April 23, 2025
Layoffs Reported at Acuity
Job cuts seen as preemptive move amid rising costs and market uncertainty
On Tuesday, April 22, reports surfaced of significant layoffs at Acuity Inc., North America’s leading lighting manufacturer. While the company declined to comment on personnel matters, multiple sources described the job cuts as “large,” suggesting a substantial reorganization effort across parts of the business.
The layoffs follow Acuity’s recent fiscal second-quarter earnings, which showed growth on an adjusted basis but also pointed to pressure from rising costs and acquisition-related expenses. The company’s $1.2 billion purchase of QSC earlier this year boosted revenue, but without it, core sales were essentially flat.
The backdrop for this decision is a fast-shifting trade and supply chain environment. Roughly half of Acuity’s revenues come from products manufactured in Mexico, which has been largely insulated from recent tariffs. By contrast, U.S.-bound components and finished goods imported from China are now subject to significantly higher duties, including a newly implemented 145% tariff.
Despite implementing rapid-fire price increases on March 31 and April 7, the financial pressure remains significant for Acuity as tariffs must be paid immediately while the actual price realization typically lags by up to 90 days.
Acuity, with a global workforce of approximately 13,000, joins a growing list of companies implementing workforce reductions. In recent weeks, layoffs have been reported at Siemens, Wolfspeed (formerly Cree), Rheem, and a range of tech and retail firms responding to similar market pressures.
For public companies, workforce reductions are often less about reacting to short-term results and more about preparing for longer-term uncertainty. Rightsizing now can help preserve stability down the line.
The scope of Acuity’s internal changes isn’t yet clear. But broadly, firms appear to be pulling back, reassessing priorities and lowering risk in response to a less certain market.
