Claire's
PE-Owned1 Documented ImpactTeen jewelry and accessories retailer that filed for bankruptcy in 2018 under Apollo-imposed debt. Restructured under Elliott Management
Ownership Information
Claire's is owned by Apollo Global Management. Private equity ownership often leads to cost-cutting, price increases, and reduced quality of service as firms prioritize returns for investors over customers and employees.Learn more about PE ownership impact →
Timeline
Claire's founded
Claire's filed bankruptcy under $2.5B in Apollo debt despite being operationally viable
Apollo loaded ~$2.5B in LBO debt onto a teen jewelry retailer that was otherwise profitable. Interest payments crushed the business. Filed Chapter 11 in March 2018. 17,000+ workers affected. Emerged diminished.
Claire's Files for Bankruptcy, Crushed by Apollo's Debt
Wall Street Journal →Before vs. After PE Acquisition
Debt vs revenue
Reported 2018
Before PE
Profitable retailer
After PE
$2.5B debt, bankruptcy
↓ 100%
Community Reviews
Share your experience →Tracked Locations
FL (2)
Orlando
7888 Main St
Orlando, FL 32801
555-346-7801
Tampa
2800 Main St
Tampa, FL 33601
555-135-1456
IL (2)
Chicago
6885 Main St
Chicago, IL 60601
555-118-8293
Chicago
1170 Main St
Chicago, IL 60601
555-534-5522
MN (1)
Minneapolis
1304 Main St
Minneapolis, MN 55401
555-423-4670
NC (1)
Raleigh
4913 Main St
Raleigh, NC 27601
555-784-9550
OH (1)
Cleveland
1276 Main St
Cleveland, OH 44101
555-385-3095
TN (1)
Nashville
9035 Main St
Nashville, TN 37201
555-603-6486
WA (1)
Seattle
1834 Main St
Seattle, WA 98101
555-350-4586