Hilco to oversee competitive sale process of Francesca’s, ‘robust’ interest reported

A sale process for the assets of womenswear retail chain Francesca’s has been launched, with advisors already reporting “robust” interest in the brand. Hilco Global has been appointed as the asset disposition consultant for Francesca’s Acquisition, LLC and its debtor affiliates following a stalking horse agreement with Stand Out For Good, Inc. The group had submitted a seven million dollar bid for the intellectual property of Francesca’s upon the retailer filing a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition last week.

As a result, Hilco will conduct a competitive marketing process and solicit bids for the firm, with parties requested to submit their interest by March 5, 2026. If necessary, an auction for Francesca’s assets will be held March 9. The retention and sale of assets are subject to bankruptcy court approval. The stalking horse bidder has been approved by the court, yet remains subject to higher or better offers.

It is believed that Stand Out For Good is just one of more than 20 potential bidders considering the purchase of Francesca’s. In a statement, David Peress, executive director of Hilco Global’s IP Services unit, said: “Interest in the brand has been robust. This process presents a clear opportunity for a buyer to re-engage with the Francesca’s customer through its established online platform and retail store footprint.”

Executive chairman of Francesca’s, Bridgit Lombard, also underlined the potential of the business, highlighting its relevance with Millennial and Gen Z consumers, and its ability to engage with these shoppers across categories, demonstrated by “recent performance”. Lombard added: “Positive 4-wall profitability and a growing e-commerce channel present meaningful omnichannel growth potential for buyers positioned to scale the brand."

Francesca’s entered bankruptcy proceedings after it failed to secure additional funding to support operations and faced a notice of default from lenders earlier this year. The news came on the back of the company confirming the launch of a liquidation process of its retail network, which was determined to be the only viable option that allowed the business to preserve its value. A court-supervised wind-down process is now being pursued.