2026 Bankruptcy Wave: Is Your Client on the List

<p>The 2026 bankruptcy wave is not a forecast. It is underway. STG Logistics cited the most severe freight recession in history. Multi-Color Corporation restructured $5.9 billion in debt down to $2 billion. FAT Brands, operating 17 restaurant chains, faces federal investigation alongside financial distress. Saks Global — parent of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus — is missing vendor payments. Stoli Group filed in January.</p><p>As Capstone Partners puts it: distress makes a comeback.</p><p>For B2B creditors, each filing carries the same consequence. The moment a debtor files Chapter 11, the automatic stay freezes all collection. Your invoice becomes an unsecured creditor claim. Historical recovery on unsecured claims runs between 5 and 20 cents on the dollar. In liquidation, often nothing.</p><p>The critical window is the period before a filing occurs. Companies in distress show predictable signals: accelerating payment delays, sporadic communication, requests for extended terms. During this pre-filing window, professional collection can still recover the full amount. Once the petition is filed, that path closes.</p><p>What makes 2026 distinctive is the breadth. Freight, retail, hospitality, consumer goods — multiple sectors are producing major filings simultaneously, driven by debt accumulated in the low-rate years now refinancing at unsustainable costs.</p><p>COLLECTY has recovered B2B debt through 25 years of bankruptcy cycles across 100+ countries. When distress signals appear, speed and cross-border capability determine recovery. Visit cllcty.com before the automatic stay makes the decision for you.</p>