Trump tariffs cause another US bankruptcy

[VitaMan]

This time it is Hanson - Mueller, a large grain operator in the Midwest.


The impact of Trump tariffs continues to get wider and deeper. Trump says he is the only one that understands tariffs.


Topic question: Would the USA be better off with no Trump tariffs ?




Please no simpleton replies such as:
- the Democrats caused it

[Why_Yes_I_Do]

I thought Hansen-Mueller was suspended from doing business as a
grain dealer in Nebraska on Oct. 24, following Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) Grain Department investigation into complaints that the company failed to pay multiple farmers.

They back in business already?

[VitaMan]

Not sure what your point is. CEO mentioned the tariffs were a major factor in the decision to
declare bankruptcy.


The thread is about the tariffs.

[Why_Yes_I_Do]

Originally Posted by VitaMan

..The thread is about the tariffs.

Oh! I thought it was about Hansen-Mueller. Leastwise it was mentioned in the OP. I don't personally know their CEO.

[Unique_Carpenter]

Originally Posted by VitaMan

This time it is Hanson - Mueller, a large grain operator in the Midwest.
The impact of Trump tariffs continues to get wider and deeper. Trump says he is the only one that understands tariffs.
Topic question: Would the USA be better off with no Trump tariffs ?
Please no simpleton replies such as:
- the Democrats caused it

Trump should have gone with selective tariffs, not blanket.

However, the Hanson - Mueller tarriff thing is BS (see below)

Originally Posted by Why_Yes_I_Do

I thought Hansen-Mueller was suspended from doing business as a
grain dealer in Nebraska on Oct. 24, following Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) Grain Department investigation into complaints that the company failed to pay multiple farmers.
They back in business already?

Nebraska reinstated HM after paying various Nebraska farmers 2.1 mill. But then the bankruptcy filing.
Minnesota and Texas are also after them.

Anyone owed funds from that group needs to file bankruptcy claims ASAP.
BTW, we know a couple outfits that have been burned by these a-holes.

NOTE: Their bankruptcy filing vaguely mentions tariffs but that's a misleading self-serving comment.

Their issues started a couple years ago with bad plays in the commodities market and several failed business ventures. Big difference between a couple years ago, and a few months ago.

I have a list of the crap as one of the co-ops that got burned asked for advice.

[VitaMan]

This is one of hundreds, or thousands of bankruptcies that would not have happened without Trump tariffs.


Again for those who want to divert from the topic, the topic is:



Topic question: Would the USA be better off with no Trump tariffs ?

[Unique_Carpenter]

Nope, would continue to get worse.
Trade deficits, damage to US industries getting under priced, etc.

I'll quote a critical comment from above:

Originally Posted by Unique_Carpenter

Trump should have gone with selective tariffs, not blanket.

[The_Waco_Kid]

Originally Posted by VitaMan

This is one of hundreds, or thousands of bankruptcies that would not have happened without Trump tariffs.


Again for those who want to divert from the topic, the topic is:



Topic question: Would the USA be better off with no Trump tariffs ?

the real question is should the US allow unfair tariffs by foreign nations?


NO

Originally Posted by VitaMan

Not sure what your point is. CEO mentioned the tariffs were a major factor in the decision to
declare bankruptcy.


The thread is about the tariffs.

the CEO can blabber all he wants. tariffs aren't why he ran the company into the ground.

this website dedicated to the agricultural industry makes ZERO mention of tariffs


https://www.agweb.com/news/business/...rs-should-know


this outfit was in financial trouble well before Trump. Tariffs and Trump had nothing to do with the collapse of this clearly poorly run company.

[Why_Yes_I_Do]

Originally Posted by The_Waco_Kid

...this outfit was in financial trouble well before Trump...

So where many other businesses, before Trump.

Note: there is a typo in the text; 2024 did not surpass 2010.
Also, 1Q 2025 was pretty high as well. Again, not Trump tariffs.

The number of U.S. corporate bankruptcies has fluctuated significantly over the past decade, with a notable surge in recent years. According to data from S&P Global, the annual number of corporate bankruptcies from 2010 to 2024 is as follows:

2010: 828
2011: 634
2012: 586
2013: 558
2014: 471
2015: 524
2016: 576
2017: 520
2018: 518
2019: 589
2020: 638
2021: 405
2022: 372
2023: 635
2024: 694

The year 2024 marked a 14-year high in corporate bankruptcies, with 694 filings, surpassing the previous peak of 638 in 2020 and the 2010 level of 828. This increase is attributed to high interest rates, tighter credit conditions, and slowing consumption.

The trend continued into 2025, with 188 U.S. companies filing for bankruptcy in the first quarter, the highest first-quarter level since 2010.

The consumer discretionary sector led in 2024 with 109 bankruptcy filings, followed by industrials (90) and healthcare (65), reflecting challenges from reduced consumer spending and economic pressures. Despite the rise in filings, over 60% of companies in 2024 sought debt restructuring rather than liquidation, indicating an intent to continue operations...

Me thinks the OP is trying to scapegoat a might here, as was perhaps the CFO as well, i.e. the dog at his homework:

...WHAT HAPPENED TO HANSEN-MUELLER

Chief restructuring officer Michael Compton outlined for the court on Monday what brought on Hansen-Mueller's difficulties.

In a declaration filed with the court, Compton said the company has "struggled financially" during the past few years primarily because of a series of unsuccessful business ventures.

That includes the "unsuccessful conversion" of a pasta plant in Fremont, Nebraska, that Hansen-Mueller bought in 2017, operated in 2019-2021 and then sold for a "$15 million loss" in 2022.

In addition, Compton said the company lost about $11 million on the unsuccessful development and implementation of a proprietary trading software platform.

Also, he said Hansen-Mueller was unable to integrate eight elevators it purchased in 2016-2017, at a loss of about $10 million. Compton said the company also lost about $3.5 million in arbitrations.

"Like many other companies with significant exports, the debtor also has experienced challenges with the president's tariffs, causing debtor simply to run out of working capital and, therefore, time," Compton said in the declaration...

Catch that?
They ran out of working capital because of a couple months of Trump tariffs, as opposed to loosing ~$40 BILLION over the last decade. R-I-G-H-T!

BUT! Trump does not set an export tariff... Only the Import side of a tariff.