According to the Complaint, Ideanomics, Inc. purports to operate as a fintech and asset digitization services company. From June 2017 until August 2018, the Company was known as Seven Stars Cloud Group, Inc. and announced the adoption of Ideanomics as its new business name on August 27, 2018. From October 2016 until June 2017, the Company was known as Wecast Network Inc.
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, the Complaint alleges Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (i) costs associated with building out Ideanomics’ U.S. infrastructure and hiring its new executive team were negatively impacting the Company’s bottom line performance; (ii) as a result, Ideanomics was highly unlikely to meet its 2018 EBITDA guidance; (iii) Ideanomics’ margins in its oil trading and consumer electronics businesses were too low for those businesses to remain viable; and (iv) as a result, Ideanomics’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
On October 7, 2019, the Court issued an Order appointing Lead Plaintiff and Counsel. Lead Plaintiff filed an amended Complaint on December 4. Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss on January 17, 2020. On September 25, the Court issued an Order dismissing claims against some of the individual Defendants.
On May 12, 2021, the Court issued an Order postponing the parties' May 18 status conference to give the parties time to finalize a Settlement agreement. A Settlement in principle was reached on April 21. On July 30, the parties entered into a Stipulation of Settlement. The Court granted preliminary approval of the Settlement on September 21. On January 25, 2022, the Court granted final approval of the Settlement, including an award of Attorneys' Fees and Expenses to the Lead Plaintiff's Lead Counsel.
On September 7, 2022, the Court issued an Order approving distribution of the net Settlement fund.
