Xbox Workers Are Eligible For Buyouts As Part Of Huge Shakeup At Microsoft

Microsoft offered voluntary exit packages to about 60,000 employees, or 27% of its global workforce, in its second such program this year. Eligible employees, primarily at vice-president level and below, are in specific teams like AI and Xbox. The company's workforce had already declined by 5,000 before this offer. Microsoft frames the move as offering flexibility, but external reports suggest cost pressure may be a factor.

Microsoft (MSFT) paid $26.445B in dividends in fiscal 2026, with a 0.67% yield. The company raised its quarterly payout to $0.98 per share, totaling $29.1B annually. Dividends consumed 39.5% of free cash flow, while capital spending rose 79.62%. MSFT's dividend has grown 140% over a decade, with recent raises of 7.7%, 9.6%, and 10.7%.

Oracle (ORCL) stock rose 5% to $132.28 after announcing Google's TPUs will be available on its cloud, expanding its AI offerings. The company also plans to scale NVIDIA's Vera Rubin superclusters. Amazon (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT) stocks saw smaller gains. Oracle's Q1 FY2027 showed 121% cloud revenue growth but negative free cash flow. The company faces challenges in executing its multi-chip strategy.

Microsoft offers voluntary exit to 60,000 US, UK, India, and Canada employees, 27% of its global workforce. The move aims to reduce costs amid $175B AI infrastructure spending. Other Big Tech firms like Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet are also cutting jobs to fund AI investments. Microsoft reports earnings on October 28, with focus on AI growth and spending.

Microsoft offered voluntary separation packages to 60,000 employees (27% of its workforce) in select U.S., Canada, U.K., and India locations. Eligible employees, up to vice president level, can receive severance, health coverage, stock vesting, and career services. The offer expires in early December, with most separations expected by year-end. Microsoft stated this is not a mandatory layoff but a voluntary program to support career transitions and adjust workforce needs.

Microsoft (MSFT) is offering a voluntary exit program to 60,000 employees, over a quarter of its global workforce, in the U.S., Canada, India, and the U.K. The move follows significant AI investments, including $35 billion in the September 2025 quarter. Eligible employees have until early December to decide, with severance packages based on tenure and internal level. The company aims to reduce labor costs while avoiding involuntary layoffs.