Market Newsdesk

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm, reminds investors that class actions have been commenced on behalf of stockholders of Innate Pharma S.A. (NASDAQ: IPHA), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF), and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (“BMW”) (Other OTC: BMWYY, BAMXF). Stockholders have until the deadlines below to petition the court to serve as lead plaintiff. Additional information about each case can be found at the link provided.

Innate Pharma S.A. (NASDAQ: IPHA)

Class Period: March 10, 2020 to September 8, 2020

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 22, 2020

On September 8, 2020, the Company submitted to the SEC a Form 6-K containing a press release summarizing the results of the first half of 2020, ended June 30, 2020 (the “1H2020 Results”). In the 1H2020 Results, defendants abruptly announced a change in the long-touted payment scheme with AstraZeneca.

On this news, Innate’s American Depositary Share (“ADS”) prices dropped $1.62, or over 26.6%, from closing at $6.07 on September 4, 2020, the previous trading day, to open at $4.82 on September 8, 2020, and declined throughout the trading day to close at $4.45.

The complaint, filed on October 23, 2020, alleges that throughout the Class Period defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Innate touted the results of their various Phase 2 trials as being within expectations; (2) Innate continued to reassure investors that they were eligible for the $100 million payment upon first dosing of Phase 3 trials; (3) Innate failed to timely disclose their renegotiations with AstraZeneca to split the $100 million payment into two $50 million payments, to be partially contingent on performance during the Phase 3 trials; and (4) as a result, defendants’ statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

For more information on the Innate Pharma class action go to: https://bespc.com/cases/IPHA

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM)

Class Period: February 23, 2016 to September 23, 2020

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 23, 2020

On November 6, 2018, the Department of Justice announced in a press release that former JPMorgan precious metals trader John Edmonds pled guilty to commodities fraud and a spoofing conspiracy.

On August 20, 2019, the Department of Justice announced that another JPMorgan employee, Christian Trunz, pled guilty to spoofing charges, and had done so with the knowledge and consent of his supervisors.

On September 23, 2020, Bloomberg reported that the Company was nearing a settlement to resolve the spoofing charges.

On this news, shares of JPMorgan stock fell $2.04 per share, or 2%, to close at $92.74 per share on September 23, 2020.

On September 29, 2020, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) formally announced that it had ordered JPMorgan to pay $920 million to settle the spoofing and manipulation charges. According to the order, the Company failed to monitor its employees and ignored multiple red flags. The Company also provided the CFTC with misleading information.

The complaint, filed on October 24, 2020, alleges that throughout the Class Period defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) traders at the Company, with the knowledge and consent of their superiors, manipulated the precious metals market by “spoofing,” or placing fake orders to generate the appearance of market demand; (2) the Company had insufficient controls and compliance protocols to enable it to identify and stop the misconduct; (3) the Company’s earnings in the physical commodity market were, at least in part, ill-gotten; (4) such conduct would result in enhanced regulatory scrutiny; (5) the Company provided misleading information to CFTC investigators at early stages of the investigation into the misconduct; (6) resolution of the governmental investigation into the Company would result in a record-breaking $920 million fine; and (7) as a result, defendants’ statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

For more information on the JPMorgan securities class action case go to: https://bespc.com/cases/JPM

First American Financial Corporation (NYSE: FAF)

Class Period: February 17, 2017 to October 22, 2020

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 24, 2020

On May 24, 2019, KrebsOnSecurity.com (“KrebsOnSecurity”), a noted cybersecurity blog, reported a massive data exposure by First American in which approximately 885 million customer files were exposed by First American.

On this news, shares of First American fell $3.46, or over 6%, to close at $51.80 per share on May 25, 2019.

On October 22, 2020, First American filed a quarterly report on Form 10-Q with the SEC, announcing that the Company had received a Wells Notice regarding its massive security breach.

On this news the price of First American shares fell approximately $4.83 per share, or 9%, to close at $46.75 per share on October 22, 2020.

The complaint, filed on October 25, 2020, alleges that throughout the Class Period defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company failed to implement basic security standards to protect its customers’ sensitive personal information and data; (2) the Company faced a heightened risk of cybersecurity failure due to its automation and efficiency initiatives; and (3) as a result, defendants’ public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

For more information on the First American Financial class action go to: https://bespc.com/cases/FAF

Bayerische
Motoren
Werke AG (“BMW”) (
Other
OTC: BMWYY, BAMXF)

Class Period: November 3, 2015 to September 24, 2020

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: December 28, 2020

On December 23, 2019, the Wall Street Journal reported that the SEC was probing BMW’s sales practices.

On this news, BMWYY ADRs fell $1.33 per ADR, or nearly 6.87%, to close at $18.02 per ADR on December 23, 2019. The same day, BAMXF ADRs fell $1.25, or 1.5%, to close at $80.60.

On September 24, 2020, the SEC announced a settlement agreement with BMW regarding the investigation. According to the SEC’s order, from January 2015 to March 2017, BMW US “used its demonstrator and service loaner programs to boost reported retail sales volume and meet internal targets, resulting in demonstrator and loaner vehicles accounting for over one quarter of BMW [US]’s reported retail sales in this period.” Additionally, the order found that BMW US, from 2015 to 2019, maintained a reserve of unreported retail vehicles sales – referred to internally as the “bank” – that it used to meet internal monthly sales targets regardless of when the actual sale occurred. The order also found that BMW improperly designated vehicles as demonstrators or loaners so they would be counted as sold when in actuality they were not. Without admitting to or denying the order’s findings, BMW agreed to a settlement to pay $18 million and cease and desist from future violations.

On this news, BMWYY ADRs fell $0.51 per ADR, or approximately 2.2%, to close at $23.07 per ADR on September 25, 2020. The same day, BAMXF ADRs fell $2.54, or about 3.5%, to close at $68.91.

The complaint, filed on October 27, 2020, alleges that throughout the Class Period defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) BMW kept a “bank” of retail vehicle sales that it used to meet internal monthly sales targets regardless of when the sales actually occurred; (2) BMW artificially manipulated sales figures by having dealers register cars as sold when the cars were still in inventory; (3) as a result, BMW’s key operating metrics were inaccurate and misleading; and (4) as a result, defendants’ statements about BMW’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and/or misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

For more information on the BMW class action go to: https://bespc.com/cases/BMW

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.
Melissa Fortunato, Esq.
Marion Passmore, Esq.
(212) 355-4648
[email protected]
www.bespc.com

MORRISVILLE, N.C., Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Syneos Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: SYNH) (the “Company” or “Syneos Health”), the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization combining a CRO (Contract Research Organization) and a CCO (Contract Commercial Organization), today announced the upsizing and pricing of an offering of $600.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.625% senior notes due 2029 (the “Notes”), an upsize of $100.0 million over the amount previously announced. The Notes were priced at par value and will bear an interest rate of 3.625% per annum. The Notes are being offered in a private offering that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Notes will be guaranteed, jointly and severally, on a senior unsecured basis, by certain of the Company’s subsidiaries. Syneos Health expects to close the offering of the Notes on November 24, 2020, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Syneos Health intends to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, including the funding of acquisitions, and for repayment of indebtedness.

The Company also announced that it intends to enter into an amendment to the credit agreement governing its existing senior secured credit facilities pursuant to which, among other things, the Company expects to extend the maturity date thereof to August 2024 (the “Amendment”). The closing of the offering is not conditioned upon the effectiveness of the Amendment.

The Notes are being offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act, and outside the United States, only to non-U.S. investors pursuant to Regulation S. The Notes will not be and have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offers of the Notes will be made only by means of a private offering memorandum.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this press release are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results might differ materially from those explicit or implicit in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: reliance on key personnel; principal investigators and patients; general and international economic, political, and other risks, including currency and stock market fluctuations and the uncertain economic environment; any inability to satisfy or any failure to waive the closing conditions related to our acquisition of SHCR Holdings Corporation (“Synteract”); any failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Synteract; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic; the Company’s ability to adequately price its contracts and not overrun cost estimates; any adverse effects from the Company’s customer or therapeutic area concentration; the Company’s ability to maintain or generate new business awards; the Company’s ability to increase its market share, grow its business, and execute its growth strategies; the Company’s backlog not being indicative of future revenues and its ability to realize the anticipated future revenue reflected in its backlog; fluctuations in the Company’s operating results and effective income tax rate; risks related to the Company’s information systems and cybersecurity; changes and costs of compliance with regulations related to data privacy; risks related to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union; risks related to the Company’s transfer pricing policies; failure to perform services in accordance with contractual requirements, regulatory requirements and ethical considerations; risks relating to litigation and government investigations; risks associated with the Company’s early phase clinical facilities; insurance risk; risks of liability resulting from harm to patients; success of investments in the Company’s customers’ business or drugs; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; risks associated with acquired businesses, including the ability to integrate acquired operations, products, and technologies in our business; risks related to the Company’s income tax expense and tax reform; risks relating to the Company’s intellectual property; risks associated with the Company’s acquisition strategy; failure to realize the full value of goodwill and intangible assets; restructuring risk; potential violations of anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws; risks related to the Company’s dependence on third parties; downgrades of the Company’s credit ratings; competition in the biopharmaceutical services industry; changes in outsourcing trends; regulatory risks; trends in the Company’s customers’ businesses; the Company’s ability to keep pace with rapid technological change; risks related to the Company’s indebtedness; fluctuations in the Company’s financial results and stock price; and other risk factors set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 as updated by the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, and other SEC filings, copies of which are available free of charge on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

About Syneos Health

Syneos Health^® (Nasdaq:SYNH) is the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization. The Company, including a Contract Research Organization (CRO) and Contract Commercial Organization (CCO), is purpose-built to accelerate customer performance to address modern market realities. We bring together approximately 24,000 clinical and commercial minds with the ability to support customers in more than 110 countries. Together we share insights, use the latest technologies and apply advanced business practices to speed our customers’ delivery of important therapies to patients.

Investor Relations Contact: Ronnie Speight Senior Vice President, Investor Relations Phone: +1 919 745 2745 Email: [email protected]	Press/Media Contact: Danielle DeForge Vice President, External Communications Phone: +1 202 210 5992 Email: [email protected]

 

Denver, Colo., Nov. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

The American Indian College Fund and Pendleton Woolen Mills, the international lifestyle brand headquartered in Portland, Oregon, have selected Deshawna Anderson’s “The Courage to Bloom” as its 2020 Tribal College Blanket Contest winner. Anderson is an enrolled member of the Crow nation, an American Indian College Fund scholar, and a student attending Little Big Horn College, a tribal college in Crow Agency, Montana. She is studying business administration.

Pendleton creates wool blankets in partnership with the American Indian College Fund (the College Fund) for its American Indian College Fund collection. In addition, Pendleton has provided nearly $1.65 million in higher education support for American Indian and Alaska Native students. The College Fund and Pendleton launched the Tribal College Blanket Design Contest to further elevate the voices, work, and representation of tribal college and university (TCU) students while providing additional scholarship opportunities. Anderson’s design is the first winner of the annual competition.

“The Courage to Bloom” design is laden with traditional meaning. Anderson said the arrow shapes symbolize finding a good path in life, while acknowledging that every path holds pitfalls and opportunities. To honor the loss of missing and murdered indigenous Native people, she included an hourglass shape at the base of the largest blossom to symbolize life’s spiritual journey through the most difficult circumstances.

“It’s sad that it has to be something like this, but I hope that whoever is able to put on the design or wear it is able to get comfort from it…I hope it makes them feel good because I put good thoughts into it,” Anderson said.

A visual learner, Anderson became interested in art as an education tool to communicate her perspectives and experiences to others. She said, “My art is influenced by the Apache and Crow cultural landscapes, from the Crazy Mountain Range in the Northern Rockies of Montana to the Salt River Canyon,” (which has been described as the most scenic vista in Arizona). She also draws inspiration from historic and contemporary Apache beadwork, quillwork, and burden baskets (conically shaped and fringed baskets that traditionally were used by women to carry everyday items like food and firewood).

Anderson’s career goal is to work in the marketing field and to design a clothing line of t-shirts, sweats, and other clothing, and her experience with the blanket design will help her as she embarks upon her career. “I would like to thank everyone for giving me this opportunity and for your hard work. A shout-out to Pendleton and the American Indian College Fund and everyone who has helped me here at Little Big Horn College,” she said.

Dr. David Yarlott, President of Little Big Horn College, said, “What a tremendous boost in morale and confidence for a tribal college student to be recognized and rewarded for talent in Native thought and design! The thought that went into the design that symbolizes a contemporary issue for our Native community tugs at our hearts and raises awareness. We at Little Big Horn College are certainly proud of our student, Deshawna Anderson, for this honored recognition from the American Indian College Fund and Pendleton Woolen Mills. Thank you to the College Fund and Pendleton for the opportunity for our TCU students.”

Cheryl Crazy Bull, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said, “On behalf of the College Fund, I want to thank Pendleton for recognizing the importance of visibility and representation of Indigenous people through their commitment to supporting the College Fund’s mission. When we are able to help promote the talents of students like Deshawna, whose heartfelt passion shows in her blanket design, we are accomplishing a positive outcome for all of Indian education.” 

Courage to Bloom was chosen from 48 entries in the inaugural 2020 Tribal College Blanket Design Contest and will be available for purchase in spring 2021. You can pre-order a blanket at https://www.pendleton-usa.com/blankets/featured-blankets/american-indian-college-fund/.

The Tribal College Blanket Design Contest is open to all Native American TCU students. The contest provides a new, high-profile platform to recognize and develop the work of promising artists and raise the voices and representation of Native students and TCUs through internationally distributed products. Located in remote, rural areas and on Indian reservations, TCUs provide a critical link to higher education, career advancement, and indigenous knowledge for some of the nation’s poorest and least-connected Native communities. Every year the College Fund provides millions of dollars to thousands of TCU students; the blanket design contest will add to that support while elevating Native art, culture, and stories.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2021 Tribal College Blanket Design Contest. Submission guidelines and applications are available on the College Fund’s web site at https://collegefund.org/pendletoncontest. Any Native TCU student can submit up to two designs. Formal artistic study and textile design experience are not required.

Design winners are selected each year by a committee comprised of Native American artists along with College Fund and Pendleton staff. Prizes include:

• Grand Prize winners: $2,000 cash, a $5,000 scholarship, and six of the winning blankets.
• Second Place winners: $500 cash and a $2,500 scholarship.
• Third Place winners: $250 cash and a $1,500 scholarship.

About PendletonWoolen Mills – Pendleton Woolen Mills is a heritage brand and the leader in wool blankets, apparel, and accessories.  Founded in 1863 and located in Portland, Oregon, Pendleton weaves iconic designs in two of America’s remaining woolen mills, located in Pendleton, Oregon and Washougal, Washington.  With six generations of family ownership, Pendleton is focused on their “Warranted to Be a Pendleton” legacy, creating quality lifestyle products with timeless classic styling.  Inspiring individuals from the Pacific Northwest and beyond for over 150 years, Pendleton products are available at Pendleton stores across the U.S., select retailers worldwide, and at pendleton-usa.com.

About the American Indian College Fund—The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for 31 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $9.25 million in scholarships to American Indian students in 2019-20, with scholarships, program, and community support totaling over $237 million since its inception. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators and is one of the nation’s top 100 charities named to the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

Attachments

• Photo1_Deshawna_Anderson_Thumbnail
• Photo2_CouragetoBloom_Thumbnail

Dina Horwedel
American Indian College Fund
303-430-5350
[email protected]