Sears Holdings Corp. has started to miss payments to vendors, adding to concerns about its future after sources said on Wednesday that the U.S. department store operator was preparing to file for bankruptcy in the coming days, Reuters reported. Three vendors told Reuters that Sears had missed scheduled payments to them in the last couple of weeks. It was not immediately clear how widespread the issue was and how it would affect Sears’ supply chain ahead of the holiday shopping season. Vendors could stop shipments if they are worried Sears cannot pay, potentially sending the retailer into freefall. Were Sears to file for bankruptcy, stocking shelves adequately could prove key to escaping liquidation. Both vendors and creditors will be looking at the retailer’s sales performance during the holiday season in deciding whether to continue to back it, sources have said. Read more.
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