WeightWatchers, known for its diet programs once endorsed by celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, has filed for bankruptcy after struggling to compete with drugs like Ozempic.
The company — which rebranded to WW International Inc. — filed a prepackaged Chapter 11 petition to execute a lender-backed plan that would cut about US$1.15 billion in debt from its balance sheet. It expects to complete the reorganization in about 45 days.
WeightWatchers said the restructuring plan will “significantly reduce” its debt obligations. The proposed restructuring must be approved by a bankruptcy judge.
WeightWatchers tried to ride the weight-loss drugs wave by offering a few on its platform, but found it challenging to convince clients that its programs were still worth their time. The company has also been grappling with annual interest expenses of over $100 million, which has limited its ability to invest in growth initiatives and marketing, according to court filings.
The company is seeking court protection in Delaware after Bloomberg News reported last month that it was preparing to file in the coming weeks following a debt-restructuring agreement with the majority of its lenders.
Prepackaged plan
Prepackaged bankruptcies generally allow companies to exit Chapter 11 quickly and without disruption to their business or unsecured creditors.
WeightWatchers said the restructuring plan would retain $175 million previously drawn by the company from its revolving credit facility and reduce its annual interest expense by about $50 million. The plan envisages the reorganized company issuing $465 million in new term loans and notes, which will mature five years from the effective date of the restructuring, filings said.
Holders of first-lien claims will be entitled to their pro-rata share of the new debt, as well as 91% of the shares of the reorganized company’s common stock. Existing equity holders will be reallocated 9%, provided that milestones in the restructuring plan are met.
WeightWatchers, which has around $1.6 billion in funded debt, reported revenue of $186.6 million in the first quarter of the year, a 9.7% drop compared to a year before, dragged down by headwinds in the Behavioral business due to lower incoming subscribers and recruitment challenges. The company also reported a 14.2% decrease on its end of period subscribers for the quarter, and a net loss of $72.6 million. It didn’t provide guidance for the full 2025 fiscal year.
With assistance from Dorothy Ma and Libby Cherry
Jonathan Randles, Bloomberg News
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