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About 1,400 people in the Nike Global Operations team will be laid off, the company announced Thursday.
In a memo to employees, Chief Operating Officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy said the cuts would mainly affect Nike’s technology division as well as North America, Asia and Europe, which represents less than 2% of the company’s global workforce.
“This is not a new approach,” Alagirisamy wrote. “It’s the next phase of the work that’s already underway.”
The announcement follows a series of recent job cuts as Nike restructures its operations.
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Nike has announced layoffs affecting about 1,400 workers as part of a restructuring effort, the company said. (iStock / Stock)
In January, the company said it would cut 775 jobs as part of an automation push in distribution centers.
In February 2024, Nike announced plans to cut its workforce by nearly 2%, or more than 1,600 workers, and a few months later, in August, it said it would cut less than 1% of the company’s workforce as part of a broader turnaround effort under CEO Elliott Hill.
Shares rose about 0.5% in after-hours trading, although Nike stock has lost more than half its value in the past three years.
According to Alagirisamy’s memo, the layoffs are aimed at simplifying the supply of materials, footwear and apparel, and technical operations in one location at two locations: Beaverton, Oregon, and the Nike India Technology Center.
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The Nike logo is displayed at a store in Manhattan on March 30, 2026 in New York City. (Zamek/VIEWpress/Getty Images)
Nike also plans to move some of Converse’s manufacturing and engineering operations closer to factory partners.
“These changes are designed to make the company less complex and more responsive,” Alagirisamy said. “As we look forward, that means simplifying parts of the way we work, using more advanced automation where it helps us work better, and building an even stronger foundation for future growth.”
| A ticker | Security | Finally | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NKE | The company NIKE INC. | 44.78 | -0.90 |
-1.97% |
Hill, who became CEO in 2024, has promised to refocus Nike’s brand on core sports, such as running and football, while accelerating the launch of new products.
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Nike plans to cut about 1,400 jobs as it streamlines operations and invests in automation, the company said. (REUTERS/Anton Vaganov / Reuters)
Nike is forecasting a 2% to 4% drop in sales this quarter, with China, a key market, expected to drop by around 20%, the company said.
Nike forwarded Alagirisamy’s memo to FOX Business when asked for comment.
FOX Business’ Eric Revell and Reuters contributed to this report.
