WeightWatchers Files for Bankruptcy
WW International Inc., better known as WeightWatchers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as part of a strategic reorganization to alleviate its $1.6 billion debt burden. Filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on May 6, 2025, the company seeks to wipe out some $1.15 billion of debt and reposition itself in the fast-changing weight-loss business.
The bankruptcy follows as the company is unable to keep up with increasing consumer demand for GLP-1 weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. WeightWatchers has experienced falling revenue and repeated losses over the past few years, leading it to shift its focus to telehealth services. In 2023, the company bought Sequence, a telehealth company now renamed WeightWatchers Clinic, in an attempt to bring its business into the modern era. Even with these efforts, its legacy subscription-based business model has continued to struggle.
Under the reorganization plan, WW will sell majority interest to institutional lenders and current shareholders will retain a mere 9% interest. The company hopes to do this within 45 days with all services and operations running uninterrupted.
CEO Tara Comonte underscored that the filing is a forward-thinking step to give flexibility, drive innovation, and reinvest in member solutions. She ensured that the bankruptcy would not affect WeightWatchers’ day-to-day operations or access to its plans.
This move represents a turning point as WeightWatchers attempts to redefine its position in an increasingly pharmaceutical-based weight-loss treatment market.
