Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

PA

Office sharing company WeWork files for bankruptcy protection

The company is trying to ‘drastically reduce’ its debt.

OFFICE SHARING COMPANY WeWork has formally filed for bankruptcy protection.

The company said it had entered into a restructuring support agreement with stakeholders to “drastically reduce” the company’s debt while further evaluating its commercial office lease portfolio.

WeWork is requesting the “ability to reject the leases of certain locations”, which the company says are largely non-operational, as part of the filing.

Specific estimates of total locations impacted by the announcement were not given but all affected members have received advanced notice, the company said.

In a prepared statement, chief executive David Tolley said: “Now is the time for us to pull the future forward by aggressively addressing our legacy leases and dramatically improving our balance sheet.

“We defined a new category of working, and these steps will enable us to remain the global leader in flexible work.”

In August, the New York company – which was once valued as high as $47 billion – sounded the alarm over its ability to remain in business which it saw was contingent upon improving its liquidity and profitability overall in the next year.

The company went public in October 2021 after its first attempt to do so two years earlier collapsed spectacularly, which saw the departure of founder and chief executive Adam Neumann and Japan’s SoftBank stepped in to keep WeWork afloat, acquiring majority control.

In September, when WeWork announced plans to renegotiate nearly all of its leases, Mr Tolley said the company’s lease liabilities accounted for more than two-thirds of its operating expenses for the second quarter of this year — remaining “too high” and “dramatically out of step with current market conditions”.

At the time, WeWork said it could exit more underperforming locations.

On 30 June, the latest date with property numbers disclosed in securities filings, WeWork had 777 locations in 39 countries.

Beyond real estate costs, WeWork has pointed to increased member churn and other financial losses.

Close
13 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute
    Favourite
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 8:37 AM

    That’s nice of Bibi to volunteer to mind the Palestinians

    57
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter
    Favourite Peter
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 8:41 AM

    Maybe you should have said wework together for peace

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute
    Favourite
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 8:50 AM

    I hope that 8-year old Irish girl is rescued safely.

    78
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
    Favourite ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 9:45 AM

    @: It’s far too late for the thousands of Palestinian kids killed by the Israelis over the years though.

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute F2yxfluD
    Favourite F2yxfluD
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 10:24 AM

    @: once his Pyrrhic victory has been completed

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ibrahim Sudane
    Favourite ibrahim Sudane
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 9:04 AM

    Remote work side effects

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Osprey
    Favourite Osprey
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 9:25 AM

    ‘We work’, eh? Irony is truly life’s most peculiar occurrence.

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Caoimín Ó Muircheartaigh
    Favourite Caoimín Ó Muircheartaigh
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 10:16 AM

    Meanwhile as the world enjoys its popcorn and coke out for the Israel genocide, we see some Irish academics backtracking on their “colleagues” who signed off on the Israeli atrocities. You’ll find these signatories have some links in the US directly, indirectly or secretly. There’s a reason why so called people with a brain would defy immoral senseless slaughter of children under the veil of avoiding “perfunctory” language.

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute bruce banner
    Favourite bruce banner
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 11:44 AM

    Airbnb next.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam liam
    Favourite Liam liam
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 10:38 AM

    Works

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Liam liam
    Favourite Liam liam
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 10:38 AM

    Check out ASH Silver on utube she looks into We

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute P.J. Nolan
    Favourite P.J. Nolan
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 1:15 PM

    @Liam liam:
    If it is on YouTube it’s automatically lies (or tictoc or Facebook etc)

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pato
    Favourite Pato
    Report
    Nov 7th 2023, 7:57 PM

    We don’t really work.

    2
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel