Amazon (AMZN) will close Amazon Fresh and Go stores, shifting focus to expanding Whole Foods Market and same-day delivery.
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ASML plans about 1,700 job cuts. (00:14) C3.ai (AI) stock climbs on report of merger with Automation Anywhere. (01:36) Retail reset: Amazon (AMZN) doubles down on grocery delivery and Whole Foods expansion. (02:23)
This is an abridged transcript.
ASML Holding (ASML) plans to cut about 1,700 jobs, mainly across technology and IT.
Most of the job reductions will take place in the Netherlands, with some in the U.S., and will largely affect management and leadership roles. The cuts represent roughly 4% of ASML’s workforce.
The job cuts follow feedback that ASML has “a complex organization,” often requiring excessive coordination, CFO Roger Dassen said in a call with reporters. The changes are aimed at streamlining operations so that “engineers can be engineers again,” he added.
The announcement was made as the Dutch chip equipment maker reported its fourth-quarter results. ASML Q4 bookings were a record €13.2B, compared to the average analyst estimate of €6.85B. Total net sales were €32.7B in 2025, which was a 16% increase compared to 2024.
ASML expects 2026 total net sales to be between €34B and €39B, higher than previous guidance.
C3.ai (AI) is up 16% in premarket action after The Information reported that the AI company is in talks to merge with Automation Anywhere.
The report said, citing people familiar with the discussions, if the deal goes through, Automation Anywhere would acquire C3.ai and go public as part of the transaction.
C3.ai is an enterprise AI application software company whose shares have plunged nearly 62% over the past year, pressured by deteriorating financial performance and uncertainty around its strategy and leadership.
According to the report by The Information, Automation Anywhere develops software that automates repetitive tasks, and was valued by private investors at $6.8B in 2019.
Amazon (AMZN) is in the spotlight of the grocery sector after it announced its plans to close its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go storefronts to prioritize investment in growth areas.
Amazon intends to focus on expanding its Whole Foods Market brand, with plans to open more than 100 new stores over the next few years, in addition to expanding its same-day delivery service to new cities and towns in 2026.
Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said the Whole Foods Market announcement is an important step forward in Amazon’s (AMZN) broader strategy. He thinks the initiative should help the company capture incremental share in perishable categories where they have struggled historically.
The grocery mix at large general merchandisers such as Walmart, Target, and Costco has made the category of critical importance to Amazon.
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Catalyst watch:
* Microsoft (MSFT) will hold its earnings conference call at 5:30pm. Key topics will include AI and Azure growth and margin forecasts, Copilot monetization trends, and AI capex spending. Options trading is pricing in a +5% move following the earnings release, which would be a bigger post-earnings swing than normal.
Dow, S&P and Nasdaq futures are in the green. Crude oil is down 0.4% at $62/barrel. Bitcoin is up 0.2% at $89,000. Gold is up 1.7% at $5,270.
The FTSE 100 is down 0.4% and the DAX is little changed.
The biggest movers for the day premarket: Stride (LRN) +36% – Shares surged after the ed-tech company posted a blowout FQ2, with results and guidance well ahead of expectations.
Economic calendar:
* 7:00 am MBA Mortgage Applications
* 2:30 pm Fed Chair Press Conference
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ASML’s 1,700 job cuts target management layers to simplify its organization, aiming to empower engineers and improve operational efficiency, supporting continued growth and execution.
ASML posted record €13.2B Q4 bookings and raised 2026 net sales guidance to €34B-€39B, signaling strong demand and confidence in future revenue growth.
Amazon’s focus on expanding Whole Foods and same-day delivery aims to capture greater share in perishables, addressing historical weaknesses and intensifying competition with Walmart, Target, and Costco.
