Oracle layoffs precede Hilary Maxson hire with $26 million equity

Business Apr 13, 2026

Oracle just laid off a bunch of employees, with some affected workers and one former employee suggesting the layoffs mostly targeted midlevel managers and senior staff who had stock vesting coming up, right before bringing in Hilary Maxson as the new CFO.
The timing has people talking, especially since Maxson's compensation includes a $26 million equity grant while others are losing jobs.

Oracle ramps AI spending amid cuts

These cuts come as Oracle is pouring more money into AI projects, even though its profits are up.
Analysts say it's about saving cash with big investments ahead, but some employees are questioning how management is handling both the layoffs and the growing focus on artificial intelligence.