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Meta and Google are cutting staff

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Re: Meta and Google are cutting staff

#31
post #17
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The stock price dive at Meta is pretty clearly due to the $10B hit from Apple’s Do Not Track Feature. Meta should make a free Android phone that allows tracking.

Nasdaq is down 30%. Clearly macro factors like rates and inflation and recessionary pressures are putting pressure on rate sensitive companies generally speaking. You can’t just say it’s ad tracking when dozens of mid and large cap tech stocks are down 30-80% ytd

> Clearly macro factors like rates and inflation

To quote from the latest Economist [1]:

> This logic has broader implications than most investors realise. Now imagine you will receive $100 a year, for ever. By the reasoning above, this has a finite present value, since compound interest means payments in the distant future are almost worthless. With interest rates at 1%, the payment stream is worth $10,000; at 5%, it is worth $2,000. But as well as reducing the value, the higher rate also changes the distribution of that value. With rates at 1%, less than a tenth of the stream’s value comes from payments made in the first ten years. At 5%, around two-fifths does.

and

> In other words, higher interest rates dramatically alter firms’ incentives when choosing which timeline to invest over. Sacrificing short-term profits for longer-term gains is one thing when you are trying to persuade investors that your superapp, machine-learning algorithm or gene-sequencing widget has the potential to up-end an industry. It is another when even the best-case scenario has its value so heavily skewed towards what can be done in the next decade. Startup founders are used to shaking off derision over implausible, Utopian dreams. It is more of a kick in the teeth to realise that even Utopia is not worth much unless it can be achieved in short order.

Sorry for the long quotes, it was the best I could do, I highly recommend that article in its entirety.

[1] https://archive.ph/9GbfH

Re: Meta and Google are cutting staff

#32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, being laid off sounds pretty good right about now. Paid vacation before going back into a hot job market for a full remote job.

It's cooling off. Zombie companies are going to have trouble continuing as rates rise.

This. There are more than a few companies where their burn rate + valuation make it impossible to do anything except go full steam ahead. If you lose a billion dollars a year on 500 MM in revenue with 2 billion in the bank and cost of goods sold of 600 MM /yr what else can you do? Hopefully you'll continue growing and get to the point where cutting costs leaves a viable business.

Re: Meta and Google are cutting staff

#34

I can't read WSJ while at work, but after checking on the financials for both Meta and Alphabet, I do not understand why either would be cutting staff. Both look pretty strong, so I am not sure how cuts are justified or why Zuckerberg has a negative outlook, especially since 2021 was such a great year for both. Do American executives, investors, and start up owners not have the guts for even a moderate stock price dr…

My current theory on this, particularly for Google, is they're just taking advantage of the macroeconomic moment to cut some fat. Slowing growth or outright letting people go is a no-go in times of macroeconomic growth. Big companies, even if not strictly needed, can be opportunistic here and make some cuts they wouldn't be able to in other circumstances.

Re: Meta and Google are cutting staff

#35

I can't read WSJ while at work, but after checking on the financials for both Meta and Alphabet, I do not understand why either would be cutting staff. Both look pretty strong, so I am not sure how cuts are justified or why Zuckerberg has a negative outlook, especially since 2021 was such a great year for both. Do American executives, investors, and start up owners not have the guts for even a moderate stock price dr…

I can’t speak for Meta. But Google has the focus of a crack addled flea. They probably have four or five teams working on separate messaging apps. They could probably drop a third of their teams and it wouldn’t affect their successful products

Re: Meta and Google are cutting staff

#36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> or on a non-revenue generating team Apart from Search and AdSense, What team at Google isn't a non-revenue generating team?

GCP, GSuite, Google Play Services/Android, Pixel, YouTube, Maps, off the top of my head.

Presumably also Nest and Fi.

Re: Meta and Google are cutting staff

#39

Some of these comments mentioned in the article coming from Meta's leadership about there being people who shouldn't probably be there or to get rid of coasters seems so inhumane and demoralizing. What kind of leadership is that? I mean it's understandable that businesses have to cut costs, but have some empathy, and understand how words affect people. Just wow. It's so cynical and depressing.

I like it. I really dislike working with under-performers and people who just refuse to do due diligence on their end. I dislike working with people who always want you to come over to their frame of mind rather than trying to get into yours or meet in the middle. I saw a ton of people coasting during Covid. People need to get negative feedback when they deserve it.

Re: Meta and Google are cutting staff

#40
post #2

This will be the trend among most tech companies. Very clear the market has now negatively reacted to high operating expenses that largely stem from excessive headcount. Most companies will likely not reduce pay if they can help it to maintain competitiveness, but if you’re a bottom or middle performer or on a non-revenue generating team suddenly your job security even at “safe” companies like Google is at risk.

Personally, being laid off sounds pretty good right about now. Paid vacation before going back into a hot job market for a full remote job.

Job market is on ice now, I used to get dozens of emails from recruiters every week, its trickled down to 1-2 now, which is nice as I am not looking to leave my company but its a stark contrast from 3+ months ago. And its a clear sign that companies are not hiring like they used to.
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