Summary

• Meta Platforms announced it would lay off approximately 10% of its workforce, 8,000 employees, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg citing "success isn’t given."
• Tech layoffs in 2026 appear to be structural, not cyclical, as companies slash human headcount to self-fund massive AI infrastructure.
• As companies rush to flatten hierarchies and redesign modern workflows, this restructuring demand fuels growth opportunities for companies that can capitalize.
• Income is vital, and this article highlights KFY, a Quant "Buy" with a 3.32% yield and a strong Dividend Safety grade with 10 consecutive years of dividend payments.
• I am Steven Cress, Head of Quantitative Strategies at Seeking Alpha. I manage the quant ratings and factor grades on stocks and ETFs in Seeking Alpha Premium. I also lead Quant Growth and Income, which is a model portfolio for dividend investors interested in capital appreciation and income.

AI, Layoffs, and the Labor Market

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Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, hiring surged on the back

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given that any particular security, portfolio, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. The author is not advising you personally concerning the nature, potential, value or suitability of any particular security or other matter. You alone are solely responsible for determining whether any investment, security or strategy, or any product or service, is appropriate or suitable for you based on your investment objectives and personal and financial situation. Steven Cress is the Head of Quantitative Strategy at Seeking Alpha. Any views or opinions expressed herein may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank.