Murray, Frank & Sailer LLP is investigating a class action lawsuit on behalf of all securities purchasers of StockerYale, Inc. (“StockerYale” or the “Company”; Nasdaq: STKR) from April 19, 2004 through May 23, 2005, inclusive (the "Class Period").
The firm is investigating whether the Company and certain of its officers violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. StockerYale designs and manufactures structured light lasers, light emitting diodes (LEDs), fiber optic and fluorescent illumination technologies. The investigation concerns whether the Company failed to disclose and misrepresented the nature of contracts the Company had entered into with BAE Systems (“BAE”), Inc. On April 19, 2004, the Company issued a press release announcing that it had received an order in connection with a contract to supply lasers to a program developing an airborne military missile defense system and had entered into a contract with a unit of BAE to develop a customized laser for the development of a missile countermeasure system for commercial planes. On this news, the price of the Company’s securities dramatically jumped, and by April 20, 2004, hit a high of $7.75, an increase of 474% from the closing price of the stock prior to the notices publication.
Amidst this dramatic increase in the price of the stock, Mark Blodgett (“Blodgett”), the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company, sold 250,000 shares of his privately held stock at $6.56 per share. On April 21, 2004, the Company issued a follow-up press release that had the effect of reiterating the April 19, 2004 press release.
On November 9, 2004, the Company received a “Wells Notice” from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) indicating that the SEC intended to recommend that a civil action be brought against StockerYale and Blodgett in connection with the April 19, 2004 and April 21, 2004 press releases. On May 24, 2005, the SEC announced that Blodgett and the Company had consented to an entry of an order enjoining them from further violating securities regulations and ordering Blodgett to pay disgorgement plus interest in the amount of $788,118.92 and a civil penalty in the amount of $120,000. The complaint against Blodgett and the Company filed by the SEC on May 24, 2005 alleges that the April 19, 2004 and April 21, 2004 press releases were misleading in that they created the false impression that StockerYale was supplying lasers to BAE in support of a Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) program, when in fact the orders were not related to any DHS program.
The firm of Murray, Frank & Sailer LLP is investigating a class action lawsuit seeking to recover damages on behalf of purchases of StockerYale, Inc. in connection with the conduct herein described. If you would like to discuss this announcement, or your rights and interests, please contact Eric J. Belfi (ebelfi@murrayfrank.com) of Murray, Frank & Sailer LLP.
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