NEW YORK, June 12, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP has filed a class action lawsuit against Annie's, Inc. ("Annie's" or the "Company") (NYSE: BNNY ) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Northern District of California, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Annie's securities between August 8, 2013 and June 3, 2014, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws pursuant to Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.
If you are a shareholder who purchased Annie's securities during the Class Period, you have until August 11, 2014 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 rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, x237. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
Annie's is a natural and organic food company. The Company offers over 135 products in the following three product categories: meals; snacks; and dressings, condiments and other.
The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made 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: (1) t the Company's historical methodology for estimating certain trade allowances did not include all related trade promotion costs subsequent to period end; (2) the Company's accounting for contract manufacturing did not sufficiently evaluate the valuation and accuracy of all contract manufacturing receivables and payables; (3) as a result, the Company's financial results were misstated; (4) the Company lacked adequate internal and financial controls; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, the Company's financial statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
On June 2, 2014, Annie's disclosed in its Annual Report for the 2014 fiscal year that the Company had identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting. According to the Company, the material weakness related to an insufficient complement of finance and accounting resources, including employee turnover, causing design deficiencies in certain areas in which the Company's controls could not effectively detect misstatements that, in the aggregate, could be material to its consolidated financial statements. Specifically, the Company disclosed that: (1) the historical methodology for estimating certain trade allowances was not designed to include all related trade promotion costs subsequent to period end; and (2) the controls over accounting for contract manufacturing were not designed to precisely evaluate the valuation and accuracy of all contract manufacturing receivables and payables. According to Annie's, the material weakness resulted in audit adjustments during the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2014 and misstatements to the net sales, costs of goods sold, inventory, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses and other current assets, and accrued liabilities and revisions to the consolidated financial statements for the first three quarters of fiscal 2014, for the quarterly and annual statements for the 2013 fiscal year ended March 31, 2013, and the2012 fiscal year ended March 31, 2012.
On this news, shares of Annie's declined $1.07 per share, over 3%, to close on June 2, 2014, at $31.65 per share.
On June 3, 2014, after the market close, Annie's announced that its independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PwC"), was resigning effective the earlier of August 11, 2014 or the completion of the Company's filing with the SEC of the Form 10-Q for the period ending June 30, 2014. According to the Company, the Audit Committee was in the process of selecting a new independent registered public accounting firm.
On this news, shares of Annie's declined $2.53 per share, nearly 8%, to close on June 4, 2014, at $30.07 per share.
The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and San Diego, 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 70 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 .
Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP
