Blizzard, and King teams joined Microsoft.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Mike Ybarra, Spencer, Activision Blizzard, Candy, It's, we'll, I'm, Phil CNBC's Steve Kovach Organizations: Microsoft, CNBC, Activision Blizzard, Former, Blizzard, Activision, LinkedIn, Tech, Games, eBay, SAP, King, Microsoft Gaming, Leadership Team, Xbox

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