NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against GoodRx Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: GDRX) on behalf of long-term stockholders following a class action complaint that was filed against GoodRx on April 22, 2024 with a Class Period from September 23, 2020, to November 8, 2022. Our investigation concerns whether the board of directors of GoodRx have breached their fiduciary duties to the company.
GoodRx operates a price comparison platform for prescription drugs which, in many cases, offers consumers access to lower prices (through discount codes and coupons) for their medications. GoodRx generates most of its revenue from contracts with pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) who agree to pay GoodRx a commission on prescription drug purchases made by consumers who use GoodRx’s discount codes and coupons at participating pharmacies. GoodRx also generates a portion of its revenue from subscription plans like the “Kroger Rx Savings Club,” which provides “access [to] lower prescription prices at” pharmacies operated by The Kroger Co. (“Kroger”).
The complaint alleges that in connection with GoodRx’s initial public offering on September 23, 2020, and throughout the remainder of the Class Period, Defendants continuously touted the Company’s strong relationships with pharmacies as a significant element of its business plan. Among other things, GoodRx repeatedly highlighted the Kroger Rx Savings Club. Critically, however, Defendants never informed investors of the material risk that Kroger, which accounted for nearly 25% of GoodRx’s prescription transactions revenue, could unilaterally refuse to accept GoodRx’s discounts.
According to the filed complaint, investors began to learn the truth about the risks of GoodRx’s over-dependence on Kroger (including the risk that, notwithstanding the Kroger Rx Savings Club, Kroger could unilaterally refuse to accept GoodRx’s discounts) on May 9, 2022, when GoodRx revealed that, late in the first quarter of 2022, “a grocery chain had taken actions that impacted acceptance of discounts from most PBMs for a subset of drugs” and that this “impacted the acceptance of many PBM discounts for certain drugs at this grocer’s stores.” GoodRx further acknowledged that this disruption “could have an estimated revenue impact of roughly $30 million” in the second quarter of 2022—resulting in the Company announcing disappointing second quarter 2022 revenue guidance of only about $190 million.
On this news, the price of GoodRx common stock plummeted $2.78 per share, or more than 25%, from a close of $10.75 per share on May 9, 2022, to close at $7.97 per share on May 10, 2022.
On November 8, 2022, Defendants provided further information on the severity of the revenue impact from the Kroger disruption—with the Company estimating that the “impact of the grocer issue on third quarter [prescription transactions revenue] was approximately $40 million” and that the Company expected “a combined $45 million to $50 million estimated impact to prescription transactions revenue” for the fourth quarter of 2022. Defendants further acknowledged that the Company was seeking to enter into contractual relationships with pharmacies to prevent similar disruptions from occurring in the future.
On this news, the price of GoodRx common stock declined an additional $1.18 per share, or more than 22%, from a close of $5.24 per share on November 8, 2022, to close at $4.06 per share on November 9, 2022.
The Complaint further alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose that: (1) while Kroger accounted for less than 5% of the pharmacies accepting GoodRx discounts, Kroger was responsible for nearly 25% of GoodRx’s total prescription transactions revenue (the Company’s primary revenue stream); and (2) Kroger could unilaterally cease accepting GoodRx discounts, cutting off some or all of GoodRx’s revenues for purchases at Kroger’s pharmacies; and (3) as a result, Defendants’ representations about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.
If you are a long-term stockholder of GoodRx, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Marion Passmore by email at investigations@bespc.com, by telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you.
About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York and California. 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.
Marion Passmore, Esq.
(212) 355-4648
investigations@bespc.com
www.bespc.com
