In re Wiser Solutions: A Credit-Bid Section 363 Sale on a 65-Day Timeline
A SaaS commercial-intelligence platform enters Chapter 11 in the Northern District of Texas with a stalking horse from its prepetition secured lender and a sale process targeted to close by June 30, 2026.
Where Things Stand
Wiser Solutions, Inc. and four affiliates filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions on April 26, 2026 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, before the Honorable Scott W. Everett. The cases are jointly administered under lead Case No. 26-80002-swe11. The Debtors have entered Chapter 11 with a fully negotiated stalking horse asset purchase agreement and a debtor-in-possession financing facility, both with the Debtors’ prepetition senior secured lender, Crestline Direct Finance, L.P. The contemplated transaction is structured as a Section 363 sale to an affiliate of Crestline, CL Mateo-A, LLC, via credit bid, with sale consummation targeted for June 30, 2026.
On April 28, 2026, the Court held an emergency first-day hearing and entered ten orders — five final orders and five interim orders. The Interim DIP Order authorized $7.6 million in interim borrowing, comprising $4.2 million in new money and $3.4 million in interim roll-up of prepetition debt. Final hearings on the interim orders are scheduled for May 20, 2026, with an objection deadline of May 13, 2026.
Upcoming milestones
The DIP Credit Agreement establishes a sequenced set of deadlines that govern the case schedule:
| Milestone | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Bidding Procedures Order | May 21, 2026 |
| Final DIP Order | May 26, 2026 |
| Schedules and SOFAs | May 29, 2026 (extended) |
| Section 341 Meeting | No later than June 5, 2026 |
| Bid Deadline | June 15, 2026 |
| Auction | June 18, 2026 |
| Sale Order | June 23, 2026 |
| Sale Consummation | June 30, 2026 |
| DIP Maturity / General Bar Date (proposed) | July 25, 2026 |
The Debtor: A SaaS Commercial-Intelligence Platform
Wiser Solutions, Inc. operates a software-as-a-service platform that provides commercial intelligence, data management, analytics, and brand-protection services to over 750 brands and retailers globally. The platform delivers five core product lines: Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) monitoring, Pricing Intelligence (PI), Market Intelligence (MI), Retail Execution Management (REM), and Retail Intelligence (RI). According to the Declaration of the Co-CRO filed in support of the petitions, the platform has historically tracked more than 10 billion products, recommended more than 4 million prices, and monitored more than 600,000 stores. Customers access the services through subscriptions ranging from month-to-month to multi-year terms.
Corporate structure
The five jointly administered debtors share a common headquarters at 1875 Mission Street, Suite 103, San Francisco, California. Wiser Solutions, Inc. is the sole operating entity, employing all U.S. full-time employees and engaging all U.S. independent contractors. The four debtor subsidiaries — Brand Protection Agency, LLC; Blosm, LLC; RW3 Technologies, Inc.; and Shelvspace, Inc. — were acquired between 2019 and 2021 and have no employees or independent operations as of the Petition Date.
Wiser Solutions, Inc. directly or indirectly owns non-debtor foreign subsidiaries in India, Israel, Canada, France, Germany, England and Wales, Mexico, and Australia (with two Australian sub-subsidiaries). These foreign entities employ approximately 250 of the Debtors’ total global workforce. The cash management motion identifies international intercompany transfers averaging approximately $1.3 million per month from the Lead Debtor to these non-debtor subsidiaries.
Equity structure
The Lead Debtor has 55,008,972 total shares outstanding across six classes (one common and five preferred). Figtree Partners LLC holds 31.75% of common and preferred stock (27.21% on a fully diluted basis), making it the largest single equity holder. For purposes of the Section 382 NOL protection procedures, the relevant Common Stock outstanding is approximately 3,802,883 shares.
The Path to Chapter 11
The Co-CRO Declaration identifies an aggressive acquisition strategy as the principal driver of the Debtors’ financial distress. Originally founded in 2012 as Quad Analytix Inc., the company completed eleven acquisitions between 2013 and August 2022, financed by approximately $540 million in equity and debt. According to the Declaration, the acquisitions were intended to expand product capabilities and geographic footprint, but integration efforts did not achieve their objectives, leaving the Debtors operating parallel SaaS platforms with multiple hosting environments, separate data pipelines, duplicate vendor contracts, and redundant tooling. Annual recurring revenue grew during this period, but operating costs grew faster.
Liquidity deterioration and lender intervention
The Co-CRO Declaration describes a sequence of events in 2023 through early 2026 that culminated in the Chapter 11 filing:
The Bridge Loans referenced above — an aggregate of approximately $34.8 million from private lenders — were, according to the Co-CRO Declaration, “likely in violation of” covenants under the Crestline facility. The Seybold Judgment arose from one such bridge loan.
Prepetition Capital Structure
As of the Petition Date, the Debtors’ total funded debt obligations were approximately $563 million, distributed across six categories of secured, unsecured, and equity-linked instruments. The Crestline senior secured facility represents the only secured tranche; the Figtree Global Note is expressly subordinated to it; the bridge loans, Shelvspace convertible notes, and other founder obligations are unsecured; and the preferred share obligations reflect aggregate liquidation preferences on the preferred stock.
| Obligation | Approx. Balance | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Crestline Senior Secured Facility | $250.6 million | First-priority secured; substantially all assets |
| Figtree Global Note | $108.6 million | Unsecured; expressly subordinate to Crestline |
| Bridge Loans | $34.8 million | Unsecured; from private lenders |
| Shelvspace Convertible Notes | $9.6 million | Unsecured |
| Other Founder Obligations | $9.0 million | Unsecured |
| Preferred Share Obligations | $150.4 million | Aggregate liquidation preference on the preferred stock |
| Total | ~$563 million | — |
Crestline secured facility
The Crestline facility originated as a $100 million revolving credit facility under a Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated April 29, 2022. In December 2024, the facility was amended to permit discretionary additional borrowings, after which Crestline funded approximately $62 million in additional loans. The facility is secured by substantially all of the Debtors’ assets, including Deposit Account Control Agreements executed on August 5, 2022 covering the Operating and Funding Accounts at Northern Bank & Trust.
Figtree dual position
Figtree Partners LLC holds two distinct positions in the capital structure: as the largest equity holder (31.75% of common and preferred stock) and as the holder of the $108.6 million Figtree Global Note (an Amended and Restated Global Note dated April 29, 2022, bearing 5% per annum compounded interest, maturing December 31, 2028, and expressly subordinated to the Crestline facility).
The DIP Facility
The DIP Credit, Guaranty and Security Agreement provides a total commitment of $34.2 million, comprising $11.4 million in new money loans and $22.8 million in roll-up loans that convert prepetition Crestline obligations into postpetition DIP obligations. All eleven DIP Lenders are funds managed by Crestline; Crestline serves as both DIP Agent and Prepetition Agent. The Interim DIP Order, entered April 28, 2026, authorized $7.6 million in interim borrowing ($4.2 million new money plus $3.4 million interim roll-up).
Solicitation of alternative financing
The Declaration of Paladin Management Group submitted in support of the DIP Motion states that Paladin contacted five potential alternative DIP lenders — BlackRock/HPS Investment Partners, Sigueler Guff, Mountain Ridge Capital Partners, Rosenthal Capital, and JPMorgan Chase — each of whom declined to provide any proposal on any terms. The Court’s findings under Sections 364(c) and 364(d) rely on this declaration.
Lien, priority, and adequate protection structure
The Interim DIP Order grants the DIP Lenders first-priority priming liens on substantially all estate assets under Sections 364(c)(2), 364(c)(3), and 364(d), together with superpriority administrative expense claims under Section 364(c)(1) (junior only to the Carve-Out). The Prepetition Secured Parties receive replacement adequate protection liens and Section 507(b) claims, junior to the DIP Liens and the Carve-Out.
Carve-Out and Investigation Budget
The Carve-Out for professional fees has two tiers: (i) prior to a Carve-Out Trigger Notice, all unpaid Allowed Professional Fees per the Approved Budget; and (ii) after a trigger, $50,000 for estate professional fees plus up to $50,000 in Chapter 7 trustee fees. The Investigation Budget for any future creditors’ committee to investigate the Debtors’ stipulations regarding the prepetition obligations is set at $25,000, with no authority to litigate.
Challenge Period
For non-committee parties, the Challenge Period runs through the earlier of one business day prior to the sale hearing or 75 days after entry of the Interim Order. For any committee, the Challenge Period runs through the earliest of 60 days after appointment, 75 days after entry of the Interim Order, or one business day prior to the sale hearing.
Waivers and releases
The Interim DIP Order, upon becoming final, will include the Debtors’ waivers of Section 506(c) surcharge rights, the Section 552(b) equities-of-the-case exception, and the equitable doctrine of marshaling, together with broad releases of claims against the DIP Secured Parties and Prepetition Secured Parties.
Initial DIP Budget
The Initial DIP Budget projects the following nine-week cash flow:
| Category | Total ($ in 000s) |
|---|---|
| Total Receipts | $2,283 |
| Total Operating Disbursements | $6,053 |
| Operating Cash Flow | ($3,771) |
| Total Non-Operating Disbursements | $6,355 |
| Net Cash Flow | ($10,126) |
| Required Additional Funding | $11,368 |
| Ending New Money DIP Balance | $11,521 |
| Ending Roll-Up DIP Balance | $23,250 |
| Ending DIP Balance Total | $34,772 |
The DIP Facility imposes a rolling 13-week cash flow forecast requirement and a permitted variance of 15% on positive disbursements (i.e., actual disbursements may not exceed 115% of budgeted disbursements).
The Section 363 Sale Process
The Debtors entered Chapter 11 with a Stalking Horse Asset Purchase Agreement dated April 26, 2026 between the Debtors and CL Mateo-A, LLC, an affiliate of Crestline. The contemplated transaction is a credit bid under Section 363(k). The DIP Credit Agreement establishes the milestones described in Section I above and imposes specific economic requirements on any competing bid.
Alternate Transaction economics
If the Debtors’ assets are sold to a bidder other than CL Mateo-A, LLC, the DIP Credit Agreement requires that the alternative bidder pay cash consideration exceeding the “Release Price,” defined as all outstanding DIP Obligations plus approximately $250.6 million in Prepetition Obligations, plus accrued interest and fees. Both the DIP Agent and the Prepetition Agent retain the right to credit bid all or any portion of their respective obligations under Section 363(k).
Sale proceeds waterfall
If a non-Crestline buyer were to acquire the assets, sale proceeds would be distributed in the following order:
- $150,000 in Excluded Cash for post-sale wind-down costs;
- Payment of all DIP Obligations;
- Payment of all Prepetition Obligations (~$250.6 million); and
- Surplus, if any, to the Debtors’ estates.
NOL preservation
The Debtors filed a motion seeking procedures to protect approximately $356,811,704.39 in net operating losses and other tax attributes as of December 31, 2025. The Court entered an interim order approving the procedures, which target holders of 4.5% or more of Beneficial Ownership (171,130 or more shares of the 3,802,883 Common Stock outstanding) and 50 Percent Shareholders seeking worthless stock deductions under IRC § 382(g)(4)(D). The interim NOL order is set for final hearing on May 20, 2026.
Key Documents and Counsel
Debtors’ co-counsel: Hogan Lovells US LLP (Todd M. Schwartz, Erin N. Brady, Christopher R. Bryant, and Danielle A. Ullo) and Thompson Coburn LLP (Katharine Battaia Clark, Alexandra E. Rossetti, and Jacob T. Schwartz).
DIP Agent counsel: Jones Day (Gary Kaplan).
Claims and noticing agent: Epiq Corporate Restructuring, LLC; case website at https://dm.epiq11.com/wiser.
First-Day Relief
The Debtors filed twelve first-day motions and supporting declarations. At the emergency hearing on April 28, 2026, the Court entered five final orders and five interim orders, including the Interim DIP Order. The table below summarizes each motion and the relief granted to date.
| Subject | Relief Sought | Order Entered |
|---|---|---|
| Schedules / SOFA Extension | 33-day extension | Final — deadline May 29, 2026 (Doc 42) |
| Consolidated Matrix & Service List | Consolidated matrix, PII redaction, Complex Service List, Bar Dates (proposed July 25 / Oct 23, 2026) | Final (Doc 44) |
| Prepetition Taxes | Pay ~$300,000 across ~20 taxing authorities | Final (Doc 45) |
| Insurance Continuation | Continue ~13 policies (5 carriers); ~$250,000 annual premiums | Final (Doc 46) |
| Utility Services Protection | Section 366 procedures; $85,995 adequate assurance deposit (56 providers) | Final (Doc 47) |
| IT Vendors | Pay up to $1.2M (AWS, Bright Data, Oxylabs) | Interim — up to $600,000 (Doc 48) |
| DIP Financing & Cash Collateral | $34.2M total facility; superpriority liens; sale milestones | Interim — $7.6M authorized (Doc 49) |
| NOL Protection Procedures | Procedures protecting ~$356.8M in tax attributes | Interim (Doc 50) |
| Cash Management | Continuation of multi-bank system; international intercompany transfers | Interim (Doc 51) |
| Wages and Benefits | ~$920,000 in compensation/benefits + ~$125,000 agency fees | Interim — excluding Workforce Incentive Programs ($215K), Severance Program ($45K), and 401(k) employer match (Doc 52) |
Items deferred to final hearing
Three categories of relief were specifically excluded from the interim wages and benefits order: Workforce Incentive Programs, the Severance Program, and the 401(k) employer match. These items, along with the additional $600,000 in IT vendor payments and the full $34.2 million DIP Facility, are scheduled for final consideration at the May 20, 2026 hearing. The objection deadline for these matters is May 13, 2026.
Cash management and international transfers
The Debtors’ cash management system includes six bank accounts at three institutions (Northern Bank & Trust, Bank of America, Royal Bank of Canada) along with Monex USA custodial foreign exchange accounts and a Stripe customer payment processing account. The Cash Management Motion identifies international intercompany transfers averaging approximately $1.3 million per month from the Lead Debtor to the non-debtor foreign subsidiaries; the Interim Order authorizes continuation of those transfers. Compliance with Section 345(b) is required within 30 days of the Interim Order (approximately May 28, 2026).
Workforce considerations
The Wages Motion identifies approximately nine salaried employees sponsored for H-1B visas. The Debtors retain payroll services through UKG and engage variable agency contractors through TekSystems, Upwork Global LLC, and Roamler B.V. The Interim Wages Order authorizes payment of priority wages, payroll taxes, health benefits, expense reimbursements, and certain other categories.
Stakeholder Outlook and Open Issues
The case structure as presented in the first-day filings positions Crestline Direct Finance, L.P. and its affiliated funds in multiple roles: prepetition senior secured lender, DIP Lender (through eleven managed funds), DIP Agent, Prepetition Agent, and stalking horse bidder (through CL Mateo-A, LLC). Whether competing bids materialize in light of the Release Price mechanism and the credit bid rights of the DIP Agent and Prepetition Agent remains to be seen.
| Stakeholder | Position | Status as of Petition Date |
|---|---|---|
| Crestline / CL Mateo-A, LLC | Prepetition secured ($250.6M); DIP Lender / Agent ($34.2M); Stalking Horse Bidder | Interim DIP and stalking horse APA in place; sale process to run through June 30, 2026 |
| Figtree Partners LLC | Largest equity holder (31.75%); holder of $108.6M Figtree Global Note (subordinated) | No specific treatment proposed in first-day filings |
| Bridge Lenders / Seybold Judgment Creditor | ~$34.8M in unsecured Bridge Loans; $15M judgment plus interest and fees | Recovery dependent on outcome of sale and any plan |
| General Unsecured Creditors | Trade vendors, IT vendors, utility providers, other unsecured | $25K Investigation Budget; $50K post-trigger Carve-Out; no committee yet appointed |
| Domestic Employees (~64) | Wages, benefits, 401(k), incentive programs, H-1B holders (~9) | Interim wages order entered; incentive/severance/401(k) match deferred to May 20, 2026 |
| Non-Debtor Foreign Subsidiaries | ~250 employees across multiple foreign jurisdictions | Funded via ~$1.3M/month intercompany transfers; continuation authorized on interim basis |
Open issues to watch
Several matters remain unresolved as of this report’s preparation:
Items pending the May 20, 2026 final hearing
(i) Approval of the full $34.2 million DIP Facility, including the $22.8 million roll-up; (ii) authorization of the additional $600,000 in IT vendor payments; (iii) approval of the Workforce Incentive Programs (~$215,000), Severance Program (~$45,000), and 401(k) employer match; (iv) final approval of the NOL protection procedures and cash management system; and (v) any objections filed by the May 13, 2026 deadline.
Other near-term inflection points include the Bidding Procedures Order milestone of May 21, 2026, the Section 345(b) compliance deadline of approximately May 28, 2026, the schedules and SOFA filing deadline of May 29, 2026, the Section 341 meeting (no later than June 5, 2026), and committee appointment, if any.
The general claims bar date proposed in the Notice of Commencement is July 25, 2026 — after the targeted June 30, 2026 sale consummation date — meaning the claims process will not be complete before the contemplated sale closes. The governmental bar date is proposed for October 23, 2026.