Commercial Chapter 11 Filings Are Up 28% This Year. 4,589 Companies Have Filed So Far.

Epiq AACER, the primary source for US bankruptcy filing data, recorded 4,589 commercial Chapter 11 filings in the first half of 2026, up 28% from 3,595 in the same period last year. Subchapter V small-business filings rose even faster, up 50% year over year. The pressure is concentrated in retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and commercial real estate, the sectors squeezed hardest by refinancing costs and thinner margins.

Source: Epiq AACER: Bankruptcy Filing Data, H1 2026 →