United States Steel Corporation ("U.S. Steel" or the Company), is an American integrated steel producer headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with production operations in the United States and Central Europe.
According to the law firm press release, the Complaint alleges that during the Class Period, U.S. Steel made materially false and misleading statements regarding its outlook and expected financial performance. The Complaint alleges that the true facts, which were known by Defendants but concealed from the investing public during the Class Period, were as follows: (a) While the Company was implementing its Carnegie Way program, it was focused on cutting costs and was not making investments necessary to position U.S. Steel so that it could respond to improved market conditions; (b) Defendants' failure to invest in improving capital assets during the industry downturn, in order to report apparent financial improvements, meant that U.S. Steel had higher production costs than its competitors, even in the face of improved pricing, which would negatively impact its financial results; (c) Defendants were forestalling expensive capital equipment upgrades in order to boost the Company's short-term financial results at the expense of long-term financial performance, leaving U.S. Steel in need of accelerated, costly equipment upgrades that would leave the Company years away from generating improved financial performance; and (d) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' statements regarding the Company's outlook and expected financial performance were false and misleading and lacked a reasonable basis when made. The Complaint alleges that as a result of Defendants' false statements and material omissions, U.S. Steel stock traded at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period, and that after the above revelations were revealed to the market, the price of U.S. Steel stock declined significantly as the artificial inflation was removed.
On August 16, 2017, the Court issued an Order consolidating cases and appointing Lead Plaintiff and Counsel. Lead Plaintiff filed an amended Complaint on October 2, 2017. This Complaint was re-filed on October 4. Defendants filed Motions to Dismiss the amended Complaint on December 14. On September 29, 2018, the Court issued an Order granting in part and denying in part Defendants' Motions to Dismiss. Plaintiffs were given leave to amend the Complaint. On January 23, 2019, the Court issued an Order referring the case to mediation.
On March 18, the Court issued an Order dismissing two counts from the amended Complaint. The Underwriter Defendants were dismissed with prejudice as to all claims pending against them. On April 30, the Court issued an Order consolidating cases.
On April 19, 2019, Plaintiffs filed a Motion for Class Certification. On December 31, the Court issued an Order granting the Motion for Class Certification.
The parties entered into a Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement on May 20, 2022. On November 9, the Court granted preliminary approval of the Settlement. On March 21, 2023, the Court granted final approval of the Settlement, including an award of Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, and entered Final Judgment.
On March 14, 2024, the Court approved disbursement of the Settlement funds.
