Pursuing Going-Concern Sale of Business
Secures Commitment for Debtor-in-Possession
Financing to Support Operations
Continues To Serve Customers and Provide a
Broad Range of Hard and Soft Surface Flooring Both Online and in
Stores
LL Flooring Holdings, Inc. (“LL Flooring” or the “Company”)
(NYSE: LL), today announced that the Company and certain of its
subsidiaries have commenced voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization
proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of
Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”). LL Flooring intends to use these
proceedings to pursue a going-concern sale of its business.
LL Flooring is generally operating in the normal course through
this process and remains focused on providing customers with a
broad range of hard and soft surface flooring and an exceptional
shopping experience. The Company has more than 300 continuing
stores across the U.S. that, along with its online platform, are
open and continuing to serve customers with few changes to store
operations and policies. In addition, LL Flooring entered into an
agreement with Hilco Merchant Resources, LLC, to assist the Company
in its recently initiated store closing sales at 94 of its
locations. Those 94 stores will remain open and serving customers
through this closing process.
Prior to filing for Chapter 11, the Company conducted extensive
marketing processes with respect to its business and certain of its
assets, including its distribution center in Sandston, Virginia.
The marketing process garnered significant interest, and the
Company intends to use these Chapter 11 proceedings to continue
pursuing a going-concern sale of its business under the Bankruptcy
Code. The Company remains in active negotiations with multiple
bidders and hopes to seek Bankruptcy Court approval of a sale of
its business in the first few weeks of the Chapter 11
proceedings.
LL Flooring has received a commitment for debtor-in-possession
(“DIP”) financing of up to $130 million from its existing bank
group led by Bank of America. Following Court approval, the
incremental liquidity provided by the DIP financing, combined with
cash generated from the Company’s ongoing operations is expected to
support the business during these proceedings.
Charles Tyson, President and Chief Executive Officer of LL
Flooring, said, “After comprehensive efforts to enhance our
liquidity position in a challenging macro environment, a
determination was made that initiating this Chapter 11 process is
the best path forward for the Company. Today’s step is intended to
provide LL Flooring with additional time and financial flexibility
as we reduce our physical footprint and close certain stores while
pursuing a going-concern sale of the rest of our business. As we
move through this process, we are committed to continuing to serve
our valued customers, and to working seamlessly with our vendors
and partners. I am appreciative of our associates for their ongoing
hard work in providing the best experience for our customers.”
LL Flooring has filed a number of customary motions in
connection with the Chapter 11 proceedings. Once approved by the
Court, those motions will allow the Company to smoothly transition
its business into Chapter 11, including by, among other things,
granting authority to continue payment of wages and maintain
healthcare and other benefits as well as certain other relief
customary in these circumstances. The Company has sought
authorization to continue honoring customer commitments subject to
certain modifications of store operations or policies relating to
its acceptance of customer deposits and gift cards. Any updates to
store operations or policies will be posted on the Company’s
website, where customers can also find a list of locations
conducting store closing sales. The Company intends to pay vendors
and suppliers in full under normal terms for goods and services
provided on or after the Chapter 11 filing date and has requested
Court approval to do so.
Additional information about the Company’s Chapter 11 process is
available at www.LLFlooringRestructuring.com.
Court filings and other information related to the proceedings
are available on a separate website administrated by the company's
claims agent, Stretto, at https://cases.stretto.com/LLFlooring; by
calling Stretto representatives toll-free at 855-314-5841, or
714-716-1925 for calls originating outside of the U.S. or Canada;
or by emailing Stretto at TeamLLFlooring@stretto.com.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as legal
counsel, Houlihan Lokey is serving as financial adviser, and
AlixPartners LLP is serving as restructuring advisor to the
Company.
About LL Flooring
LL Flooring is one of the country’s leading specialty retailers
of hard-surface flooring with more than 300 stores nationwide. The
Company seeks to offer the best customer experience online and in
stores, with more than 500 varieties of hard-surface floors
featuring a range of quality styles and on-trend designs. LL
Flooring's online tools also help empower customers to find the
right solution for the space they've envisioned. LL Flooring's
extensive selection includes waterproof hybrid resilient,
waterproof vinyl plank, solid and engineered hardwood, laminate,
bamboo, porcelain tile, and cork, with a wide range of flooring
enhancements and accessories to complement, as well as carpet in
select stores. LL Flooring stores are staffed with flooring experts
who provide advice, Pro partnership services and installation
options for all of LL Flooring's products, the majority of which is
in stock and ready for delivery.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain information in this press release may constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meanings of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited
to, the asset purchase agreement and the Chapter 11 proceedings and
any other statements that refer to our expected, estimated or
anticipated future results or that do not relate solely to
historical facts. These statements, which may be identified by
words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends,"
"plans," "anticipates," "assumes," "believes," "thinks,"
"estimates," "seeks," "predicts," "could," "projects," "targets,"
"potential," "will likely result," and other similar terms and
phrases, are based on the beliefs of the Company’s management, as
well as assumptions made by, and information currently available
to, the Company’s management as of the date of such statements.
These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, all of
which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the
Company’s control, including, among other things, the following:
the outcome of our contingency planning and restructuring
activities; settlement discussions or negotiations; the Company’s
liquidity, financial performance, cash position and operations; the
Company’s strategy; risks and uncertainties associated with Chapter
11 proceedings; the negative impacts on the Company’s businesses as
a result of filing for and operating under Chapter 11 protection;
the time, terms and ability to confirm a sale of the Company’s
businesses under Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; the
adequacy of the capital resources of the Company’s businesses and
the difficulty in forecasting the liquidity requirements of the
operations of the Company’s businesses; the unpredictability of the
Company’s financial results while in Chapter 11 proceedings; the
Company’s ability to discharge claims in Chapter 11 proceedings;
negotiations with the holders of the Company’s indebtedness and its
trade creditors and other significant creditors; risks and
uncertainties with performing under the terms of any arrangement
with lenders or creditors while in Chapter 11 proceedings; the
Company’s ability to conduct business as usual; the Company’s
ability to continue to serve customers, suppliers and other
business partners at the high level of service and performance they
have come to expect from the Company; the Company’s ability to
continue to pay employees, suppliers and vendors; the ability to
control costs during Chapter 11 proceedings; adverse litigation;
the risk that the Company’s Chapter 11 cases may be converted to
cases under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code; the Company’s ability
to secure operating capital; the Company’s ability to take
advantage of opportunities to acquire assets with upside potential;
the Company’s ability to execute on its strategic plan to pursue,
evaluate and close an asset sale of the Company’s businesses
pursuant to Section 363 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; our inability
to maintain compliance with financial covenants and operating
obligations which would expose us to potential events of default
under our outstanding indebtedness; our ability to incur additional
debt or equity financing for working capital, capital expenditures,
business development, debt service requirements, acquisitions or
general corporate or other purposes; a significant reduction in our
short-term or long-term revenues which could cause us to be unable
to fund our operations and liquidity needs or repay indebtedness;
and supply chain interruptions or difficulties. Therefore, the
reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking
statements.
The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update
these statements, which speak only as of the dates on which such
statements are made, except as may be required under the federal
securities laws. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in
the forward-looking statements, see the "Risk Factors" section of
the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2023, and the Company’s other filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Such filings are available on
the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Company’s Investor
Relations website at https://investors.llflooring.com.
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For media inquiries: Leigh Parrish / Ed Trissel / Spencer
Hoffman Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449
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