Significant emerging factors and trends are increasing pressure on directors. After several years of relative stasis induced by the pandemic (when many businesses were supported by various government initiatives and bank flexibility, whilst also enjoying ATO and creditor patience), there is a distinct whiff of change in the air. This year, we might see a move back to a more ‘normal’, pre-COVID setting. If so, there will be pressures for some, and opportunity for others.
In an environment of interest rate pressure, a cooling economy and global economic uncertainty, corporate insolvencies are a stark reality. The failure of construction companies has become regular news and ASIC recently released insolvency data that shows a marked uptick in Australian insolvencies in general.
The introduction of the ‘ipso facto regime’ in 2018 had a widespread impact on the drafting and application of termination provisions in commercial contracts, casting doubt on the longstanding practice of allowing a right to terminate a contract when another party to the contract becomes insolvent.
On November 11, 2022, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange FTX Trading Ltd. filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 22-11068). The company reports $10 to $50 billion in both assets and liabilities and intends to place an additional, approximately 130 affiliates into bankruptcy.
On November 7, 2022, cloud manufacturing and digital supply chain company Fast Radius, Inc. of Chicago, IL filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 22-11051). The company reports $69.3 million in assets and $55.2 million in liabilities.
On October 30, 2022, wealth advisory, risk management services and insurance brokerage services provider Vesta Holdings LLC of Mongomeryville, PA filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 22-11019) along with two affiliates. The company reports $100 million to $500 million in both assets and liabilities.
On September 27, 2022, Phoenix Services Topco LLC, a steel mill service provider with approximately 2,600 employees, filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 22-10906). The company reports $500 million to $1 billion in both assets and liabilities.
On August 28, 2022, Hauppauge, N.Y.-based Packable Holdings, LLC, a privately-owned tech-enabled e-commerce company, filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 22-10797). The company reports $100 million to $500 million in both assets and liabilities.
On August 23, 2022, College Park, Georgia-based ExpressJet Airlines LLC, a leading regional airline connecting millions of passengers to North America monthly, filed a petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (Case No. 22-10787). The company reports $10 million to $50 million in both assets and liabilities.
On August 23, 2022 (the “Petition Date”), Rochester, New York-based Carestream Health, Inc.