MS Layoffs?
Just saw a headline that 2500 fired at MS. anyone have any insight into this?
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Bumping- no info but interested. Wonder if this will be the first of many layoffs across firms over the next few months.
Wonder what sort of roles. Assuming a lot of routine process work such as internal teams and admins? Or is there flow through to front office / coverage?
Is the 2500 cuts at MS all at once or small cuts gradually throughout the year?
Across ISG (IBD, S&T) also, which was a bit surprising given their deal flow this year.
S&T is IED
IED falls under ISG boss
S&T is IED and FID which are both under ISG boss
Prepared for the worse in IB and S&T. Seem to be emphasis on adding AI quickly. Talk has been this might not be the only wave for 2026. The growing worry is that profitability is about skyrocket from AI and we will be shown the door.
It is just culling of the low performers as it only impacts like 3% of overall workforce. GS does the same annually and I’m not surprised given current macroeconomic and geopolitical climate
Horse shit. Culling doesn’t occur in Feb. Unfortunately, there will be forced rankings and DEI Beckies will be rescued for the sake of MD’s bonus.
Bump
Do we think this is AI/productivity related or just an annual purge a la GS? Timing seems AI related
MS is using AI as both an excuse to layoff and way to reduce low performers so it doesn't look bad on them. The timing is around promotion and bonus payout time (late Feb/March) so probably trying to lay off people before it hits their bank account
Bump - anyone care to add any internal communication/guidance. How many junior bankers is this likely to affect?
WSJ and other news articles had some details…private bank was impacted…and mortgage team that provides loans to UHNW / HNW
Does not sound like a huge hit to IB / S&T
Don't think this will ever affect first year or second year analyst. ik that a number of first year juts left willingly in the past several months, not layoff, just don't wanna stay in banking. The point is, if they lay off analyst, they need to give about 5-6months of salary, but most of first years are leaving in a year or even less. They prob will just give little bonus
Oh dear imagine the uproar if this layoff had been at UBS
Pretty sure this has already happened. I'm also pretty sure it's just a normal routine layoff, there's pretty much one every year - sometimes Bloomberg/whatever reports on it, sometimes it doesn't. They don't happen at exact set times, just normally one around the beginning of year, sometimes another later in the year.
Nothing to see here.
This. It’s just “news” this year because they said the AI buzzword.
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