charted
Amazon Effect Dethrones Energy as U.S. Bankruptcy Leader
Consumer discretionary companies are running out of cash at a fast pace
This article is for subscribers only.
There’s a shift happening in U.S. bankruptcies this year. Consumer discretionary companies, including retailers, are running out of cash at a faster pace than energy companies, which held the top spot the last two years after the collapse of oil prices. A surge in online shopping, led by Amazon.com Inc., has spurred the defaults, with retailers such as Gymboree Corp. and Rue21 Inc. closing stores.