In No. 378 (June 24, 2020), I discussed a 2012 federal securities class action lawsuit against MetLife, Inc. that the company is settling in 2020. A reader promptly informed me of a similar 2012 federal securities class action lawsuit against Prudential Financial, Inc. that the company settled in 2016. Here I discuss the Prudential case.
On August 22, 2012, the City of Sterling Heights General Employees' Retirement System filed a class action lawsuit against Prudential (NYSE:PRU) and four senior officers of the company. (Sterling Heights is in Michigan.) The class consisted of all purchasers of Prudential common stock between May 5, 2010 and November 2, 2011. The original 50-page complaint alleged three counts of violations of federal securities laws. On May 6, 2013, the plaintiff filed a 114-page amended complaint containing two counts. (See City of Sterling Heights v. Prudential, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, Case No 2-12-cv-5275.)
Prudential's Descriptions of the Case
After the original complaint was filed, Prudential included a one-paragraph description of the case in the company's 10-Q report for the quarter ended September 30, 2012, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2012. After the case was settled, Prudential included a one-paragraph description in the company's 10-Q report for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, filed November 4, 2016. Those two short descriptions are in the complimentary package offered at the end of this post.
The Amended Complaint
The court filings in the City of Sterling Heights case were extensive throughout the four years during which the case was fought. The "Introduction and Review" section of the amended complaint alleged that Prudential used the Social Security Administration's Death Master File (DMF), known to be incomplete and inaccurate, to stop making payments to life annuitants. Another allegation was that the company did not use the DMF to try to locate life insurance beneficiaries, therefore avoiding either the escheatment of unclaimed property to the states or the payment of death benefits to beneficiaries. Part of the amended complaint is in the complimentary package offered at the end of this post.
The Settlement
A memorandum of law described the settlement. The settlement amount was $33 million. Out of that was paid 30 percent ($9.9 million) for attorneys' fees and almost $800,000 for attorneys' expenses. Here was part of a paragraph from the memorandum of law (the first 15 pages of the memorandum of law are in the complimentary package offered at the end of this post):
General Observations
I have no basis on which to express an opinion on the fairness of the settlement in the Prudential case. Therefore, I will not do so.
The MetLife case discussed in No. 378 and the Prudential case discussed here have several similarities. First, both cases started in 2012. Second, the MetLife case dragged on for more than eight years; it is now being settled. Third, the Prudential case dragged on for more than four years; it was settled in 2016. Fourth, both cases involved failure to use the DMF to find missing life insurance beneficiaries. Fifth, both cases involved the use of the DMF to avoid payments to life annuitants. Sixth, both cases involved major investigations by state unclaimed property officials. Seventh, both cases involved major investigations by state insurance regulators. Eighth, both cases involved strong denials of wrongdoing by company officials. I think it is likely there were similar lawsuits against other life insurance companies.
Email from a Reader
After No. 378 was posted, I received an email from a reader. Here is a lightly edited version of what the reader said:
I am offering a complimentary 41-page PDF consisting of Prudential's short descriptions of the case (1 page), an excerpt from the amended complaint (18 pages), an excerpt from a memorandum of law (15 pages), and the judge's final order and judgment (7 pages). Email jmbelth@gmail.com and ask for the July 2020 package about the case of City of Sterling Heights v. Prudential.
On August 22, 2012, the City of Sterling Heights General Employees' Retirement System filed a class action lawsuit against Prudential (NYSE:PRU) and four senior officers of the company. (Sterling Heights is in Michigan.) The class consisted of all purchasers of Prudential common stock between May 5, 2010 and November 2, 2011. The original 50-page complaint alleged three counts of violations of federal securities laws. On May 6, 2013, the plaintiff filed a 114-page amended complaint containing two counts. (See City of Sterling Heights v. Prudential, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, Case No 2-12-cv-5275.)
Prudential's Descriptions of the Case
After the original complaint was filed, Prudential included a one-paragraph description of the case in the company's 10-Q report for the quarter ended September 30, 2012, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2012. After the case was settled, Prudential included a one-paragraph description in the company's 10-Q report for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, filed November 4, 2016. Those two short descriptions are in the complimentary package offered at the end of this post.
The Amended Complaint
The court filings in the City of Sterling Heights case were extensive throughout the four years during which the case was fought. The "Introduction and Review" section of the amended complaint alleged that Prudential used the Social Security Administration's Death Master File (DMF), known to be incomplete and inaccurate, to stop making payments to life annuitants. Another allegation was that the company did not use the DMF to try to locate life insurance beneficiaries, therefore avoiding either the escheatment of unclaimed property to the states or the payment of death benefits to beneficiaries. Part of the amended complaint is in the complimentary package offered at the end of this post.
The Settlement
A memorandum of law described the settlement. The settlement amount was $33 million. Out of that was paid 30 percent ($9.9 million) for attorneys' fees and almost $800,000 for attorneys' expenses. Here was part of a paragraph from the memorandum of law (the first 15 pages of the memorandum of law are in the complimentary package offered at the end of this post):
Lead Counsel have succeeded in obtaining a $33,000,000 cash settlement for the benefit of the Class. This is a very good result in the face of substantial risk and is a credit to Lead Counsel's vigorous, persistent, and skilled efforts. Lead Counsel respectfully move this Court for an award of attorneys' fees in the amount of 30% of the Settlement Amount and payment of their litigation expenses in the amount of $798,955.79, plus interest on both amounts....On September 29, 2016, the judge issued an order approving the plan of settlement, an order awarding attorneys' fees and expenses, and a final judgment and order dismissing the case with prejudice (permanently). The final judgment and order are in the complimentary package at the end of this post.
General Observations
I have no basis on which to express an opinion on the fairness of the settlement in the Prudential case. Therefore, I will not do so.
The MetLife case discussed in No. 378 and the Prudential case discussed here have several similarities. First, both cases started in 2012. Second, the MetLife case dragged on for more than eight years; it is now being settled. Third, the Prudential case dragged on for more than four years; it was settled in 2016. Fourth, both cases involved failure to use the DMF to find missing life insurance beneficiaries. Fifth, both cases involved the use of the DMF to avoid payments to life annuitants. Sixth, both cases involved major investigations by state unclaimed property officials. Seventh, both cases involved major investigations by state insurance regulators. Eighth, both cases involved strong denials of wrongdoing by company officials. I think it is likely there were similar lawsuits against other life insurance companies.
Email from a Reader
After No. 378 was posted, I received an email from a reader. Here is a lightly edited version of what the reader said:
Thanks for your post about MetLife's settlement. Most MetLife common stock is held by institutional investors. If Vanguard, Black Rock, State Street, and the other exchange traded funds and mutual funds get a check as part of the settlement, I question whether beneficial investors will participate. I guess theoretically money should go to the beneficial owners who held shares during the class period. I am pretty sure there will be no effort by the exchange traded funds and mutual funds to go back eight years to try to sort out who owned shares at the time. The companies settling such cases almost never admit wrongdoing. Their strategy seems to be to drag out the litigation until the substance of the complaint is forgotten and then work to minimize any negative public relations problems associated with the settlement.Available Material
I am offering a complimentary 41-page PDF consisting of Prudential's short descriptions of the case (1 page), an excerpt from the amended complaint (18 pages), an excerpt from a memorandum of law (15 pages), and the judge's final order and judgment (7 pages). Email jmbelth@gmail.com and ask for the July 2020 package about the case of City of Sterling Heights v. Prudential.
===================================
Email: jmbelth@gmail.com
Blog: www.josephmbelth.com