Eddie Bauer Seeks Bankruptcy Protection

    NEW YORK (AP) - Eddie Bauer Holdings Inc. is seeking Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection, the latest retail casualty of the recession.
    The clothing retailer had $476.1 million in total assets and
$426.7 million in total debt at the time of the filing Wednesday in
the United States Bankruptcy Court of the District of Delaware.
    The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous sources, that
the company is likely to be acquired by private-equity company CCMP
Capital Advisors.
    Bankruptcy rumors had been swirling as Bellevue, Wash.-based
Eddie Bauer struggled with slumping sales amid the recession. It
reported a loss for the first quarter of $44.5 million.
    Eddie Bauer and CCMP did not immediately return calls for
comment.

Eddie Bauer