Charles Schwab lays off about 2,000 employees

(CNN) — Charles Schwab has laid off about 5% to 6% of its employees, amounting to roughly 2,000 people, as it looks to cut costs.

A Schwab spokesperson said these “were hard but necessary steps to ensure Schwab remains highly competitive, with industry-leading levels of efficiency, well into the future.”

The company only released a percentage of how many people were laid off and didn’t give a precise number, but Schwab’s headcount was 35,900 as of September 30, according to a corporate fact sheet.

“They are decisions that impact very talented people personally, and we take that very seriously,” a spokesperson said. “We worked diligently to ensure affected employees were treated with care and respect throughout this difficult process.”

The cost-cutting measures were first announced in the summer, with the brokerage looking to cut $500 million in costs as it faces investor pressure.

Part of the changes includes evaluating its “real estate footprint, streamlining our operating model, and staffing reductions, largely in non-client-facing areas,” a Schwab spokesperson said.

Like other banks, Schwab endured turbulence earlier this year when its bottom line was given a hard look by investors after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.

Shares of Schwab (SCHW) are down 35% for the year, and up 1% in early afternoon trading.

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