News for the Week of 10/16/16

  • In Australia, alternative capital providers like Oaktree and Bain Capital Credit look to replace banks pulling back from risky lending amidst the increasingly distressed commodities bust.
  • Last week, we discussed Chicago's stress and efforts there to stem the tide. Here is a more technical look at Chicago's options and whether it can even go the Detroit route.
  • Here is an interesting list of the worst corporate M&A flops, some of which are familiar to restructuring professionals, e.g., KMart/Sears.  
  • Number of new pianos sold in the US is down nearly 1/3 since 2005, a fact that may force Paulson & Co. to navigate loan defaults for portfolio company, Steinway Musical Instruments.
  • As predicted last week, Relativity Media inches closer to a Chapter 7 liquidation mere months after emerging from Chapter 11. 
  • On the heels of Cosi and Garden Fresh both filing for chapter 11 recently and grocers like A&PHaggen, and Fresh&Easy having already filed, food is filling the docket more than our stomachs these days. Along these lines, the news that Amazon is now pursuing fresh groceries has raised eyebrows and called into question, generally, the "Amazon effect":