David Jones Westfields Stores Face Closure Risk After Delay
David Jones missed the October 30 deadline to file its accounts with Australia’s corporate regulator for a second year running. Five Westfield stores are…
David Jones missed its October 30 accounts filing deadline for a second year, putting the future of five Westfield locations in doubt as the retailer considers more store closures. The stores reportedly being reviewed are Carousel in Perth, Parramatta and Hornsby in Sydney, Woden in Canberra, and Southland in Melbourne.
The delay comes as the department store faces financial pressure and prepares for the Christmas trading period. It has not published a final list of permanent closures, and says its day-to-day operations continue as usual.
Which David Jones Westfields locations are at risk?
The five locations reportedly in the firing line are Carousel, Parramatta, Hornsby, Woden and Southland. The company is considering closing at least five more loss-making stores, following the closure of its Castle Hill and Tuggerah stores in New South Wales in mid-January.
David Jones currently operates 38 stores across Australia and New Zealand. The retailer reportedly plans to reduce that network to between 12 and 20 locations, though it has not confirmed which stores would close.
The accounts, which were due with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission by October 30, have not been signed off by auditor PwC. The company was also late filing its accounts in 2025, when the filing was six months overdue.
Funding and trading pressures
David Jones received $10 million in emergency funding from its senior lender in late October to support trading through the Christmas period. Hilco Capital said it provided funds above the agreed facility so the retailer could increase stock holdings ahead of the busy sales period.
“Hilco remains supportive of the business,” a Hilco spokesperson said.
The funding matters to customers because the company is relying on Christmas trading while reviewing its store network and supplier terms. The possible closures could affect access to David Jones stores in the named shopping centres, but the company has not confirmed any permanent closure decisions.
David Jones has also faced concerns from customers after reports of problems redeeming gift cards. The company said the disruption resulted from a technical issue involving a global outage at GiveX, the third-party platform supporting its gift-card services. It said service had been restored, with some maintenance still underway in certain regions.
For now, David Jones says stores will continue to trade as usual. That assurance comes as the retailer reviews its store portfolio and trading terms with suppliers and brand partners.
What has David Jones said about its future?
A spokesperson said the company would not comment on media speculation. The spokesperson said Chief Executive Erica Berchtold was focused on executing the INSPIRE30 strategy and was in advanced discussions with key stakeholders about how the business is adapting to changes in retail.
The retailer has pointed to improved results for the first nine months of 2026. Earnings before interest, tax and depreciation rose four-fold to $15 million, while sales reportedly increased 3.6 per cent.
However, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said the company remains under active investigation over its 2025 accounts, which showed a loss of $95.5 million.
David Jones has been owned by Anchorage Capital Partners since 2023. The majority of its stores have between 10 and 15 years remaining on their leases, while discussions with its main lender, Hilco Capital, and key stakeholders continue.
