NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (“USANA” or the “Company”) (NYSE: USNA ) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, District of Utah, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired USANA securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants’ violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
If you are a shareholder who purchased USANA securities between March 14, 2014 and February 7, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until April 14, 2017 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, ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased.
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USANA Health Sciences, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells science-based nutritional and personal care products primarily to reduce the risk of chronic degenerative disease.
On August 16, 2010, USANA announced that it had acquired BabyCare Ltd. (“BabyCare”), a China-based manufacturing company that develops and sells nutritional products primarily for infants. Over the next six years, USANA steadily expanded BabyCare’s market presence in China. In February 2013, the Company announced that it had received official government approval from the Ministry of Commerce People’s Republic of China (“MOFCOM”) for direct selling activities in the provinces of Jiangsu and Shaanxi, and the municipality of Tianjin. In May 2016, USANA announced MOFCOM approval for direct selling activities in the provinces of Liaoning, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, and Guangdong, as well as the municipalities of Dalian, Qingdao, and Shenzhen.
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) the Company’s BabyCare subsidiary had engaged in improper reimbursement practices in China; (ii) these practices constituted violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”); (iii) as such, the Company’s China revenues were in part the product of unlawful conduct and unlikely to be sustainable; (iv) the foregoing conduct, when it became known, was likely to subject the Company to significant regulatory scrutiny; and (v) as a result of the foregoing, USANA’s public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.
On February 7, 2017, post-market, USANA disclosed that “[t]he Company is voluntarily conducting an internal investigation of its China operations, BabyCare Ltd. . . . focus[ing] on the compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act . . . and certain conduct and policies at BabyCare, including BabyCare’s expense reimbursement policies.” USANA advised investors that the Company had retained outside counsel to conduct the investigation and had notified both the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice of the investigation.
On this news, USANA’s share price fell $7.25, or 11.57%, to close at $55.40 on February 8, 2017.
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 rswilloughby@pomlaw.com
