Oracle CFO says ‘doing more with less’ isn’t the solution after layoffs

Oracle’s new finance chief delivered her inaugural companywide address, telling staff that the company does not want them to “do more with less.”\nCFO Hilary Maxson addressed staff on Tuesday, urging them to take pride in the firm’s financial performance and safeguard that success as the business expands, according to a recording reviewed by Themoneytimes.\nThese comments were made the day after Oracle initiated another wave of layoffs, following reductions earlier this year. The headcount fell by 21,000, representing a 13% drop, in the 2026 fiscal year ending May 31, per a recent filing.\n”She explained that employees should be deliberate about allocating time and money,” Maxson said. “I’m not referring to the notion of doing more with less, a phrase I strongly dislike. Instead, it means streamlining processes that don’t benefit customers and making strategic decisions about where to allocate resources for maximum impact.”\nMaxson’s comments underscore a key challenge for Oracle and similar firms: aggressively investing in AI while preserving financial discipline. The company has accumulated tens of billions in debt to fund data center and AI infrastructure expansion. The recent layoffs aim to lower payroll expenses to counterbalance those costs, according to a source familiar with the plan.\nOracle disclosed $28.5\,billion in capital spending for the first quarter, up from $8.5\,billion a year earlier, and kept its fiscal 2027 capex outlook at $90\,billion to $95\,billion.\nNeither Maxson nor other executives mentioned the layoffs directly during the roughly hourlong town hall. Instead, they repeatedly highlighted growth, customer demand, and the opportunities generated by artificial intelligence.\n”I encourage you to keep asking a simple question: How does the work I’m doing help deliver a better outcome for a customer?” Co-CEO Mike Sicilia said, offering a mantra as Oracle begins its second quarter. “There is much change happening, both here and worldwide, and in moments like this, how we collaborate and show up for our customers and each other matters most.”\nFor tips, contact the reporter via email at astewart@Themoneytimes.com or via Signal at +1-425-344-8242, using a personal email address and a nonwork device; a guide to sharing information securely is available.