Qualcomm CEO: Global layoffs will be initiated, notifications will be sent out starting in November

According to a report by Reuters cited by Phoenix Technology, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon informed employees in an internal memo that the company will initiate performance-focused global layoffs following the annual employee evaluations, with notifications set to begin in November. The memo reviewed by Reuters was sent out on Monday, and Amon stated that this move aims to establish a stronger performance culture and address the company's ongoing failure to meet expectations.

The memo did not disclose the number of layoffs, and Reuters is currently unable to determine the scale. Amon mentioned that the layoffs will take into account business priorities, organizational needs, skills, and expertise; as the business expands, the required capabilities and skills are also changing, and it is essential to have the right people in the right positions. Qualcomm has not yet responded to Reuters' request for comment. As of September 2025, Qualcomm has approximately 52,000 employees worldwide, most of whom are full-time, with the fiscal year typically ending in late September.

As one of the world's largest smartphone chip manufacturers, Qualcomm has been impacted this year by sluggish sales of consumer electronics, and soaring memory chip prices have suppressed demand in key markets. Since the beginning of the year, Qualcomm's stock price has increased by about 1.5%, while the S&P 500 index has risen by over 12% during the same period, and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index has seen an increase of nearly 60%. On Tuesday, Qualcomm's stock price fell by about 1% in pre-market trading. In the most recent earnings report released in late July, Qualcomm projected that quarterly profits would fall below market expectations and indicated that revenue from Apple products would decline faster than previously anticipated, while stating that by fiscal year 2027, growth in data centers and other non-mobile businesses would be sufficient to offset the aforementioned losses and provide additional growth.