The stock price pop has nothing to do with the fact we laid off people. At all. Day traders are piling into undervalued energy names due to the mainstream financial press finally realizing that we're heading into a global oil supply shortage in the next few quarters. Our most recent financials are actually WORSE because of the layoffs, not better. Paying all the bonuses and severances are all charged to Q1. We'll have slightly better margins in Q2 because we aren't paying as many salaries, but it will only show up as improved margins that the traders & analysts will attribute to... drum roll please... higher oil prices on our unhedged production! If you really think the traders pay the smallest bit of attention to who was/wasn't laid off... you're lying to yourself. Plain and simple. The traders primary concern is the shape of the candlesticks, moving averages, volume trends, and short covering.
Exactly what @TeRCLMv-4xlg said. It's sad to see people actually accepting the spin of those on top that layoffs help raise stock price. If they do, it's a temporary thing that is gone within a day or two. Any more permanent raise has nothing to do with it.