>Now they can bring people back.

Or they can increase executive compensation.

How far in advance do you think these deals are decided before public announcement?

Anyone who left isn't coming back. They would now go for better opportunities.

You think they didn't know this deal was going to be signed before they announced their layoffs?

Now I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to managing companies so I can't be sure if that is the right move or not. However surely any management that announces massive lay-offs to then turn around and hire those same people back a few weeks later would have to be deemed blatantly incompetent (if not malicious)?