Just remember when Chapter 11 hits and severance goes away you were offered a VRIF when you are walking to your car after a IRIF hits you.
Posts mentioning hashtag #bankruptcy
Below are all the posts — topics as well as replies — that mention the hashtag #bankruptcy.
Mention #bankruptcy in your post to continue the discussion!
Bonuses and Cheating the employees
While the company lost 77 million last month. They asked the court to approve bonuses for 8;employees if certain targets are met in the bankruptcy. Isn't that the top brass job?
Employees on leave of absence right now arent paid what they are actually owed. They are paid a draw instead.
Pretty nasty to do that while employees on medical leave. Is there no level this company and Raemdonck won't stoop to.
Saks sells corporate jet for $6 million to private buyer
Saks executives must give up corporate jet used for personal travel under bankruptcy plan.
Saks executives were also use to luxurious travel, inclduing five star hotels and five star restaurants and limo service.
Fireside Chat Coming your Way
If we had a honest fireside chat right now the following would need to be said; please add what else you think is missing
· Xerox currently has a hiring and retention talent problem where we can’t hire or keep the right level of staffing. (Stated in 10k)
· Xerox currently has 15-25% staff within positions that need to be re-organized into GBS positions sooner than later.
· Xerox currently has 25-45% staff that need to be released with 25% being residue from the purchase of Lexmark.
· Xerox when purchasing Lexmark made a mistake by acquiring $1.5 Billion in debt above and beyond the debt we already had on the books.
· Xerox will not be able to make debt payments starting in 2027 and will most likely be filing Chapter 11 in 1st Quarter 2027.
· Xerox is not paying vendors on timeframes favorable to the vendors to save money; every penny we get in interest is needed.
· Our stock price in the next 90 days will go below $1.00 starting the count down till we are delisted or transferred to the penny stock section of the news paper.
Xerox IT Solutions
Of Xerox files for bankruptcy would that include the now separated Xerox IT solutions as well? They split awhile back like it’s a separate company.
Huh. So what happens to us if the bankruptcy rumors are real?
Genuinely asking. I've never been through that before.
Chapter 11
Hearing some buzz about Xerox filing for bankruptcy within the next week.
Clintwood JOD Sued Over Mass Layoffs
Clintwood JOD LLC faces a lawsuit from former employees. About 300 workers were laid off without adequate notice. The suit alleges violations of the WARN Act. This act requires 60 days' notice for mass layoffs. The company recently entered bankruptcy proceedings.
Pikeville, Kentucky
https://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article315247797.html
Pennsylvania Businesses Close, Hundreds Laid Off
Many businesses across Pennsylvania are announcing location closures. This trend affects retailers, restaurants, and manufacturing facilities. Amazon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and FedEx are among those with significant layoffs. Eddie Bauer LLC is closing all its stores due to bankruptcy proceedings. Saks Global Enterprises also announced closures amid its Chapter 11 filing.
, Pennsylvania
https://www.pennlive.com/business/2026/03/layoffs-plague-pa-as-50-business-sites-from-hmac-to-eddie-bauer-close.html
Severance Math
Ok, let's say they need to fire ~10,000 people to stay afloat in some form or fashion:
With severance, UI insurance, COBRA, and other sundry items, lets say it costs $10K on average. Not just the package, but the actual total cost of firing someone. 10000 X 10000 is $100 million.
This sounds about right, but let's say it is half of that, or 5000/head, or $50Mil.
Do you think these creeps are going to spend $50 million to do the right thing? They will not, because:
- They are crooks and creeps.
- They have a fiduciary duty to shareholders AND debtholders.
My gut says they will file CH11 as soon as they can get away with doing so.
Golden Parachute
SB didn't get what he deserved, quite the opposite.
He has a golden parachute, which only pays out reliably IF/WHEN the company isn't in CH 7 or 11. Parachutes get trimmed down, and sometimes eliminated entirely in bankruptcy.
They didn't throw him out a window, they put him in a life raft. He'll get paid out, and after that, look for CH11. IF anyone here read up on his nonsense agreement and knows what the payout timeline is, please chime in. That is a good indicator of when they might be filing.
Neiman Marcus Hawaii Store Closes, 161 Layoffs
Neiman Marcus is closing its Ala Moana store. This closure will eliminate 161 positions. The luxury retailer's parent company filed notice. It is exiting the Hawaii market. This action is part of bankruptcy restructuring.
Honolulu, Hawaii
https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2026/03/25/neiman-marcus-leaves-hawaii.html
Iron Hill Brewery Bankrupt
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This filing occurred on October 3. The action sets the stage for the chain's likely liquidation. The chain once had 19 restaurants. A law firm is considering a class action lawsuit over a potential WARN Act violation.
Newark, Delaware
https://www.delawareonline.com/story/money/business/2025/10/08/iron-hill-brewery-restaurant-collapse-spawns-bankruptcy-possible-lawsuit/86580028007/
PosiGen Solar Installer Declares Bankruptcy
PosiGen, a national residential solar installer, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This filing occurred in the Texas Southern Bankruptcy Court on Monday. The company had previously laid off most of its workforce in August. PosiGen also closed facilities in Connecticut and will cease operations there by December 6. The company cited missed credit payments and disappearing tax credits for its financial issues.
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2025/11/posigen-files-for-bankruptcy-after-months-of-layoffs/
Bankruptcy
The high number of RIFs and poorly run ‘transfer to contractor’ (a clear RIF later but without severance) are both obvious signs of a company about to collapse.
I blame the board and I blame senior management for letting it get this bad.
The share price will continue to fall because the company itself is failing. This last ditch effort only hastens the final failure and inevitable sale.
And I for one shall not mourn the demise.
I can only hope that it makes the architects as bankrupt monetarily as they are morally.
Lila Kate Trucking Seeks Chapter 11 Reorganization
Lila Kate Trucking LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Friday. The Roanoke, Alabama-based carrier seeks to reorganize under Subchapter V. The company estimated assets and liabilities between $1 million and $10 million. Management stated operations will continue during the restructuring process. The bankruptcy court issued a notice of several filing deficiencies.
Roanoke, Alabama
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/alabama-family-owned-carrier-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy
North Star Health Alliance Cuts Dozens of Jobs Amid Bankruptcy
North Star Health Alliance announced workforce adjustments across its organization. A few dozen positions are believed to be affected by these changes. The company stated these actions are part of additional operational restructuring. North Star Health Alliance is currently operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. These steps are considered necessary to strengthen the organization for the future.
Watertown, New York
https://www.wwnytv.com/2026/03/20/north-star-announces-workforce-adjustments-few-dozen-positions-possibly-affected/
Manufacturing Layoffs Lead Illinois Job Cuts in February
Illinois employers reported thousands of mass layoffs last month. The actual number of affected workers is closer to 2,300. The manufacturing sector recorded 1,264 permanent job losses. First Brands Group LLC accounted for over 1,000 of these cuts. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2025.
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/manufacturing-layoffs-drive-illinois-job-cuts-in-february/
Saks Global Announces Layoffs, Store Closures Amidst Bankruptcy
Saks Global LLC secured an additional $300 million in bankruptcy funding. The luxury retailer also has a five-year business plan. Over 1,200 Saks employees will face layoffs by May. The company plans to close more than a dozen stores. Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January due to debt.
New York, New York
https://www.wfaa.com/article/money/business/layoffs-store-closures-mount-as-saks-global-sees-end-to-bankruptcy-ahead/287-7c396f94-3e3a-49c7-bdf8-56f02b88c5af
First Brands Group Closes Cleveland Office, 110 Jobs Eliminated
First Brands Group will close its Cleveland corporate office. This closure will result in 110 job terminations. Most layoffs, affecting 105 employees, are scheduled for April 30, 2026. An additional five employees will be laid off on June 30, 2026. The company cited Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and financial distress as reasons. Efforts to secure funding or a sale were unsuccessful.
https://countryherald.com/news/cleveland-ohio-110-layoffs-as-first-brands-closes-public-square-hq-in-april/
Bankruptcy inevitable
It’s safe to say Ford is going to go bankrupt within 3 years. Our cars are not selling without huge discounts. See for yourself..2025 f150s still available for sale. During the good times like 8 yrs ago when we made some money we should have paid off the debt and invested in quality instead of Farleys bev pet projects. He is not fired for that and executives pocketed huge bonuses and they fired normal workers through various layoffs. We had the time to turn things around but we blew it.
Saks Global Cuts 1,226 Jobs, Closes Stores Post-Bankruptcy
Luxury retailer Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January. The company is now closing 12 Saks Fifth Avenue stores. This action will result in over 1,200 permanent job cuts. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filings confirmed the layoffs in March. Employee separations are scheduled to take place throughout May.
https://www.thestreet.com/retail/luxury-retail-giant-saks-global-cuts-over-1200-jobs-after-bankruptcy-filing
How much longer?
How much longer will this outfit last till its bankrupt or bought out? 5 years, 10, ???
3/13/26 WWD.com EXCLUSIVE: Navigating the Saks Global Bankruptcy — the Roadmap Ahead
WWD.com EXCLUSIVE: Navigating the Saks Global Bankruptcy — the Roadmap Ahead
CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck details progress in the Chapter 11 proceedings, what to expect in the coming weeks, and plans for getting Saks Global back on its feet.
By
DAVID MOIN
Plus Icon
MARCH 13, 2026, 12:01AM
Saks Global is expected to emerge from bankruptcy proceedings before the end of the year with new ownership, a five-year business plan, and a strategy designed to better differentiate the merchandising and marketing of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
“It’s moving faster than I anticipated,” Geoffroy van Raemdonck, chief executive officer of Saks Global, told WWD, exclusively discussing the Saks Global Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and what to expect in the coming weeks. “We were able to make very decisive decisions in less than 60 days, to focus on luxury.”
Since Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 13, “Step one was to get the financing. Step two was to get the inventory, and now we are really focused on the vision for the future — and how the company is going to be structured when it emerges from bankruptcy,” van Raemdonck said. “The restructuring plan is going to be filed in weeks from now, and that will detail how this company will be structured, from a business plan, from a capital structure, post emerging.”
The plan is being formulated by Saks Global in negotiations with creditors, who will vote on the plan, which then must get final approval by the bankruptcy court for the company to emerge from bankruptcy.
“What the business plan will show is that we have a plan of action to drive sales, to grow from a smaller footprint, and to be significantly more profitable,” van Raemdonck said. “It is also going to demonstrate that we have ample liquidity to operate and fund the business, as well as generate free cash flow to invest in the business over the next five years. That’s what this business plan will be detailing.”
“What’s changed over the last two months is that we have $1.75 billion of committed capital. We have $825 million that we’ve received, and we are receiving another $300 million in a matter of days or weeks. It’s really, really close…When we entered the [bankruptcy] process, we received DIP (debtor-in-possession) financing and we put in a topline revenue budget and a budget for receiving inventory, and we are exceeding both the revenue budget and the amount of inventory we are receiving, which is very encouraging.
“Yes, we had a problem of liquidity,” van Raemdonck admitted. “It led to a problem of inventory and performance. That was the summary of last year. The summary of this year is we are through a financial restructuring that gives us access to liquidity and allows us to refocus the business on the most valuable assets we have, and when we emerge later this year, we will be able to perform at the level we want.”
Inventory Flowing In
While there’s no guarantee that Saks Global successfully emerges from bankruptcy this year, van Raemdonck, while being interviewed from the Brookfield Place headquarters of Saks Global in lower Manhattan, cited progress in the court proceedings, and expressed gratitude that many designers and brands have either continued or resumed shipping the luxury retailer. He said brands have committed to close to $1.3 billion of inventory.
“That’s 80 percent of the [spring] season that we need to have. And that number is growing week by week,” he said. “I was looking at our receipts this month — they’re up 63 percent compared to last year, and from February to this month to date, we are up 15 percent… We have many, many brands, but if you take our top 100 or 200 brands, none have said they’re not going to do business with us going forward. Brands are really catching up very fast and supporting us. I don’t take that for granted. We need — and we are — actively rebuilding their trust.”
“Yes, we had a problem of liquidity,” van Raemdonck admitted. “It led to a problem of inventory and performance. That was the summary of last year. The summary of this year is we are through a financial restructuring that gives us access to liquidity and allows us to refocus the business on the most valuable assets we have, and when we emerge later this year, we will be able to perform at the level we want.”
Inventory Flowing In
While there’s no guarantee that Saks Global successfully emerges from bankruptcy this year, van Raemdonck, while being interviewed from the Brookfield Place headquarters of Saks Global in lower Manhattan, cited progress in the court proceedings, and expressed gratitude that many designers and brands have either continued or resumed shipping the luxury retailer. He said brands have committed to close to $1.3 billion of inventory.
“That’s 80 percent of the [spring] season that we need to have. And that number is growing week by week,” he said. “I was looking at our receipts this month — they’re up 63 percent compared to last year, and from February to this month to date, we are up 15 percent… We have many, many brands, but if you take our top 100 or 200 brands, none have said they’re not going to do business with us going forward. Brands are really catching up very fast and supporting us. I don’t take that for granted. We need — and we are — actively rebuilding their trust.”
Saks Global has indicated that post-petition invoices for merchandise receipts will be paid pursuant to current terms, which are set at 90 days from receipt of goods, though payment terms can vary by brand. It’s expected that if and when Saks Global emerges from bankruptcy, payment terms would revert to those that were in place prior to Saks Global’s acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group, though a schedule for paying vendors must be approved by the bankruptcy court judge. Thirty- to 60-day payment terms are the industry standard.
Under Saks Global’s prior regime, the company largely lost the support of the fashion industry due to its failure to pay bills for several seasons and a host of unmet promises. Consequently, the stores were depleted of merchandise, market share was lost, and competitors, most notably Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, have been taking advantage of the situation by aggressively working to add designers they did not previously sell, and provide more space in their stores to certain designers that they already did sell.
But at Saks Global, much has happened in the two months since going bankrupt to obtain financing to replenish inventories and maintain operations and set a new foundation for a potentially more viable — and streamlined — future.
It’s expected that through a debt-for-equity swap, key bondholders, including Pentwater Capital and Bracebridge Capital leading the lending group arranging a $1.75 billion financing package for Saks Global in bankruptcy, will become owners in Saks Global. In effect, Saks Global will become a new debt-free or near debt-free company post bankruptcy. Hudson Bay Co., Amazon, Authentic Brands Group, and G-III all had equity stakes in Saks Global going into the bankruptcy, but it’s anticipated they will see the value of those shares slip away in the court-led process.
Chapter 11 bankruptcy enables a retailer to get out of leases without penalty. Saks Global is closing 20 Saks Fifth Avenuestores, leaving just 13 operating, including the Fifth Avenue flagship in Manhattan, and shutting four Neiman Marcus units, leaving 32 operating. In addition, Saks Fifth Avenue was pulled off Amazon.com; one distribution center was closed, leaving three operating, though three others were closed pre-bankruptcy, leaving the company with its newest facilities that provide better service, and 57 Saks Off 5th stores are being shuttered, leaving just 12 for the time being. Saks Global has also shut down the Horchow catalogue and the five Last Call clearance centers for Neiman Marcus.
Saks Global volume was listed at about $7.3 billion shortly after the Neiman’s acquisition in fiscal 2024, before the streamlining.
Saks Global executives leave open the possibility that a few more Saks or Neiman’s stores could close.
There has been speculation of asset sales, including Bergdorf Goodman. Asked about that, van Raemdonck replied: “We are always going to continue to look at the footprint, the assets, we have. That’s normal course of business. But today, there are no active conversations about any asset sales.”
Upon going bankrupt, a new management team was set with a blend of senior executives from Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Van Raemdonck became CEO of Saks Global in January, after sitting on the sidelines of luxury retailing for a year. He had been CEO of the Neiman Marcus Group for nearly seven years until it was purchased by Saks Global.
“I came back because I have a belief in what Saks Global can be, and I’m confident that we can emerge as a strong business,” van Raemdonck told WWD. “What you’re seeing is someone who is very matter-of-fact and very confident. I didn’t have to do this. But I did this out of belief that Saks Global will be successful, and I’m willing to put my reputation on the line.”
Van Raemdonck said he believes combining Saks Fifth Avenue and the Neiman Marcus Group into Saks Global is a good idea. “The merger made a lot of sense to me, because by bringing the two best players in the industry that have three banners [Saks, Neiman’s and Bergdorf’s] you get to attain a certain level of scale and synergies that help your overall profitability and ability to invest.”
Cost Savings
Navigating through the bankruptcy is further challenged by the ongoing systems integrations and consolidations initiated when Saks Global bought NMG for $2.7 billion in December 2024. The goal has been to achieve hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings by centralizing and eliminating duplicative functions, such as accounting, planning, human resources, legal and distribution facilities. There is now one buying team for Neiman’s and Saks, and one marketing team serving Bergdorf’s, Neiman’s, and Saks. Bergdorf’s has its own buying team. Savings will also be attained through store closings, leading to layoffs and payroll reductions.
Aside from cost savings, the combined business should benefit from access to greater data, sharing best practices, enhanced personalization, and increased use of AI. Merging loyalty programs is a possibility. For example, using each retailer’s credit cards to shop could earn points valid at both Saks and Neiman’s. Or spending enough at either store could lead to access to invitation-only events at both Saks and Neiman’s.
Van Raemdonck described Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus as the same yet different — both operating as multibrand luxury retailers but doing it in different ways.
“Neiman Marcus has been a relationship business and very focused on omnichannel, and on wholesale, and the metric of success was profitability,” he said. “Saks was a business that was focused on growth, on digital, and adopted the marketplace format much more, and it didn’t have the same level of profitability,” van Raemdonck said.
“They were both were operating with distinct strategies that resonated with the customer, but with a different impact on profitability and generation of cash flow.”
Sources have told WWD that among true luxury brands — such as Chanel, Dior, and Giorgio Armani — there’s been about 90 percent overlap between Saks and Neiman’s. But Saks has been emphasizing a wider range of categories and price points, attracting a broader demographic, and has been aggressive trying to build business online. Saks stores house many more leased designer shops than Neiman’s, which has long been reluctant to open leased shops but in recent seasons has opened some.
By virtue of its Fifth Avenue flagship being a major tourist attraction, Saks has more international recognition than Neiman’s. In fiscal 2025, the flagship saw nearly 3 million shoppers from over 150 countries, and generated three times the amount of business as the largest Neiman Marcus stores, according to Saks Global.
As van Raemdonck pointed out, Neiman’s has maintained its focus on its wealthiest customers, through exclusive offerings, personal service and VIP-type events. Neiman’s has a track record of providing deeper, broader assortments of each of the top luxury collections it sells, and has a stronger selling culture than Saks.
Differentiating the Banners
Regarding the future of Saks and Neiman’s, van Raemdonck said, “We want to separate and differentiate them. As a point of reference, if you take the six markets where Saks and Neiman’s are either in the same mall, or across the street like in Beverly Hills, the overlapping customer is between 10 and 15 percent which [means] the customer is telling us they’re different brands. And in the future, we want to make them even more different, so that there’s a reason to shop in both of them, or to be deeply loyal with one of them.”
Asked how that’s accomplished, van Raemdonck said, “It’s in the positioning. It’s in the expression, in the assortment, and it can be the same brands [sold at both stores], but the assortment should be slightly different,” meaning each having a different merchandise edit.
“The Saks customer likes to express herself through fashion, but she needs a little bit more guidance in choosing the fashion that is right for her,” van Raemdonck said. “The Neiman’s customer is a fashion customer who has her own sense of taste, loves color, and loves newness, and so their way of approaching the same element of fashion and newness is slightly different.”
Discussing Saks Global overall, van Raemdonck boasted, “We have the largest base of highly engaged luxury customers. Fifty to 60 percent of our sales are with customers who shop seven to nine times a year with us, depending on the retail banner. They spend more than $5,000 with us, and we retain more than 80 percent of them. Forty percent of our sales come from customers who spend $10,000 or more with us. And so the majority of our sales are from loyal customers and when you shop seven to nine times a year, you’re deeply loyal. We have a retention rate of 90 percent from top customers.”
One of the big challenges in a bankruptcy is retaining employees and communicating to all constituencies concerned that the company isn’t disappearing and has a future, even in a downsized state.
“We are doing this very, very frequently and very openly, because transparency is critical,” van Raemdonck said. “This morning I was talking with our employees in Bangalore. We have a whole team there that supports us across all functions,” including creative, planning, merchandising and payroll functions. “This Monday, we had what we call an ‘All Access,’ meeting which is our all-employee town hall. We call it All Access because everyone gets a front row seat [it’s a virtual meeting] and everyone gets access to the information.” It’s a monthly event. “And then we meet with our leadership council, the top 50 people in the organization, every other week. And every week, we talk with the ad hoc group of creditors, and we are meeting in person with the unsecured creditor committee [Thursday] to share with them our business plans. So the communication is very, very frequent. We communicate with brands on a very frequent basis, at my level, and then Lana [Todorovich, chief global brands partnerships officer] is with the brands on a daily basis.
“We have more than 1,500 sales associates who sell at least $1 million per year and in aggregate deliver more than $2.8 billion of revenue,” the CEO added. “Over the last 12 months, our attrition rate amongst top sellers that sell more than $3 million annually is in the low-single digits.”
3/13/26: WWD.com EXCLUSIVE: Navigating the Saks Global Bankruptcy — the Roadmap Ahead
WWD.com EXCLUSIVE: Navigating the Saks Global Bankruptcy — the Roadmap Ahead
CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck details progress in the Chapter 11 proceedings, what to expect in the coming weeks, and plans for getting Saks Global back on its feet.
By
DAVID MOIN
Plus Icon
MARCH 13, 2026, 12:01AM
Saks Global is expected to emerge from bankruptcy proceedings before the end of the year with new ownership, a five-year business plan, and a strategy designed to better differentiate the merchandising and marketing of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
“It’s moving faster than I anticipated,” Geoffroy van Raemdonck, chief executive officer of Saks Global, told WWD, exclusively discussing the Saks Global Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and what to expect in the coming weeks. “We were able to make very decisive decisions in less than 60 days, to focus on luxury.”
Since Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 13, “Step one was to get the financing. Step two was to get the inventory, and now we are really focused on the vision for the future — and how the company is going to be structured when it emerges from bankruptcy,” van Raemdonck said. “The restructuring plan is going to be filed in weeks from now, and that will detail how this company will be structured, from a business plan, from a capital structure, post emerging.”
The plan is being formulated by Saks Global in negotiations with creditors, who will vote on the plan, which then must get final approval by the bankruptcy court for the company to emerge from bankruptcy.
“What the business plan will show is that we have a plan of action to drive sales, to grow from a smaller footprint, and to be significantly more profitable,” van Raemdonck said. “It is also going to demonstrate that we have ample liquidity to operate and fund the business, as well as generate free cash flow to invest in the business over the next five years. That’s what this business plan will be detailing.”
“What’s changed over the last two months is that we have $1.75 billion of committed capital. We have $825 million that we’ve received, and we are receiving another $300 million in a matter of days or weeks. It’s really, really close…When we entered the [bankruptcy] process, we received DIP (debtor-in-possession) financing and we put in a topline revenue budget and a budget for receiving inventory, and we are exceeding both the revenue budget and the amount of inventory we are receiving, which is very encouraging.
“Yes, we had a problem of liquidity,” van Raemdonck admitted. “It led to a problem of inventory and performance. That was the summary of last year. The summary of this year is we are through a financial restructuring that gives us access to liquidity and allows us to refocus the business on the most valuable assets we have, and when we emerge later this year, we will be able to perform at the level we want.”
Inventory Flowing In
While there’s no guarantee that Saks Global successfully emerges from bankruptcy this year, van Raemdonck, while being interviewed from the Brookfield Place headquarters of Saks Global in lower Manhattan, cited progress in the court proceedings, and expressed gratitude that many designers and brands have either continued or resumed shipping the luxury retailer. He said brands have committed to close to $1.3 billion of inventory.
“That’s 80 percent of the [spring] season that we need to have. And that number is growing week by week,” he said. “I was looking at our receipts this month — they’re up 63 percent compared to last year, and from February to this month to date, we are up 15 percent… We have many, many brands, but if you take our top 100 or 200 brands, none have said they’re not going to do business with us going forward. Brands are really catching up very fast and supporting us. I don’t take that for granted. We need — and we are — actively rebuilding their trust.”
“Yes, we had a problem of liquidity,” van Raemdonck admitted. “It led to a problem of inventory and performance. That was the summary of last year. The summary of this year is we are through a financial restructuring that gives us access to liquidity and allows us to refocus the business on the most valuable assets we have, and when we emerge later this year, we will be able to perform at the level we want.”
Inventory Flowing In
While there’s no guarantee that Saks Global successfully emerges from bankruptcy this year, van Raemdonck, while being interviewed from the Brookfield Place headquarters of Saks Global in lower Manhattan, cited progress in the court proceedings, and expressed gratitude that many designers and brands have either continued or resumed shipping the luxury retailer. He said brands have committed to close to $1.3 billion of inventory.
“That’s 80 percent of the [spring] season that we need to have. And that number is growing week by week,” he said. “I was looking at our receipts this month — they’re up 63 percent compared to last year, and from February to this month to date, we are up 15 percent… We have many, many brands, but if you take our top 100 or 200 brands, none have said they’re not going to do business with us going forward. Brands are really catching up very fast and supporting us. I don’t take that for granted. We need — and we are — actively rebuilding their trust.”
Saks Global has indicated that post-petition invoices for merchandise receipts will be paid pursuant to current terms, which are set at 90 days from receipt of goods, though payment terms can vary by brand. It’s expected that if and when Saks Global emerges from bankruptcy, payment terms would revert to those that were in place prior to Saks Global’s acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group, though a schedule for paying vendors must be approved by the bankruptcy court judge. Thirty- to 60-day payment terms are the industry standard.
Under Saks Global’s prior regime, the company largely lost the support of the fashion industry due to its failure to pay bills for several seasons and a host of unmet promises. Consequently, the stores were depleted of merchandise, market share was lost, and competitors, most notably Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, have been taking advantage of the situation by aggressively working to add designers they did not previously sell, and provide more space in their stores to certain designers that they already did sell.
But at Saks Global, much has happened in the two months since going bankrupt to obtain financing to replenish inventories and maintain operations and set a new foundation for a potentially more viable — and streamlined — future.
It’s expected that through a debt-for-equity swap, key bondholders, including Pentwater Capital and Bracebridge Capital leading the lending group arranging a $1.75 billion financing package for Saks Global in bankruptcy, will become owners in Saks Global. In effect, Saks Global will become a new debt-free or near debt-free company post bankruptcy. Hudson Bay Co., Amazon, Authentic Brands Group, and G-III all had equity stakes in Saks Global going into the bankruptcy, but it’s anticipated they will see the value of those shares slip away in the court-led process.
Chapter 11 bankruptcy enables a retailer to get out of leases without penalty. Saks Global is closing 20 Saks Fifth Avenuestores, leaving just 13 operating, including the Fifth Avenue flagship in Manhattan, and shutting four Neiman Marcus units, leaving 32 operating. In addition, Saks Fifth Avenue was pulled off Amazon.com; one distribution center was closed, leaving three operating, though three others were closed pre-bankruptcy, leaving the company with its newest facilities that provide better service, and 57 Saks Off 5th stores are being shuttered, leaving just 12 for the time being. Saks Global has also shut down the Horchow catalogue and the five Last Call clearance centers for Neiman Marcus.
Saks Global volume was listed at about $7.3 billion shortly after the Neiman’s acquisition in fiscal 2024, before the streamlining.
Saks Global executives leave open the possibility that a few more Saks or Neiman’s stores could close.
There has been speculation of asset sales, including Bergdorf Goodman. Asked about that, van Raemdonck replied: “We are always going to continue to look at the footprint, the assets, we have. That’s normal course of business. But today, there are no active conversations about any asset sales.”
Upon going bankrupt, a new management team was set with a blend of senior executives from Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Van Raemdonck became CEO of Saks Global in January, after sitting on the sidelines of luxury retailing for a year. He had been CEO of the Neiman Marcus Group for nearly seven years until it was purchased by Saks Global.
“I came back because I have a belief in what Saks Global can be, and I’m confident that we can emerge as a strong business,” van Raemdonck told WWD. “What you’re seeing is someone who is very matter-of-fact and very confident. I didn’t have to do this. But I did this out of belief that Saks Global will be successful, and I’m willing to put my reputation on the line.”
Van Raemdonck said he believes combining Saks Fifth Avenue and the Neiman Marcus Group into Saks Global is a good idea. “The merger made a lot of sense to me, because by bringing the two best players in the industry that have three banners [Saks, Neiman’s and Bergdorf’s] you get to attain a certain level of scale and synergies that help your overall profitability and ability to invest.”
Cost Savings
Navigating through the bankruptcy is further challenged by the ongoing systems integrations and consolidations initiated when Saks Global bought NMG for $2.7 billion in December 2024. The goal has been to achieve hundreds of millions of dollars in cost savings by centralizing and eliminating duplicative functions, such as accounting, planning, human resources, legal and distribution facilities. There is now one buying team for Neiman’s and Saks, and one marketing team serving Bergdorf’s, Neiman’s, and Saks. Bergdorf’s has its own buying team. Savings will also be attained through store closings, leading to layoffs and payroll reductions.
Aside from cost savings, the combined business should benefit from access to greater data, sharing best practices, enhanced personalization, and increased use of AI. Merging loyalty programs is a possibility. For example, using each retailer’s credit cards to shop could earn points valid at both Saks and Neiman’s. Or spending enough at either store could lead to access to invitation-only events at both Saks and Neiman’s.
Van Raemdonck described Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus as the same yet different — both operating as multibrand luxury retailers but doing it in different ways.
“Neiman Marcus has been a relationship business and very focused on omnichannel, and on wholesale, and the metric of success was profitability,” he said. “Saks was a business that was focused on growth, on digital, and adopted the marketplace format much more, and it didn’t have the same level of profitability,” van Raemdonck said.
“They were both were operating with distinct strategies that resonated with the customer, but with a different impact on profitability and generation of cash flow.”
Sources have told WWD that among true luxury brands — such as Chanel, Dior, and Giorgio Armani — there’s been about 90 percent overlap between Saks and Neiman’s. But Saks has been emphasizing a wider range of categories and price points, attracting a broader demographic, and has been aggressive trying to build business online. Saks stores house many more leased designer shops than Neiman’s, which has long been reluctant to open leased shops but in recent seasons has opened some.
By virtue of its Fifth Avenue flagship being a major tourist attraction, Saks has more international recognition than Neiman’s. In fiscal 2025, the flagship saw nearly 3 million shoppers from over 150 countries, and generated three times the amount of business as the largest Neiman Marcus stores, according to Saks Global.
As van Raemdonck pointed out, Neiman’s has maintained its focus on its wealthiest customers, through exclusive offerings, personal service and VIP-type events. Neiman’s has a track record of providing deeper, broader assortments of each of the top luxury collections it sells, and has a stronger selling culture than Saks.
Differentiating the Banners
Regarding the future of Saks and Neiman’s, van Raemdonck said, “We want to separate and differentiate them. As a point of reference, if you take the six markets where Saks and Neiman’s are either in the same mall, or across the street like in Beverly Hills, the overlapping customer is between 10 and 15 percent which [means] the customer is telling us they’re different brands. And in the future, we want to make them even more different, so that there’s a reason to shop in both of them, or to be deeply loyal with one of them.”
Asked how that’s accomplished, van Raemdonck said, “It’s in the positioning. It’s in the expression, in the assortment, and it can be the same brands [sold at both stores], but the assortment should be slightly different,” meaning each having a different merchandise edit.
“The Saks customer likes to express herself through fashion, but she needs a little bit more guidance in choosing the fashion that is right for her,” van Raemdonck said. “The Neiman’s customer is a fashion customer who has her own sense of taste, loves color, and loves newness, and so their way of approaching the same element of fashion and newness is slightly different.”
Discussing Saks Global overall, van Raemdonck boasted, “We have the largest base of highly engaged luxury customers. Fifty to 60 percent of our sales are with customers who shop seven to nine times a year with us, depending on the retail banner. They spend more than $5,000 with us, and we retain more than 80 percent of them. Forty percent of our sales come from customers who spend $10,000 or more with us. And so the majority of our sales are from loyal customers and when you shop seven to nine times a year, you’re deeply loyal. We have a retention rate of 90 percent from top customers.”
One of the big challenges in a bankruptcy is retaining employees and communicating to all constituencies concerned that the company isn’t disappearing and has a future, even in a downsized state.
“We are doing this very, very frequently and very openly, because transparency is critical,” van Raemdonck said. “This morning I was talking with our employees in Bangalore. We have a whole team there that supports us across all functions,” including creative, planning, merchandising and payroll functions. “This Monday, we had what we call an ‘All Access,’ meeting which is our all-employee town hall. We call it All Access because everyone gets a front row seat [it’s a virtual meeting] and everyone gets access to the information.” It’s a monthly event. “And then we meet with our leadership council, the top 50 people in the organization, every other week. And every week, we talk with the ad hoc group of creditors, and we are meeting in person with the unsecured creditor committee [Thursday] to share with them our business plans. So the communication is very, very frequent. We communicate with brands on a very frequent basis, at my level, and then Lana [Todorovich, chief global brands partnerships officer] is with the brands on a daily basis.
“We have more than 1,500 sales associates who sell at least $1 million per year and in aggregate deliver more than $2.8 billion of revenue,” the CEO added. “Over the last 12 months, our attrition rate amongst top sellers that sell more than $3 million annually is in the low-single digits.”
Ford is no longer American: Ford just became a landlord for Geely to hide its own tech bankruptcy
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/ford-is-no-longer-american-ford-just-became-a-landlord-for-geely-to-hide-its-own-tech-bankruptcy/ar-AA1XArQi?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds
Ssense Reports 215 Recent Layoffs After Founder Buyout
Ssense reported 215 layoffs last month to the Quebec government. This brings the total to 307 layoffs over the past year. The luxury online retailer filed for bankruptcy protection in August. Founders recently received court approval to buy back the company. Lenders opposed the buyout, favoring liquidation for debt recovery.
Montreal, Quebec
https://montrealgazette.com/business/local-business/ssense-reported-over-200-layoffs-last-month-to-quebec-government
Associate bankruptcy?
Sadly, I have fallen behind on medical bills and credit card balances are almost maxed out. Does the company monitor this type of thing— associates pursuing bankruptcy or debt settlement ?
First Brands Group Closing
First Brands Group is closing its distribution facility in Patterson, California, resulting in 98 layoffs, with the majority occurring on April 4, 2026, and the remainder on April 30, 2026. This closure follows the company's September 2025 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and federal fraud indictments against executives, contributing to over 2,500 nationwide layoffs. Read the full story at KCRA: https://www.kcra.com/article/stanislaus-county-layoff-first-brands-group-closes-facility-patterson/70563533
First Brands Group Closes Greenville Plant, 275 Jobs Lost
First Brands Group announced a plant closure. This closure will result in approximately 275 layoffs. The facility is located in Greenville. A bankruptcy filing caused the plant closure. Alleged fraud and money laundering led to the bankruptcy.
https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/news/2026/03/02/greenville-fram-facility-closure-275-layoffs-warn.html
First Brands Group Closes Patterson Facility, Lays Off 98
First Brands Group will close its western distribution center in Patterson. This closure will result in 98 job losses for workers. Ninety-one employees will be laid off on April 4. The remaining seven employees will lose their jobs on April 30. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last September amid fraud accusations against former executives.
https://www.kcra.com/article/stanislaus-county-layoff-first-brands-group-closes-facility-patterson/70563533
Is NCR Voyix heading toward bankruptcy?
After clownish all hand call yesterday, the stock price getting to 7.64, recent layoffs, is there any hope for Voyix or will we witness its demise in 2026?
Stock price is .82 today. Wow
I never thought I'd see the day. What are the chances Sabre goes bankrupt?
CDW Will Eventually go Bankrupt
As a former senior engineer at CDW I can say without a doubt that the company is in serious trouble. I made six figures basically doing nothing because internal politics prevented me from receiving projects.
While it was great for a time, I realized my skills were degrading and jumped ship for another opportunity. Thanks CDW for the free money and certifications!😂😂
Sounds like some good news....
Fitch Ratings upgraded Avaya's Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'B-' from 'CCC+' and its first-lien term loan to 'B+' (RR2) in November 2025, driven by a stable outlook, successful post-bankruptcy financial restructuring, improved profitability, and a reduced debt burden
Covenant = Default (Bankruptcy)
The recent news about the joint venture of TPG, states that IPCo (A bankruptcy mechanism organization) now owns Xerox IPO.
In the new agreement there is a revenue covenant clause, that states certain thresholds for maintaining branded revenue (Excludes Lexmark, Fittle etc.)
The thresholds are as follows:
June 30: $2.578B
September 30: $3.852B
December 31: $5.225B
If Xerox fails to meet these revenue tresholds, the SSLA requires IPCo to initiate an event of default.
In otherwords, if Xerox does not meet the $5.225B brand line revenue in 2026 they will be going into default.
In 2025 Xerox did roughly $5.5B in brand line revenue. In other words: Does the brand line revenue decline with more than 5% this year again a default event will happen.
With the mass layoffs, mainly on the Xerox side, this is highly likely to happen.
In other words, we are now within the last 12 months.
Avaya 2019-2023 Saga Chapter, In Review
This comment on another post [Post ID: @OP+1kh9rs9x2] is a very good factual summary. I like how the OG poster explained how/why/what/when that led to the Chapter 11 and going Private. Pretty stunned that, despite all the verifiable facts and SEC Filings that some people still believe (see comments) the Chapter 11 was a choice and that Alan Masarek had any other option available to him. Jim Chicago & Kieran McGrath were protected by the Chapter 11 Filing. If not, they would not have escaped criminal charges brought by the SEC (note -- different than civil suits they have escaped). Avaya would have liquidated without the chapter 11 due to the irregularities in the SEC filings.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
August 9, 2022 SEC 12b-25
NOTIFICATION OF LATE FILING
"Furthermore, and separately [from the delayed 10-Q SEC Earnings Report Filing] the Audit Committee has also commenced an internal investigation to review matters related to a whistleblower letter that remains ongoing"
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418100/000141810022000083/formnt10-q3q22.htm
Apollo and it's army of organizations that conspire to take over companies "stepped in" by creating an entrapment to force Alan Masarek's hand into allowing the Chapter 11 so they could steal equity and take Avaya private.
TIMELINE REMINDER
The Subscription game-- which was a risky short-term strategy to falsely inflate the Market Valuation of Avaya so the greedy BoD and C-Suite could sell Avaya for north of $5b -- caught up to them and they had nowhere to hide in March 2022. Now IF they could book an enormous deal they could have extended the charade for another few quarters. That deal was to be Wells Fargo, if memory serves. So they delayed earnings in hopes to find an accounting workaround to explain away the unexplainable math that was the earnings reality. NOTE -- They spent since late 2019 fudging the numbers based on an algorithm of subscription-economy math that assumed a set value for each base client multiplied by market potential for signing the base clients to a subscription plan. THESE WERE NOT REAL #'s!!! For many quarters they could escape scrutiny b/c maintenance contracts were still collecting money. But when the first round of the 3 yr subscription deals were up, they were left with evaporated maintenance deals and accelerated client departures. It was one large empty hole.
In May 2022, the situation hit severe crisis status. There was no explaining away the #s. They needed more than just one enormous deal. The Slippery Slope Subscription game was now a runaway train. The BoD knew they needed something extreme to buy time to avoid being exposed for the 3.5 yr con-game of pretending that the marketing soundbytes of the "subscription economy" translated into real revenue. They initiated the age-old strategy of the CEO-Shuffle and began an aggressive search to name a new CEO before they had to face yet another SEC filing delay. They begin talks with Masarek in May. Hire him in June. Announce him in July. Masarek is up for the challenge and confident he can stabilize Avaya by December .....HOWEVERApollo Global deploys a leveraged lending takeover plan. It was an unofficial hostile takeover. They are able to secure some of the leveraged lending related to Avaya loans, yet not enough to execute a hostile takeover. So they instead devise a plan to make things so uncomfortable for Avaya leadership that they will just give in. They deploy their go-to auditing firms and dirty PR spin-doctors to both a) find dirt on Avaya to use as leverage; and b) entrap Avaya via auditing. This included names like Alix Partners.
August 2022 -- Internal Audit discloses that Avaya lacked Internal Controls due to a broken process of formally investigating Ethics and Corporate Compliance reports. One example was a "Whistleblower" which filed a formal complaint months (maybe even a year) prior questioning accounting documentation of subscription deals and the risk to the overall business. At the time of the report, it was Shefali Shah's responsibility to ensure the complaint was properly and formally investigated. Instead, it was never even pursued. The independent auditing firm identified the breach of protocol that must be followed by any publicly traded company. Therefore, they were obligated by law to report the breach of protocol to the SEC in their next "we still can't file earnings" extension filing. This is called an "ICFR Weakness
November 28, 2022 SEC FORM 8-K Avaya Admits to Lack of Internal Controls based on result of investigation. This essentially states that they violated SEC Rules by not pursuing the whistleblower complaint, however stops short that the complaint itself qualified as a whistleblower concern. "The deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) represented “material weaknesses,” the cloud technology company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Avaya discloses ICFR weaknesses linked to whistleblower logs Compliance Week
https://www.complianceweek.com/accounting-and-auditing/avaya-discloses-icfr-weaknesses-linked-to-whistleblower-logs/32407.article
- DECEMBER 2022 Apollo now believes they have Avaya cornered to give in to a Chapter 11 so they could go private and Apollo can deploy their tried and true law firms to manage the filing in their favor. Yet Alan Masarek was not giving in. So Apollo spent December 2022 maneuvering to force AMs hands. The end result of paying AM $10m ($6 m retention bonus so he would stay despite looming bankruptcy & $4m of his original sign-on bonus that he was required to use to buy Avaya shares. They waived that requirement and he was allowed to keep the money as cash. They also awarded Shefali Shah $1.2m as they needed her to help them go after Jim Chirico if that was necessary.
Avaya CEO To Get $6 Million Cash Award As Potential Bankruptcy Looms https://www.channelfutures.com/regulation-compliance/avaya-ceo-to-get-6-million-cash-award-stock-falls-below-nyse-minimum
SO @ab IS SPOT IN. THE WHISTLEBLOWER WAS REAL. IT WAS THE Everything. without that Whistleblower report Internal Controls Snafu, Apollo wouldn't have had the chance to deploy their gremlins to force AM into a takeover (also known as conspired Chapter 11).
Portland Area Sees Business Bankruptcies Hit 12-Year High
Oregon's small business bankruptcies reached a 12-year high in 2025. Approximately 250 businesses filed for bankruptcy protection statewide. This surge reflects a national trend driven by higher interest rates and rising costs. Layoffs at large employers like Intel and Nike also affected the local economy. Smaller firms and nonprofits face financial stress, including unpaid invoices.
https://hoodline.com/2026/02/layoffs-pile-up-as-portland-biz-bankruptcies-soar-to-12-year-high/
Prepare for the worst
Bankruptcy is almost inevitable at this point. I can’t believe how quickly things turned so sour. I hate to say it, but QVC and, by extension, HSN, seem headed down the same path as Blockbuster and other companies that served their purpose but became outdated and faded out. It’s probably time to start looking for a new job.
will kyndryl go bankrupt in the next two years
honest question