Applied Materials lays off 4% of workforce

Signage outside Applied Materials headquarters in Santa Clara, California, U.S., on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Chip equipment manufacturer Applied Materials is laying off 4% of its workforce.

The company on Thursday began notifying impacted employees around the world “across all levels and groups,” it said in a filing. Applied Materials provides equipment, services and software to industries, including the semiconductor industry.

Applied Materials had approximately 36,100 full-time employees, according to an August 2025 filing. A layoff of 4% would represent about 1,444 employees.

“Automation, digitalization and geographic shifts are redefining our workforce needs and skill requirements,” the company wrote in the filing. “With this in mind, we have been focused for some time on building high-velocity, high-productivity teams, adopting new technologies and simplifying organizational structures.”

The move comes at the end of the company’s fiscal year. Earlier this month, the Applied Materials forecasted a $600 million hit to fiscal 2026 revenue after the U.S. expanded its restricted export list. That resulted in company shares to dipping 3% in extended trading.

As a result of the workforce reduction, Applied Materials expects to incur charges of approximately $160 million to $180 million, consisting primarily of severance and other one-time employment termination benefits to be paid in cash, the filing states.

The company said the cuts are a way to position itself “as a more competitive and productive organization.”