Oct 23 (Reuters) - Applied Materials ( AMAT ) will cut

about 4% of its workforce, or roughly 1,400 jobs, to streamline

operations, the chip equipment maker said on Thursday as tighter

U.S. export controls on semiconductors weigh on its business.

The company, one of the largest U.S. makers of semiconductor

manufacturing equipment, will take a charge of $160 million to

$180 million for the layoffs, mostly in the fourth quarter of

fiscal 2025, it disclosed in a regulatory filing.

Late in September, Washington cracked down on companies in

China and other countries that use subsidiaries or other foreign

affiliates to circumvent export curbs on chipmaking equipment

and other goods and technology.

That has made it harder for Applied Materials ( AMAT ) and its rivals

to export some products and supply specific parts and services

to select China-based customers without a license. The company

earlier this month forecast a $600-million hit to its fiscal

2026 revenue due to the expanded curbs.

It said it started informing its employees about the layoffs

earlier on Thursday. It had 35,700 full-time staff as of October

27, 2024, according to its annual report.

"Our goal is to continue to transform how we work, move

faster, simplify decision-making, and focus on what matters most

as we prepare Applied Materials ( AMAT ) for significant growth in the

coming years," CEO Gary Dickerson said in a memo to employees.