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Verizon to Sell 274 Stores and Cut 500 Corporate Jobs in Restructuring

Verizon has announced a new restructuring initiative that includes the sale of 274 company-owned retail stores and the elimination of approximately 500 corporate positions, as the U.S. telecommunications giant continues to reshape its operations in an increasingly competitive wireless market.

The changes will affect roughly 3,000 retail and corporate employees, although Verizon expects many retail workers to remain employed under new franchise operators. Based on previous store transactions, the company said a majority of employees typically transfer to the businesses that acquire the locations.

Following the transaction, Verizon will directly operate about 1,000 company-owned stores, while relying more heavily on its network of approximately 5,000 franchised retail locations managed by independent operators.

The restructuring follows broader workforce reductions announced over the past year as Verizon seeks to improve operational efficiency while adapting to changing consumer behavior and mounting competitive pressure from AT&T and T-Mobile.

Competition within the U.S. wireless industry remains intense. Carriers continue offering aggressive device subsidies, discounted service plans, and expanded network investments to attract and retain customers in a market where subscriber growth has become increasingly difficult.

At the same time, Verizon has introduced simplified mobile plans, removed activation and upgrade fees, and launched a new customer loyalty program aimed at strengthening long-term customer retention.

The company is also preparing for future technological shifts. Earlier this year, Verizon joined AT&T and T-Mobile in forming a joint venture to develop satellite-based connectivity solutions for underserved rural areas, a move widely viewed as a response to the growing influence of satellite communications providers such as SpaceX’s Starlink.

The latest restructuring reflects a broader transformation across the telecommunications industry. Rather than expanding physical retail footprints, operators are increasingly prioritizing digital services, franchise partnerships, network modernization, and cost efficiency while preparing for next-generation connectivity technologies.

France’s Atos Flags Steep Revenue Decline for 2025

French IT services group Atos warned it expects a sharp drop in annual revenue for 2025, citing ongoing contract losses that continued through the quarter ending December 31. The company said revenue is estimated to fall to about 8 billion euros, in line with its earlier guidance.

Chief executive Philippe Salle said the figure represents an organic decline of 13.8%, underscoring the scale of the challenges facing the group as it attempts to rebuild after years of financial strain. Once considered a flagship of Europe’s technology sector, Atos recently emerged from a major debt restructuring that nearly pushed it into collapse.

The company is pursuing a broad reorganisation that includes asset sales and job cuts, significantly shrinking a business that was once valued at more than 10 billion euros to around 1 billion euros today. Salle said customer confidence is slowly returning, though at a more gradual pace than expected.

Atos plans to exit around 10 additional countries in 2026, following divestments in Scandinavia and Latin America. Despite the revenue decline, the group said it expects to exceed its 2025 profitability target and will publish its outlook for 2026 alongside full-year results on March 6.

Atos to sell Latin American businesses to Brazil’s Semantix

French IT services company Atos said on Friday it has signed a binding agreement to sell its Latin American operations to Brazilian technology firm Semantix, as part of a broader restructuring effort following severe financial distress.

The assets being sold employ around 2,800 people across Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Uruguay. Atos did not disclose the financial terms of the transaction, but said it expects the deal to close in the coming months.

The divestment marks another step in Atos’ turnaround strategy after the once-prominent French technology group narrowly avoided collapse in 2024. Earlier this year, the company completed a sweeping financial restructuring that significantly reshaped its balance sheet and ownership structure.

As part of that process, Atos reduced its debt burden by approximately 2.1 billion euros, with banks and bondholders emerging as the company’s main shareholders. The restructuring plan places a strong emphasis on asset sales, allowing Atos to streamline operations, generate liquidity and refocus on its core activities.

The sale of the Latin American business underscores the scale of Atos’ transformation as it works to stabilise operations and restore confidence after years of financial and operational challenges.