JCPenney files for bankruptcy; to implement restructuring

The company has entered into a restructuring support agreement (RSA) with lenders holding approximately 70 per cent of JCPenney’s first lien debt to reduce its outstanding indebtedness and strengthen its financial position. The RSA contemplates agreed-upon terms for a pre-arranged financial restructuring plan that is expected to reduce several billion dollars of indebtedness, provide increased financial flexibility to help navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, and better position JCPenney for the long-term.

During the process, JCPenney will continue to be one of the largest American apparel and home retailers with an expansive footprint of hundreds of stores across the US and Puerto Rico and a powerful ecommerce site, jcp.com.

“The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for our families, our loved ones, our communities, and our country. As a result, the American retail industry has experienced a profoundly different new reality, requiring JCPenney to make difficult decisions in running our business to protect the safety of our associates and customers and the future of our company. Until this pandemic struck, we had made significant progress rebuilding our company under our Plan for Renewal strategy – and our efforts had already begun to pay off. While we had been working in parallel on options to strengthen our balance sheet and extend our financial runway, the closure of our stores due to the pandemic necessitated a more fulsome review to include the elimination of outstanding debt,” said Jill Soltau, chief executive officer of JCPenney.

“Implementing this financial restructuring plan through a court-supervised process is the best path to ensure that JCPenney will build on its over 100-year history to serve our customers for decades to come. We believe the RSA and the widespread support we have received from our asset-based lenders and first lien lenders will allow us to pursue a financial restructuring on an expedited timeframe. We are also encouraged by the level of support we have received from our vendor partners, landlords, and other stakeholders, whose confidence in our business and our people is expected to contribute to a successful reorganisation,” added Soltau.

“We look forward to emerging from both Chapter 11 and this pandemic as a stronger retailer, continuing to implement our Plan for Renewal, and building capabilities focused on satisfying customers’ wants and needs,” Soltau concluded.

JCPenney has approximately $500 million in cash on hand as of the Chapter 11 filing date. The company has received commitments for $900 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from its existing first lien lenders, which includes $450 million of new money.

As part of its ongoing transformation, JCPenney will reduce its store footprint to better align its business with the current operating environment. Stores will close in phases throughout the Chapter 11 process – and the first phase of closures, including specific store details and timing, will be disclosed in the coming weeks, the company said. As on May 15, the company had an expansive footprint of approximately 850 stores across the US and Puerto Rico.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)