Pomerantz Law Firm Announces the Filing of a Class Action against Sanderson Farms, Inc. and Certain Officers – SAFM

NEW YORK, Oct. 28, 2016 -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Sanderson Farms, Inc. (“Sanderson Farms” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:SAFM) and certain of its officers.   The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and docketed under 16-cv-08420, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Sanderson Farms securities between December 17, 2013  and October 6, 2016 inclusive (the “Class Period”).  This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). 

If you are a shareholder who purchased Sanderson Farms securities during the Class Period, you have until December 27, 2016 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class.  A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.   To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. 

[Click here to join this class action]

Sanderson Farms, an integrated poultry processing company, produces, processes, markets, and distributes fresh, frozen, and prepared chicken products in the United States.  The Company sells ice pack, chill pack, bulk pack, and frozen chicken in whole, cut-up, and boneless form primarily under the Sanderson Farms brand name to retailers, distributors, and casual dining operators in the United States, as well as to customers who resell frozen chicken in the export markets.  Sanderson Farms’ prepared chicken product line includes institutional and consumer packaged partially cooked or marinated chicken items for distributors and food service establishments.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects.  Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:  (i) Sanderson Farms systematically colluded with several of its industry peers to fix prices in the broiler-chicken market; (ii) the foregoing conduct constituted a violation of federal antitrust laws; (iii) consequently, Sanderson Farms’ revenues during the Class Period were the result of illegal conduct; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Sanderson Farms’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. 

On September 2, 2016, the market had its first taste of Defendants’ fraud, when Maplevale Farms, Inc. filed an antitrust class action complaint in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (the “Maplevale Complaint”) against Sanderson Farms and several other poultry producers, including Tyson Foods, Inc. (“Tyson”), Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, and Perdue Farms, Inc., alleging that Sanderson Farms and the other companies named in the complaint had conspired since 2008 to manipulate the prices of broiler chickens in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1-7 (the “Sherman Act”).

Other antitrust lawsuits quickly followed.  On October 4, 2016, a group of individual consumers filed an antitrust class action complaint in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (the “Monahan Complaint”) against Sanderson Farms and several of its industry peers, including Tyson, alleging violations of the Sherman Act.

Following the filing of the Monahan Complaint, Sanderson Farms’ share price fell $3.98, or 4.14%, to close at $92.21 on October 4, 2016.

On October 7, 2016, Pivotal Research downgraded Tyson from “Hold” to “Sell.”  Explaining the downgrade, analyst Timothy Ramey directed investors’ attention to the “powerfully convincing” allegations of price manipulation by Sanderson Farms, Tyson, and their industry peers.

On news of the downgrade by Pivotal Research, Sanderson Farms’ share price fell $4.03, or 4.32%, to close at $89.15 on October 7, 2016.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

CONTACT:
Robert S. Willoughby
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]