Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is set to lay off approximately 2,500 employees over the next 18 months as part of a cost-cutting initiative, following a lackluster financial performance.
The decision comes as the company aims to trim expenses by $350 million by 2027, according to a CNBC report.
The job cuts will affect about 5 per cent of HPE’s workforce, which stood at 61,000 employees as of October 2024. The move underscores the company’s effort to navigate financial uncertainty while adapting to shifts in the enterprise computing market.
Why?
On Thursday, March 6, HPE’s stock plummeted by 19 per cent, reflecting investor concerns over the company’s future earnings potential.
While HPE reported a 16 per cent revenue growth compared to last year, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Antonio Neri acknowledged that overall performance fell short of expectations.
As per a report by Money Control, apart from declining margins on older products, HPE faces multiple headwinds, including:
Regulatory hurdles: The United States (US) government is attempting to block HPE’s $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, citing antitrust concerns.
Trade tariffs: Rising US import taxes are driving up production costs, potentially making HPE’s products less competitive.
Weaker profit projections: The company has issued a lower-than-expected profit forecast for 2025, further dampening investor sentiment.
