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Where WW Went Wrong and How Eli Lilly Might Help It Stay in the Game
- Staff Picks
- May 5
- 3 min read
As the weight-loss giant struggles with debt, shifting leadership, and changing markets, a pharmaceutical partnership may be the company’s last shot at long-term relevance.
What Happened to WeightWatchers?
WW International Inc. (formerly WeightWatchers) has seen better decades. What was once the go-to wellness brand for millions of Americans has now become a case study in strategic missteps, cultural disconnect, and untimely pivots.
The company’s recent headlines tell the story. Its stock price surged temporarily, but not for the right reasons.
According to Reuters, Oprah Winfrey—arguably WW’s most visible shareholder and brand advocate—resigned from the board and donated her shares to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Meanwhile, CEO Sima Sistani, brought in to inject tech-world energy into the legacy brand, was recently ousted.
If that weren’t enough, reports have circulated that WW is preparing for a possible Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
Why Did WW Lose Its Footing?
The real trouble started when WW tried to reposition itself as a tech and wellness brand rather than stick with what it knew best: behavior-based weight management. With the meteoric rise of GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro, WW’s traditional group-based method started to look less relevant.
As Stat News reported, GLP-1 drugs are expected to drive the global weight-loss drug market past $100 billion by 2030. WW’s acquisition of telehealth platform Sequence in 2023 was a clear attempt to stay competitive in this new terrain, but it came at a steep cost, reportedly driving the company deeper into debt.
What Role Could Eli Lilly Play?
The recent announcement of a strategic partnership with Eli Lilly has industry observers cautiously optimistic. While the details remain vague, WW aims to offer coaching and lifestyle support services to patients on Lilly’s GLP-1 drugs, such as Zepbound.
This partnership could mark a major pivot. Instead of competing with GLP-1 medications, WW is repositioning itself as a support structure for patients who are already using them—offering behavioral coaching, nutritional advice, and community reinforcement.
According to Lilly’s investor guidance, their GLP-1 pipeline could bring in over $25 billion in annual revenue by 2027. If WW can piggyback on even a sliver of that momentum, it might regain relevance—and solvency.
Can Creditors Be Convinced?
But there’s a catch. WW has more than $1.5 billion in outstanding debt. Even the most optimistic partnership cannot succeed without buy-in from creditors. If they believe the Lilly deal offers a path to stable revenue, they may allow WW some restructuring room rather than push the company into bankruptcy court.
Still, a bailout by Eli Lilly isn’t entirely out of the question. Analysts at Morningstar have speculated that WW’s data assets—namely user behavior, dietary preferences, and engagement metrics—could be valuable to a pharmaceutical partner interested in patient adherence and long-term treatment outcomes.
What Comes Next for the Brand?
In many ways, WW is at a crossroads familiar to legacy companies facing disruptive change. Its brand recognition remains high, and its member base, while shrinking, is loyal. But without a clear, compelling business model, that loyalty may not be enough.
As Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen put it in a recent analysis, “This may be the most consequential pivot in WW’s 60-year history.”
So the question now is not whether WW can return to what it once was—but whether it can become something new.
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