NEW YORK, April 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against Fox Corporation (NASDAQ: FOX, FOXA), Ascendis Pharma A/S (NASDAQ: ASND), and Shift4 Payments, Inc. (NYSE: FOUR). Our investigations concern whether these companies have violated the federal securities laws and/or engaged in other unlawful business practices. Additional information about each case can be found at the link provided.
Fox Corporation (NASDAQ: FOX, FOXA)
In November and December of 2020, Fox News broadcasted reports stating that the U.S. election was rigged. Fox News specifically called out Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems, voting technology and software companies, for their alleged involvement in rigging the election. Both companies have sued Fox for defamation and other claims based on defendants' actions. The judges in both cases have upheld the lawsuits by overruling defendants' motions to dismiss, finding that Smartmatic and Dominion sufficiently pleaded facts to support their claims of defamation.
In ruling in favor of Dominion, Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric M. Davis found Dominion had shown that the Murdochs, Fox's most senior executives, may have been on notice that the conspiracy theory that rigged voting machines tilted the vote was false but let Fox News broadcast it anyway. Dominion cited in its suit a report that Rupert Murdoch spoke with Trump a few days after the election “and informed him that he had lost,” the judge noted.
“These allegations support a reasonable inference that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch either knew Dominion had not manipulated the election or at least recklessly disregarded the truth when they allegedly caused Fox News to propagate its claims about Dominion,” said Davis.
These lawsuits, which seek billions of dollars, punitive damages and other relief, can deplete Fox's assets, harm Fox's reputation, and prove detrimental to Fox shareholders.
For more information on the Fox investigation go to: https://bespc.com/cases/FOX
Ascendis Pharma A/S (NASDAQ: ASND)
On April 3, 2023, Ascendis issued a press release "announc[ing] that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has notified the Company that, as part of their ongoing review, the FDA has identified deficiencies in the Company's New Drug Application (NDA) for TransCon PTH (palopegteriparatide) in hypoparathyroidism that at this time precludes them from holding further discussions about labeling and post-marketing requirements/commitments. The deficiencies were not disclosed in the letter."
On this news, Ascendis's American depositary receipt ("ADR") price fell $34.39 per ADR, or 32.07%, to close at $72.83 per ADR on April 3, 2023.
For more information on the Ascendis investigation go to: https://bespc.com/cases/ASND
Shift4 Payments, Inc. (NYSE: FOUR)
On April 19, 2023, Blue Orca Capital issued a report on Shift4 Payments, Inc., alleging that the Company “engaged in a string of highly questionable and hyper aggressive accounting maneuvers seemingly designed to keep the stock afloat, from cash flow manipulation to inexplicable distributor acquisitions that enabled it to capitalize a major component of COGS.”
The report also alleges that “Shift4’s CFO abruptly left the Company the day before its Q2 2022 earnings call, amidst a lengthy string of correspondence with the SEC over its accounting. Its auditor warned of a material weakness over internal controls the very next quarter, just as it spent $256.4 million in a string of M&A that enabled it to capitalize a material share of COGS.”
Shares of Shift4 Payments stock dropped more than 12% in intraday trading on April 19, 2023.
For more information on the Shift4 investigation go to: https://bespc.com/cases/FOUR
About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Contact Information:
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.
Brandon Walker, Esq.
Melissa Fortunato, Esq.
(212) 355-4648
investigations@bespc.com
www.bespc.com
