Retailers

The more-than-$550 billion market for bonds backed by U.S. commercial mortgages may face losses even after promising Covid-19 vaccines become widespread, as key parts of the real estate market may not return to full strength anytime soon.

Debt delinquencies have soared for mall owners, which lost market share to e-commerce and were hit with tenant bankruptcies even before the pandemic forced shoppers and diners to stay home. By last month, more than 9% of retail commercial mortgage-backed securities were managed by special servicers.

As revenue-starved retailers fall further behind on rent payments, landlords' cash flow will be strained, and defaults on commercial real estate loans could rise.

The race to provide coronavirus relief for small businesses is opening new routes to fund payments, including underused credit lines.

Fitch assumes a significant spike in defaults over the next few months, as well as declining new issuance volume during the second and third quarters of 2020, fewer maturing loans and fewer resolutions by special servicers.

The collapse of dine-in revenues for restaurant chains during the outbreak is placing whole biz deals under the ratings microscope.

The falling rates continue a three-year trend of improving performance across numerous commercial mortgage sectors including multifamily, office and retail.

GameStop's plan to shutter up to 200 stores could adversely affect commercial mortgage-backed securities loans with a combined allocated property balance of almost $42 million, according to Morningstar Credit Ratings.

Mall landlords accustomed to offering rent reductions to ailing retailers are mulling a new strategy to forestall the industry's collapse: positioning themselves as lenders to tenants struggling to stay afloat.

Brick-and-mortar retail isn’t dead yet. Though the trend of retailers closing stores in the face of stiff competition from e-merchants is certainly troubling to commercial real estate lenders, it would be a mistake to conclude that all retail loans are risky. Here's a look at which ones are the safest and, potentially, the scariest.

The online lender will roll out the business early next year with a focus on loans of less than $100,000.

The Stamford, Conn., issuer of store credit cards has two potential options after the retail giant chose to partner with Capital One. But the decision over which path to take is out of its hands.

It’s not just weaker underwriting and higher household debt levels that are driving past-due rates to their highest levels in seven years.

Merchants have been challenging surcharge bans in numerous states on free-speech grounds. They have the wind at their backs following another court victory on Wednesday.

Consumers’ desire to shop online is creating huge demand for distribution centers and forcing property owners to think creatively about redeveloping vacant retail space. Meanwhile, hundreds of billions of dollars will be spent rebuilding areas hard hit by hurricanes and wildfires.

In a surprise move, the Supreme Court will decide whether Amex may bar merchants from steering customers to less expensive card networks. The card issuer will have to prove the consumer gain from its practices outweighs the merchant pain.

Synchrony Financial and Alliance Data Systems are particularly vulnerable to recent shifts in Americans’ shopping habits, according to new research from Moody’s Investors Service.