玩具反斗城拟申请破产

据知情人士透露，玩具反斗城准备在节日销售季前申请破产，借此获得一笔贷款以支撑公司的运营。

该玩具销售商的决定凸显出越来越多的消费者选择亚马逊等在线零售商或沃尔玛等折扣零售商，给大大小小零售公司带来的严重影响。

玩具反斗城的发言人并未立即对置评请求作出答复。目前尚无法确定知情人士的身份，因为破产计划尚未对外公布。

《华尔街日报》之前曾报道称，该公司计划向弗吉尼亚州里士满的美国破产法院提交破产保护申请。

今年有超过10家大型零售企业破产，但玩具反斗城将是规模最大的一家，其负债约50亿美元，在全球有1,600多家门店。

知情人士称，通过破产申请获得数亿美元贷款，可以令其供应商安心，相信其有能力支付货款，为节日季囤货必要的填充动物玩偶、活动人偶和娃娃玩具等。

该知情人士还透露，该零售商目前的财务困境，部分原因是供应商出于对玩具反斗城可能申请破产的担忧，提出了更苛刻的偿付条款。他们表示，更严格的偿付条款使这家来自新泽西州韦恩的公司现金短缺情况更加严重。

据CNBC本月报道，玩具反斗城聘请了凯易律师事务所的重组业务律师。

该公司此前曾经表示，正在与一家投资银行合作，评估明年到期的4亿美元债务的处理选项。

收购公司KKR & Co LP和贝恩资本以及房地产投资信托沃纳多房地产信托公司，在2005年以66亿美元将玩具反斗城私有化。该笔交易导致这家公司背负了沉重的债务，限制了其改造门店和优化在线购物的能力。

今年，玩具反斗城在纽约市的时代广场开设了一家门店，希望吸引更多节日季购物者。（财富中文网）

译者：刘进龙/汪皓

Toys 'R' Us is working to put together a loan to fund its operations in a potential bankruptcy filing that could come before the holiday sales season, according to people familiar with the matter.

The toy merchant's move underscores the deep distress rippling through retailers of all sizes as consumers increasingly shop online at sellers such as Amazon.com Inc or go to discounters such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc .

A spokeswoman for Toys 'R' Us did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The people could not be identified because the bankruptcy plans are not yet public.

The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that the company was considering filing for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond, Virginia.

There have been more than a dozen significant retail bankruptcies this year, but none for retailers as big as Toys 'R' Us, which has about $5 billion in debt and more than 1,600 stores worldwide.

A loan of several hundred million dollars as part of any possible bankruptcy filing would reassure the chain's vendors it could pay them for the loads of stuffed animals, action figures and dolls it needs to stock its shelves for the holiday season, the people said.

Part of the retailer's current financial woes stem from vendors demanding tighter repayment terms over fears that Toys 'R' Us may file for bankruptcy, the people added. The tighter terms have added to the Wayne, New Jersey-based company's cash crunch, they said.

Toys 'R' Us tapped restructuring attorneys from Kirkland & Ellis LLP, CNBC reported this month.

The retailer had already said it was working with an investment bank to assess options for about $400 million in debt that comes due next year.

Buyout firms KKR & Co LP and Bain Capital LP, together with real estate investment trust Vornado Realty Trust , took Toys 'R' Us private for $6.6 billion in 2005. The deal saddled the company with debt, limiting its ability to revamp its stores and make online shopping easier.

Toys 'R' Us opened a store in New York City's Times Square this year to capture more holiday shoppers.