Americans Beware: Key Economic Indicator Reaches Highest Level Since 2008 Financial Crisis

US corporate bankruptcies hit their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis – as Americans tighten their belts.

Companies have also incresingly been grappling with high rising debts – driven by  high interest rates that caused borrowing costs to spike.  

686 companies filed for bankruptcy in 2024, marking an 8 percent increase from the previous year. This number is almost higher than the total filings in both 2021 and 2022 combined, making it the highest number of filings since 2010, as per data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Last year, there was a surge in companies attempting to avoid bankruptcy by opting for out-of-court actions. These efforts surpassed actual bankruptcies at a ratio of two to one, according to Fitch Ratings.

One of the year’s biggest bankruptcies came from Party City, which filed for Chapter 11 for the second time in just over a year. 

One company recently declared the closure of all its 700 stores, attributing it to inflationary pressures and a decrease in consumer spending among Americans. These reasons parallel those cited by various other struggling companies in the current economic climate.

Other major names like Tupperware, Red Lobster, and Spirit Airlines also filed for bankruptcy in 2024. Even popular vodka Stoli filed for bankruptcy in November. 

‘The persistently elevated cost of goods and services is weighing on consumer demands,’ said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY, told the FT.  He said it was hitting lower-income families the most. 

Party City is shutting down all its stores immediately, putting an end to nearly four decades of business 

 While the Federal Reserve has started lowering interest rates, relief for businesses will be limited. Forecasts suggest only a half-point rate cut in 2025, keeping pressure on struggling companies.

Between 2021 and 2022 – when borrowing costs were low and Americans were still spending stimuls checks –  only 777 bankruptcy filings were recorded.

That is a a stark contrast to the 636 bankruptcy filings in 2023 and the 686 in 2024. 

At least 30 of last year’s bankruptcy filings involved firms with over $1 billion in liabilities, underscoring the scale of the financial strain.    

A rising number of businesses have turned to ‘liability management exercises’ -financial tactics aimed at avoiding bankruptcy by restructuring their debts. 

While these moves have become increasingly common, experts warn they are often just a temporary fix and can lead to companies eventually filing for bankruptcy anyway. 

Joshua Clark from Fitch Ratings explains that these moves can hurt lenders, as they typically mean taking on more debt and pushing a company closer to collapse. 

The most high profile bankruptcies have been among restaurant and retail chains – expecially those with locations across America. 

TGI Fridays continues to shutter restaurants – with another in Brick, New Jersey serving customers for the final time on Sunday. This is the Manhattan TGI Fridays

Tupperware is getting a new lease on life after a bankruptcy judge approved a deal to save the beloved food-storage company 

World of Beer is the latest restaurant chain to struggle

As of December 20, Coresight Research tracked 48 retail bankruptcies in the US compared with 25 during the same period a year ago. 

And at least 22 restaurant chains filed for bankruptcy this year, the highest number since 2020, according to BankruptcyData, a company that tracks filings.

The highest profile restaurant was Red Lobster, which filed for bankruptcy in May but emerged as a going concern after shuttering almost 100 restaurants. 

BurgerFi, Buca di Beppo and TGI Fridays also filed for bankruptcy. As did World of Beer, which was one of the fastest growing in America just ten years ago.

The most recent big retail bankruptcy was Container Store, which filed for Chapter 11 protection on December 22. There has been no news yet on its 

The store – known for its home organizational goods, including closet organizers and storage bins – has been around for 46 years.

Despite receiving a boost from Marie Kondo’s hit Netflix show ‘Tidying Up’ during the Covid-19 pandemic, the chain has been weighed down by mounting losses in recent years. 

Earlier in December, Big Lots said it was beginning ‘going out of business’ sales at all its stores across the US, after filing for bankruptcy in September. It now hopes to keep 200 open after finding a new investor.