After a tumultuous year that has included more than 9,200 store closures and the liquidation of chains like Payless ShoeSource, Gymboree and Charlotte Russe, a slew of national retailers are heading into 2020 on thin ice, USA TODAY reported. When you combine digital disruption with "a certain amount of Darwinism" that leads to "natural selection" every year in the ultra-competitive retail sector, it's a recipe for upheaval, said Charlie O'Shea, a vice president and lead retail analyst at Moody's Investor Service. As of Dec. 5, Moody's listed 17 retail or apparel companies with credit ratings of Caa1 or lower, the level at which companies are considered a big risk for lenders.
