What: The place “where America shops” has closed its chapter 11 filing.

Why it is important: Sears is now a ghost compared to what it used to be, and remaining with 20+ stores does not bring enough competitive advantage in 2023’s landscape to expect much from them.

Sears has emerged from bankruptcy after 4 years and more than 10,000 court filings, with almost two dozen stores left, down from almost 3,500 at its heyday. The company entered bankruptcy in October 2018 with 687 stores.

Most of them were sold in attempts to resolve debts. Analysts do not expect much from the 20+ Sears stores still open.

Sears out of bankruptcy, with two dozen stores left