Weird to see layoffs at the beginning of the year, when fresh budgets and plans are availiable. Then again, since this is happening this early, this is probably a 2023 decision.
I was laid of January 2023 and looking back, it was decided in late November/early December. I even remember a managers/CTO-only meeting during an engineering-wide offsite that reeked of secrecy/sketchiness.
If they had done this in December, people would be outraged that they're laying off right before the holidays. January is fine (if one thinks layoffs are fine in general).
Don't U.S companies have their fiscal year wrapped around June?