According to the Complaint, Peabody Energy Corporation is currently the largest coal mining company in the world, with 23 coal mines throughout the United States and Australia. One of its mines in Australia is the North Goonyella mine, which was acquired by Peabody in 2004 and through which the Company ships coal to customers in India, China and South Korea. As of the start of the Class Period, the North Goonyella mine was considered Peabody’s most profitable single operation.

The Complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose, and would continue to omit, the following adverse facts pertaining to the safety practices at the Company’s North Goonyella mine, which were known to or recklessly disregarded by Defendants: (i) the Company had failed to implement adequate safety controls at the North Goonyella mine to prevent the risk of a spontaneous combustion event; (ii) the Company failed to follow its own safety procedures; and (iii) as a result, the North Goonyella mine was at a heightened risk of shutdown. On September 28, 2018, a fire erupted at the mine, forcing Peabody to suspend operations indefinitely. On this news, Peabody shares fell $5.543 per share, or 13.4 percent.

The Complaint further alleges that, following the fire and throughout the remainder of the Class Period, Defendants failed to disclose, and would continue to omit, the following adverse facts pertaining to the feasibility of Peabody’s plan to restart the North Goonyella mine: (i) the Company’s low-cost plan to restart operations at the mine posed unreasonable safety and environmental risks; (ii) the Australian body responsible for ensuring acceptable health and safety standards, the Queensland Mines Inspectorate (“QMI”), would likely mandate a safer, cost-prohibitive approach; and (iii) as a result, there would be major delays in reopening the North Goonyella mine and restarting coal production.

On January 12, 2021, the Court issued an Order appointing Lead Plaintiff and Counsel. Lead Plaintiff filed a consolidated amended Complaint on March 19. Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss the consolidated amended Complaint on June 25. On March 7, 2022, the Court issued an Order granting in part and denying in part Defendants' Motion to Dismiss.

The parties entered into a Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement on October 7, 2022. The Court granted preliminary approval of the Settlement on October 13. On February 7, 2023, the Court granted final approval of the Settlement, including an award of Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, and entered Final Judgment.