More bad news for Circuit City (NASDAQ: CC). After the resignation of its CEO followed by disappointing quarterly results and the company's decision to withdraw its guidance, the company has hired turnaround specialist FTI Consulting Inc. as an adviser on restructuring. Stifel Nicolaus & Co. analyst David Schick wrote that "The risks of bankruptcy are very real [...] Vendors will have to decide how they plan to do business at Circuit City.''Reports of a company hiring a restructuring specialist are almost never good for shareholders, but it may be a sign that Circuit City is finally being realistic about just how dire its situation is. To date, the company has explored a bizarre strategy of opening new stores in the face of devastating sales declines as it loses traffic to better competitors like Best Buy (NASDAQ: BBY) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT).
But it may be too late, as the company's piles of red ink and bloated balance sheet give Circuit City very little flexibility, especially given the current state of the credit markets. Given the company's recent announcement that it was wrapping up its unsuccessful effort to explore a sale, it's hard to see any good catalyst on the horizon.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
9-30-2008 @ 12:41PM
Amada said...
What has happen to the number two electronic retail in the USA? This week the company loses 4 key player that have been a major part of the companies turn around. This week Marsh welling, Mark Overgard, and Mark Seiger, all of which hold SR VP spot for the company have all left to take on other ventures, but what does this mean for the company? Where will the company head now how many more Sr leadership members must leave before the company gets it right? These are all valid questions that the employees of the company are asking.
9-30-2008 @ 8:13PM
John Carollo said...
Well, it is no wonder with how they treat their customers. I had a big problem with them and a related purchase several years ago. I do not remember exactly what it involved but, I certainly do remember that it was bad enough to cause me to vow to never spend another cent in one of their stores. I'd they are sowing what they reaped.
Thank good nes for free enterprise and the almighty competitor.
10-01-2008 @ 9:17PM
nowlin tubbs said...
Let them fall flat on their faces. Who helps the average American during bad times?
9-30-2008 @ 8:37PM
Betsee said...
The suits at the top never got the part about customer service........ just like all the rest of the businesses going down the tubes, they were just too, too greedy and forgot who was paying the bills. Their prices and selections were OK but their salespeople were not helpful, much less being knowledgable and their after the sale customer service sucked!
MEMO FOR STORES---- CUSTOMER SERVICE #1
9-30-2008 @ 9:07PM
TJ said...
The same executives who got them to where they are today should leave the company. Sort of like Congress trying to come up with a bailout plan for a problem they did not forsee. The company rolled out plans that did take into account the current or past business environment. Where was the leadership? The emporer has no clothes...Go figure CC has had its head in the sand for 10 years.
10-01-2008 @ 5:47PM
fivestarfoodservicesux said...
They must be walking in the same footsteps as Five Star Food Service. They will probably meet the same fate. Bankruptcy......
9-30-2008 @ 9:14PM
Rbert Keller said...
If you think their after the sale customer service sucks, try shopping at home depot
9-30-2008 @ 9:24PM
Cindy said...
Somethings up! Maybe they scamed the company and bailed out before they get caught? That is usually why big guys look elsewhere for new jobs all at once! CORRUPTION at its best just like the rest of America!!
9-30-2008 @ 9:24PM
Tilly said...
I can't believe the last time I walked into a Circuit City store. The sales staff was always unhelpful. The stores were not neat. The staff in the music section did not know about music. I went looking for Pachelbel (Canon in D) and the kid started looking for Taco Bell!! Crazy.
I'm sure Radio Shack can't be far behind. When do you ever see anyone in their stores?
These executives should spend more time finding ways to make us happy than negotiating their huge paychecks and golden parachutes! See ya.
9-30-2008 @ 9:28PM
Willy C said...
Kmart and Sears will be next in 2010
9-30-2008 @ 9:46PM
Harry L. said...
A couple of years ago when they had financial trouble, their answer was to fire all their floor sales help and replace them with minimum wage kids off the street who knew absolutely nothing about the buisiness but worked cheap.The fired employees were then able to apply for their old jobs back at the reduced pay after 6 months. Nice!
I never went in there again and never will. The board should have instead fired all the management.
I'm sure the CEO got his millions before he left.
9-30-2008 @ 9:58PM
don said...
Uh ohhhhhhhhhh "the Bobs" have shown up!
9-30-2008 @ 10:04PM
nick said...
They have been going to the toliet for years, Besy Buy has been eating their lunch. This is the free capital system.
9-30-2008 @ 10:04PM
Bev said...
Definitely deserve what is happening to them. Customer service was not at all important to them. Two years ago I had a problem and never went near the place again. What goes around comes around.
10-01-2008 @ 6:52PM
teltech54 said...
Circuit City and many, many more retailers are going to go under after the holidays this year. With three quarters of the US curtailing spending, this holiday is going to go on record as being the worst for retailers ever. Sales are going to be down for same time last year by 10 percent or more. Black Friday will become know historically as BLOODY FRIDAY. By the end of the first quarter of 2009 at least 35 percent of all US businesses will fold.
9-30-2008 @ 10:28PM
Ex CC shopper said...
hmmm, let's see. They don't wait on anyone under 40, don't have advertised sale items in stock, sale item stock number is listed in real small print under the picture of an item that may or may not be what is actually on sale, price of sale item is only after you get multiple rebates in the mail months later. They only keep one register open even though 12 people are in line, parking spaces are only large enough for a small sports car, after running ads saying they now have a product in stock, they'll put a note on the door saying the ad was wrong.
hmmm, I wonder why more people don't shop there?
9-30-2008 @ 10:31PM
KP said...
Most items I've bought in the last 2 to 3 years have actually been cheaper at CC than BestBuy (they're in the same center where I live), so it's easy to check. I've found BB service to actually get better the last few years while CC has drastically slipped. I hate to see CC go under, because BB will raise their prices even more if there is no competition.
9-30-2008 @ 10:40PM
taylorbr2000 said...
yikes i have gift cards there! i've also seen on http://www.Cityskoop.com that they have a big sale going on now.
9-30-2008 @ 10:47PM
Rumin8 said...
On a $4,000 purchase, CC failed to explain the finance charges that would be imposed by their partner in deception - the Chase Bank. I "discussed" this with both companies for several months and all I got was finger pointing by both to the other company. No more CC or CHASE Bank for me!
9-30-2008 @ 10:47PM
ed said...
It couldn't happen to a better company. Those who spent 10,15 & 20 years working to make the company better and stornger we're told they were no longer necessary. All commision people were let go. What they never realized is those people went to regional and local businesses and that's why they couldn't handle the comp. We knew what they would do before they did. Then it was time to let the better non commisioned peolpe go.. Sure why not lose your best to bring in the worst? Then they say they want to improve the customer experiance. With the cheapest and most undertrained employees in the industry. Don't blame Phil for everything. He was just in over his head from the begining. Look at McCullough. HE LIED TO THE SALESPEOPLE. HE SHOWED NO ETHICS OR HONESTY. If CC was to survive they needed to restore honesty and integrity from the top and that they wouldn't do. Richard Sharp could have saved the company years ago but they waited to long.
I hate to see a company go out of business. I hate to see people lose jobs. But to see management of CC go down. I can only hope the bankruptcy court does not let you rape the company any more than you have.