Rising Bankruptcy Trends in Retail

U.S. retail faces a wave of financial distress, with bankruptcies accelerating store closures, supply disruptions, and commercial real estate vacancies. BKwire’s daily filings and creditor insights help you anticipate and navigate these risks.

How BKwire Protects Your Retail Supply Chain

Suppliers

Spot at-risk buyers via daily bankruptcy alerts and creditor data, shifting orders to alternatives and securing payments amid seasonal demands.

Distributors

Renegotiate routes and re-time shipments with filing insights, preventing stockouts and maintaining logistics flow.

Commercial Real Estate

Anticipate lease defaults and tenant bankruptcies with real-time data, enabling proactive re-leasing or asset repositioning to minimize vacancies.

Trickle-Down Effects: Retail Bankruptcies and Impacted Companies

Retail bankruptcies like Big Lots and Rite Aid in 2025 create cascading disruptions, hitting suppliers with unpaid invoices, halted orders, and forced liquidations. BKwire uncovers these impacted companies in real-time, allowing suppliers to monitor ripple effects, reclaim assets, and pivot strategies before losses mount.

Anticipate Retail Bankruptcy Risks with BKwire

BKwire’s daily briefs provide critical insights into retail bankruptcies, identifying at-risk companies, filings, and regional trends, delivered straight to your inbox. Stay ahead by adjusting sourcing, reducing financial exposure, and safeguarding brand equity against the ripple effects of unexpected insolvencies in the retail sector.

Anticipate Retail Bankruptcy Risks with BKwire

BKwire’s daily briefs provide critical insights into retail bankruptcies, identifying at-risk companies, filings, and regional trends, delivered straight to your inbox. Stay ahead by adjusting sourcing, reducing financial exposure, and safeguarding brand equity against the ripple effects of unexpected insolvencies in the retail sector.

BKwire Retail Bankruptcy Filings 2023-2025

2023

~60

Number of Filings

Post-pandemic peak; discount stores and apparel hit hard.

2024

~20

Number of Filings

57.8% rise in closures; repeat filers like Rue21 prominent.

2025 (YTD)

10+

Number of Filings

Inflation and rate hikes fuel mega-filings; consumer sectors lead.

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Recent Retail Bankruptcies

Big Lots

Bankrupt

Filed for Chapter 11 in September 2024, closing over 300 stores and liquidating in 2025, disrupting suppliers and jobs due to inflation and a failed acquisition

Party City

Bankrupt
Second Chapter 11 filing led to all corporate store closures by early 2025, eliminating $1 billion in debt but stranding suppliers with unpaid invoices and leaving commercial properties vacant.

Joann

Bankrupt
Second Chapter 11 filing in early 2025, pursuing asset sales after a failed 2024 restructuring, disrupting fabric distributors and impacting retail leaseholders.

Recent Medical Bankruptcies

NES Health

Bankrupt
Filed for Chapter 7, leading to liquidation after failing to pay emergency physicians, leaving hospitals understaffed and doctors without malpractice coverage.

Why the Retail Industry Needs BKwire Bankruptcy Monitoring

Detect Weak Links Early

Identify at-risk partners in your supply chain before bankruptcies cause disruptions, ensuring seamless operations and minimal downtime.

Unlock Growth Opportunities

Spot acquisition targets and strategic partnerships amid retail distress, turning market challenges into expansion avenues.

Enable Smooth Linkages

Integrate Watchlist alerts for real-time insights across your ecosystem, syncing data to proactively manage risks and maintain strong connections.

Track Bankruptcy Patterns to Protect Your Business

Use insolvency risk signals as action points – and protect your business