Corporate bankruptcies in the US surged in July, reaching their highest monthly total since the pandemic-driven wave of 2020. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, 71 large public and private companies filed for bankruptcy during the month, up from a revised 66 in June. That brings total filings for the first seven months of 2025 to 446 — the most for this period since 2010. The data covers public companies with debt and assets or liabilities of at least $2 million, and private companies with at least $10 million in assets or liabilities at the time of filing. The numbers highlight the mounting financial strain businesses face as high interest rates, policy uncertainty, and global supply chain pressures converge.
Sector breakdown
Several high-profile bankruptcies occurred in July, including LifeScan Global Corp., Genesis Healthcare Inc., and Del Monte Foods Corp. II Inc. — each with assets and liabilities exceeding $1 billion at the time of filing. LifeScan Global, best known for its OneTouch diabetes management products, has entered into a restructuring agreement aimed at cutting more than 75% of its debt load.
Sector data reveals that industrials and consumer discretionary companies are facing the heaviest strain, with 70 and 61 bankruptcies year-to-date, respectively. July alone saw 11 industrial and 10 consumer discretionary firms file for bankruptcy, underscoring persistent challenges in these areas.
Historical context
Bankruptcy filings in the US peaked at over 5,000 annually during the 2008–2009 financial crisis, then fell sharply and remained relatively stable between 400 and 800 per year through most of the 2010s. But filings began climbing again from 2020 onward, hitting 688 in 2024. The 446 filings recorded by the end of July 2025 have already surpassed full-year totals for 2021 (405) and 2022 (373). If the current pace continues, 2025 could post one of the highest annual bankruptcy totals in over a decade.
