Crown Castle to Slash 20% of Workforce Amid Fiber Unit Sale

The workforce reduction follows a strategic review that culminated in an agreement to divest the company’s fiber segment for $8.5 billion last March. Crown Castle, which employed roughly 3,900 people as of January 31, 2025, expects the sale to close in the first half of this year. This pivot marks a significant contraction for the firm as it refocuses on its core tower operations.

Strategic Pivot and Market Headwinds

The announcement coincided with fourth-quarter earnings showing a 4.2% decline in sales to $1.07 billion. Despite the revenue dip, the company reported a net profit of 67 cents per share, a sharp rebound from the $10.97 per share loss recorded during the same period last year.

Investor sentiment soured following a weaker-than-expected forecast for 2026. Crown Castle projected site rental revenues of approximately $3.85 billion, falling short of the $4.10 billion anticipated by analysts. Shares tumbled 7% to $79.97 in after-hours trading, according to market data, extending a downward trend that has seen the stock shed 4% of its value over the last three months.