Can Weight Watchers be saved? A look at the company as it files for bankruptcy
Once the world’s most widely used dieting program, Weight Watchers’ parent company, WW International, recently entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings—here’s what could happen next.
Stepping onto the scale is about as American as eating apple pie, watching baseball, and visiting the drive-thru at McDonald’s.
Since U.S. adult obesity rates have doubled since 1990 (from 21.2% in 1990 to 43.8% in 2022 for women, and 16.9% to 41.6% in 2022 for men), you’d think a weight-loss company like Weight Watchers would be thriving.
But when Weight Watchers’ parent company, WW International (WW), declared bankruptcy on May 6, 2025, it marked the end of an era for how Americans lose weight—as well as a massive reorganization for the dieting giant.
At its peak in 2018, Weight Watchers had a $6 billion market cap, and its stock was trading at $100 per share. In 2020, it boasted 4.4 million members.
But digital times change everything. Thanks to the rise of free weight-tracking apps and websites, as well as the introduction of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, Weight Watchers’ membership programs, which counted calories and emphasized personal support groups, quickly became the dieting sphere’s dinosaur.
The May 2024 departure of celebrity spokesperson Oprah Winfrey, who had been candid with her weight loss struggles, did further damage.
Oprah revealed that she had lost 40 pounds on Weight Watchers in 2016, but relied on an unnamed weight loss drug to lose even more. Her announcement sent WW shares tumbling 25%.
