Ericsson
Industryweek 11258 Ericsson 1
Industryweek 11258 Ericsson 1
Industryweek 11258 Ericsson 1
Industryweek 11258 Ericsson 1
Industryweek 11258 Ericsson 1

Ericsson Shares Climb on Report of 20% Staff Cut

June 15, 2016
A report says the Swedish maker of mobile-phone networks plans to cut as many as 25,000 employees, or about 20% of its workforce, amid cutthroat competition and shrinking sales.

Ericsson AB rose the most in almost a year after newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported that the Swedish maker of mobile-phone networks plans to cut as many as 25,000 employees, or about 20% of its workforce, amid cutthroat competition and shrinking sales.

The stock rose 7.8% to 64.60 kronor at the close in Stockholm, giving the company a market value of 215 billion kronor (US$26 billion).

Ericsson is locked a global battle with rivals Huawei Technologies Co. and Nokia Oyj in a stagnant market for phone-network equipment.

First-quarter profit and sales missed analysts’ estimates, weighed down by slumping markets like Brazil and Russia, leaving CEO Hans Vestberg under pressure to cut costs.

Ericsson plans to focus on improving its profitability and increasing more lucrative software sales, and has started to take steps including staff reductions, Vestberg told Bloomberg TV on April 21, without disclosing numbers.

A spokeswoman declined to comment on the Svenska Dagbladet on June 15, which suggested Vestberg may retreat from some business lines.

With much of the so-called fourth-generation networks already built in the U.S. and China, Ericsson has been carving out business units targeting media and enterprise customers to expand beyond wireless networks to get back to growth. But the stock has lost 43% since reaching a more than seven-year high in April last year.

Last month, Ericsson’s second-biggest shareholder, Industrivaerden AB, was unusually candid in its critique of the mobile-network manufacturer, saying its shares had underperformed in the face of market changes.

By Kim McLaughlin

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

Empowering the Modern Workforce: The Power of Connected Worker Technologies

March 1, 2024
Explore real-world strategies to boost worker safety, collaboration, training, and productivity in manufacturing. Emphasizing Industry 4.0, we'll discuss digitalization and automation...

3 Best Practices to Create a Product-Centric Competitive Advantage with PRO.FILE PLM

Jan. 25, 2024
Gain insight on best practices and strategies you need to accelerate engineering change management and reduce time to market. Register now for your opportunity to accelerate your...

Transformative Capabilities for XaaS Models in Manufacturing

Feb. 14, 2024
The manufacturing sector is undergoing a pivotal shift toward "servitization," or enhancing product offerings with services and embracing a subscription model. This transition...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!