Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP (“Coughlin Stoia”) (http://www.csgrr.com/cases/smith/) today announced that a class action has been commenced in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts on behalf of purchasers of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (“Smith & Wesson” or “the Company”) (NASDAQ:SWHC) securities during the period between June 15, 2007 and December 6, 2007 (the “Class Period”)
If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than 60 days from today. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, please contact plaintiff’s counsel, Samuel H. Rudman or David A. Rosenfeld of Coughlin Stoia at 800/449-4900 or 619/231-1058, or via e-mail at djr@csgrr.com. If you are a member of this class, you can view a copy of the complaint as filed or join this class action online at http://www.csgrr.com/cases/smith/. Any member of the purported class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member.
The complaint charges Smith & Wesson and certain of its officers and directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Smith & Wesson, through its subsidiary, Smith & Wesson Corp., manufactures handguns in the United States. The company produces firearms, including revolvers, black powder fire arms, pistols, rifles, and handcuffs.
The complaint alleges that, during the Class Period, defendants issued statements concerning the Company's performance and prospects. As alleged in the Complain, these statements were materially false and misleading because they failed to disclose and misrepresented the following material adverse facts which were known to Defendants or recklessly disregarded by them: (i) that the market for various lines of the Company’s gun products was saturated with inventory which was causing customers to reduce orders and postpone purchases; (ii) that the Company’s reported sales figures did not represent true growth for the Company’s products but rather were simply inventory stocking transactions and as customer inventory levels increased, the Company’s sales would suffer; and (iii) based on the foregoing, Defendants lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements about the Company, its earnings and prospects.
On October 29, 2007, Smith & Wesson issued a press release announcing its preliminary second quarter financial results for the period ending October 31, 2007. Among other things, the Company reduced its earnings guidance for fiscal 2008 to $23.5 million, or $0.53 per share, as compared to $28.5 million, or $0.63 per share. In response to this announcement, the price of Smith & Wesson common stock plummeted from $20.09 per share to $12.12 per share on extremely heavy trading volume. Then, on December 6, 2007, Smith & Wesson issued a press release announcing its financial results for its second fiscal quarter, the period ending October 31, 2007. The Company again reduced its outlook for 2008 to $0.40 per share. In response to this announcement, on December 7, 2007, the price of Smith & Wesson common stock plummeted from $9.92 per share to $7.08 per share on extremely heavy trading volume.
Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of all purchasers of Smith & Wesson securities during the Class Period (the “Class”). The plaintiff is represented by Coughlin Stoia, which has expertise in prosecuting investor class actions and extensive experience in actions involving financial fraud.
Coughlin Stoia, a 190-lawyer firm with offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Boca Raton, Washington, D.C., Houston and Philadelphia, is active in major litigations pending in federal and state courts throughout the United States and has taken a leading role in many important actions on behalf of defrauded investors, consumers, and companies, as well as victims of human rights violations. Coughlin Stoia lawyers have been responsible for more than $45 billion in aggregate recoveries. The Coughlin Stoia Web site (http://www.csgrr.com) has more information about the firm.