PetSmart confirmed Tuesday it will cut positions at its Phoenix headquarters. 

The privately owned company confirmed for The Arizona Republic that it will reduce less than 5 percent of positions at its corporate headquarters, at 27th Avenue south of Loop 101, but did not specify how many employees will be affected.

With more than 1,500 shops nationwide, PetSmart said it is investing for the future and looking for better ways to serve its customers. 

“At PetSmart, we are focused on growth and becoming the leading online and brick and mortar pet specialty retailer,” PetSmart said in an emailed statement to The Republic. 

A recent example of PetSmart’s changes is in its recent purchase of chewy.com, an online pet-food shopping site. 

PetSmart emerged as Arizona’s largest private company in July 2016 and placed 48th in the United States on Forbes’ list of largest privately owned companies. It employed about 53,000 workers at that time.

The Republic’s list of largest employers reported earlier this year that the company employed about 3,500 in Arizona at its headquarters and other locations. The company operates 55 stores in the state, according to its website..

PetSmart had been a public corporation before its $8.7 billion purchase by private-equity firm BC Partners in March 2015. Forbes estimated its revenue at $7 billion, with about 53,000 employees, primarily in the United States. Private companies aren’t required to disclose financial details of their operation.

PetSmart laid off 176 management and headquarters workers in 2014 and had layoffs throughout the company again in 2015.

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