Cases
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.
Corporate Governance / Derivative
Overview
Overview
- Date:
- 8/19/2024
- Company Name:
- Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.
- Stock Symbol:
- LW
- Class Period:
- FROM 7/25/2023 TO 4/3/2024
- Status:
- Filed
- Filing Date:
- 6/13/2024
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: LW) on behalf of long-term stockholders following a class action complaint that was filed against Lamb Weston on June 13, 2024 with a Class Period from July 25, 2023 to April 3, 2024. Our investigation concerns whether the board of directors of Lamb Weston have breached their fiduciary duties to the company.
Lamb Weston is the largest producer of frozen potato products in North America and the second largest worldwide. The Company sells its products to restaurants and retailers around the world. One of Lamb Weston’s largest customers is fast-food chain, McDonald’s.
On July 25, 2023, Lamb Weston announced that it had completed the design phase of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) software system that the Company would work to implement across its operations. According to the Company, that new software system would manage and integrate critically important aspects of the Company’s business, including, among other things, supplier payments, inventories, warehousing, customer invoicing, and order shipments. Investors were told that the new ERP system would replace Lamb Weston’s antiquated financial and operating systems, which the Company’s Chief Financial Officer acknowledged suffered from Lamb Weston’s “decades of under-spending in [information technology].” In late November 2023, Lamb Weston transitioned some of its central systems to the new ERP infrastructure.
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made numerous material misrepresentations and omissions regarding the design and implementation of Lamb Weston’s new ERP system. Specifically, throughout the Class Period, (1) Defendants represented that, through the design of the Company’s new ERP system, Lamb Weston had “strengthen[ed] [its] operational infrastructure.” (2) The Company also downplayed any issues it experienced with the implementation of the system as merely “usual bumps,” and told investors that its financial guidance for fiscal 2024 appropriately accounted for any negative financial impact associated with the system’s deployment.
The complaint further alleges that the truth emerged on April 4, 2024, when Lamb Weston reported financial results for its fiscal third quarter 2024, and disclosed significant problems with its transition to the new ERP system. Those problems caused Lamb Weston to lose over $130 million in sales during the third quarter and led the Company to significantly reduce its sales guidance for its full fiscal year. The unsuccessful ERP transition resulted in Lamb Weston’s “reduced visibility into finished goods inventory at [ ] distribution centers,” which negatively impacted the Company’s ability to fulfill customer orders, resulting in shipment delays and cancelled orders. In total, Lamb Weston’s disastrous ERP system roll-out negatively impacted the Company’s net sales by $135 million, net income by $72 million, and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization by $95 million. Lamb Weston also cut its sales guidance range for fiscal 2024 by $330 million, at the midpoint. The Company disclosed that it expected sales volumes in its fiscal fourth quarter 2024 to be negatively impacted by some customers that were affected by Lamb Weston’s botched ERP transition, as those customers turned to Lamb Weston’s competitors to meet their needs. As a result of these disclosures, the price of Lamb Weston stock declined by $19.59 per share, or over 19%.
If you are a long-term stockholder of Lamb Weston, 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 the form below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
Lamb Weston is the largest producer of frozen potato products in North America and the second largest worldwide. The Company sells its products to restaurants and retailers around the world. One of Lamb Weston’s largest customers is fast-food chain, McDonald’s.
On July 25, 2023, Lamb Weston announced that it had completed the design phase of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) software system that the Company would work to implement across its operations. According to the Company, that new software system would manage and integrate critically important aspects of the Company’s business, including, among other things, supplier payments, inventories, warehousing, customer invoicing, and order shipments. Investors were told that the new ERP system would replace Lamb Weston’s antiquated financial and operating systems, which the Company’s Chief Financial Officer acknowledged suffered from Lamb Weston’s “decades of under-spending in [information technology].” In late November 2023, Lamb Weston transitioned some of its central systems to the new ERP infrastructure.
The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made numerous material misrepresentations and omissions regarding the design and implementation of Lamb Weston’s new ERP system. Specifically, throughout the Class Period, (1) Defendants represented that, through the design of the Company’s new ERP system, Lamb Weston had “strengthen[ed] [its] operational infrastructure.” (2) The Company also downplayed any issues it experienced with the implementation of the system as merely “usual bumps,” and told investors that its financial guidance for fiscal 2024 appropriately accounted for any negative financial impact associated with the system’s deployment.
The complaint further alleges that the truth emerged on April 4, 2024, when Lamb Weston reported financial results for its fiscal third quarter 2024, and disclosed significant problems with its transition to the new ERP system. Those problems caused Lamb Weston to lose over $130 million in sales during the third quarter and led the Company to significantly reduce its sales guidance for its full fiscal year. The unsuccessful ERP transition resulted in Lamb Weston’s “reduced visibility into finished goods inventory at [ ] distribution centers,” which negatively impacted the Company’s ability to fulfill customer orders, resulting in shipment delays and cancelled orders. In total, Lamb Weston’s disastrous ERP system roll-out negatively impacted the Company’s net sales by $135 million, net income by $72 million, and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization by $95 million. Lamb Weston also cut its sales guidance range for fiscal 2024 by $330 million, at the midpoint. The Company disclosed that it expected sales volumes in its fiscal fourth quarter 2024 to be negatively impacted by some customers that were affected by Lamb Weston’s botched ERP transition, as those customers turned to Lamb Weston’s competitors to meet their needs. As a result of these disclosures, the price of Lamb Weston stock declined by $19.59 per share, or over 19%.
If you are a long-term stockholder of Lamb Weston, 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 the form below. There is no cost or obligation to you.
The individual or institution below (“Plaintiff”) has reviewed and agrees to the Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. (“BESPC”) retainer agreement and authorizes BESPC to prosecute an action on Plaintiff’s behalf under the federal securities laws or applicable state laws to recover damages on behalf of investors in Lamb Weston Holdings. BESPC will prosecute the action on a full contingency basis and will forward all costs and expenses.
Case Updates
Retainer Agreement
This will confirm that you have retained Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. (“BESPC”) to represent you in connection with potential litigation against Lamb Weston Holdings (the “Company”) and its directors and officers. BESPC has conducted an investigation and believes that there is a valid basis to assert claims against the Company and its directors and/or officers for breach of fiduciary duties and other applicable laws.
In making this agreement, BESPC is relying upon your representation that you held the Company’s shares during the period from 7/25/2023 to 4/3/2024 (the “Relevant Period”) and that you continue to hold Company shares. Please provide us with documentation of your trading history in the Company’s stock by emailing a relevant copies of your brokerage statements to investigations@bespc.com. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call us at (212) 308-5858.
The terms under which we will represent you and your responsibilities as a potential representative plaintiff are set forth below.
You will have an obligation to remain knowledgeable about the litigation and participate in decisions concerning the progress of the litigation. If BESPC is appointed as lead counsel or in a similar capacity in the action, we will provide you with copies of all pleadings in the litigation for your review and approval, circumstances permitting, before they are filed with the court. BESPC will also promptly advise you of any significant developments in the litigation.
As a representative plaintiff, you cannot have any interest antagonistic to or in conflict with other shareholders or the Company concerning the claims we are pursuing or any relationships with any of the named defendants that would in any way impair your ability or incentive to obtain the best possible result. You agree that neither you nor any of your affiliates or agents will trade stocks while in the possession of any material non-public information you may receive in connection with the litigation. In addition, as a representative plaintiff, you may be required to continue holding Company shares. Please contact us before buying or selling Company shares.
BESPC will prosecute this litigation on a contingency basis. You will not be responsible for paying any legal fees, costs, or out-of-pocket expenses arising out of or related to the prosecution of this litigation, regardless of the outcome of the matter. If there is a monetary recovery in this action, BESPC will, at the conclusion of the litigation or any segment thereof, apply to the court for approval of an award of attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of expenses. BESPC may also seek a fee if we obtain substantial non-monetary relief for the Class or the Company. The court will then award fees and disbursements (if any) from the proceeds of any judgment or settlement obtained in this litigation, based on factors considered relevant by the court. Such fees, costs, and disbursements will be paid from the entire settlement amount and not only from your share of the settlement amount.
BESPC may associate with other counsel to assist in the prosecution of this litigation. Any recovery of fees and costs will be shared with such counsel, determined on a percentage basis or based upon the time spent on the matter, as approved by the court if applicable. The division of work and or fees among co-counsel will not affect the amount of fees received upon a successful completion of the litigation. From time to time, BESPC may utilize contract attorneys to supplement the work of its own employed attorneys. BESPC will supervise the work of all contract attorneys and adopt their work product as its own. You authorize BESPC, as we deem appropriate, to associate with other counsel and to hire experts and consultants to assist in the handling of your claims.
It is possible that you will not be appointed as a lead plaintiff in the action. However, we may wish to represent you in other litigation related to the wrongful acts giving rise to this case. In such event, we will contact you to discuss the scope of such representation and obtain your approval before moving forward. You also agree that we may contact you with respect to other potential matters on your behalf.
BESPC will consult with you regarding any settlement negotiations and seek to obtain your approval for any proposed resolution of this litigation before entering into a final settlement agreement with defendants.
You expressly acknowledge that we have not made any representation to you, express or implied, concerning the outcome of any litigation or other matter in which we represent you.
If you are not chosen as a representative plaintiff and we do not choose to pursue other related litigation on your behalf, we will provide you with notification and this Agreement shall terminate. Otherwise, this Agreement shall remain in effect until the conclusion of the relevant litigation. However, you may terminate this Agreement at any time.
Upon termination, BESPC’s files and papers compiled in connection with its investigation and prosecution of this matter constitute the work product and property of BESPC over which it has complete control with respect to its use and/or disclosure.
This agreement sets forth the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all other oral or written communications.
Please feel free to contact us at any time should you have any questions or comments in this regard.
In making this agreement, BESPC is relying upon your representation that you held the Company’s shares during the period from 7/25/2023 to 4/3/2024 (the “Relevant Period”) and that you continue to hold Company shares. Please provide us with documentation of your trading history in the Company’s stock by emailing a relevant copies of your brokerage statements to investigations@bespc.com. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call us at (212) 308-5858.
The terms under which we will represent you and your responsibilities as a potential representative plaintiff are set forth below.
Your Responsibilities as a Representative Plaintiff
As a representative plaintiff, you will have a duty to represent the interests of similarly situated shareholders and to participate in the prosecution of this litigation. You may also be asked to provide documents concerning your trading in Company stock and may be asked to sit for a deposition. Accordingly, you should preserve all documents that relate to this case until it has concluded or we inform you otherwise. Relevant documents include any information you have about the Company or your trading in Company stock, no matter how it is recorded or who is keeping it for you. If you have any questions about whether information should be retained, please contact us.You will have an obligation to remain knowledgeable about the litigation and participate in decisions concerning the progress of the litigation. If BESPC is appointed as lead counsel or in a similar capacity in the action, we will provide you with copies of all pleadings in the litigation for your review and approval, circumstances permitting, before they are filed with the court. BESPC will also promptly advise you of any significant developments in the litigation.
As a representative plaintiff, you cannot have any interest antagonistic to or in conflict with other shareholders or the Company concerning the claims we are pursuing or any relationships with any of the named defendants that would in any way impair your ability or incentive to obtain the best possible result. You agree that neither you nor any of your affiliates or agents will trade stocks while in the possession of any material non-public information you may receive in connection with the litigation. In addition, as a representative plaintiff, you may be required to continue holding Company shares. Please contact us before buying or selling Company shares.
Contingency Fee and Advancement of Expenses
BESPC will prosecute this litigation on a contingency basis. You will not be responsible for paying any legal fees, costs, or out-of-pocket expenses arising out of or related to the prosecution of this litigation, regardless of the outcome of the matter. If there is a monetary recovery in this action, BESPC will, at the conclusion of the litigation or any segment thereof, apply to the court for approval of an award of attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of expenses. BESPC may also seek a fee if we obtain substantial non-monetary relief for the Class or the Company. The court will then award fees and disbursements (if any) from the proceeds of any judgment or settlement obtained in this litigation, based on factors considered relevant by the court. Such fees, costs, and disbursements will be paid from the entire settlement amount and not only from your share of the settlement amount.
Association with Counsel
BESPC may associate with other counsel to assist in the prosecution of this litigation. Any recovery of fees and costs will be shared with such counsel, determined on a percentage basis or based upon the time spent on the matter, as approved by the court if applicable. The division of work and or fees among co-counsel will not affect the amount of fees received upon a successful completion of the litigation. From time to time, BESPC may utilize contract attorneys to supplement the work of its own employed attorneys. BESPC will supervise the work of all contract attorneys and adopt their work product as its own. You authorize BESPC, as we deem appropriate, to associate with other counsel and to hire experts and consultants to assist in the handling of your claims.
Other Actions
It is possible that you will not be appointed as a lead plaintiff in the action. However, we may wish to represent you in other litigation related to the wrongful acts giving rise to this case. In such event, we will contact you to discuss the scope of such representation and obtain your approval before moving forward. You also agree that we may contact you with respect to other potential matters on your behalf.No Special Treatment
You understand that in the event we secure a recovery, you will not receive any special treatment or receive a greater share of any recovery based on your service as a named plaintiff. However, we may ask the Court to approve an additional award to you to compensate you for the time and effort you expend on this matter. Any such award is solely within the discretion of the Court.
Settlement
BESPC will consult with you regarding any settlement negotiations and seek to obtain your approval for any proposed resolution of this litigation before entering into a final settlement agreement with defendants.
No Guarantee of Success
You expressly acknowledge that we have not made any representation to you, express or implied, concerning the outcome of any litigation or other matter in which we represent you.
Termination of This Agreement
If you are not chosen as a representative plaintiff and we do not choose to pursue other related litigation on your behalf, we will provide you with notification and this Agreement shall terminate. Otherwise, this Agreement shall remain in effect until the conclusion of the relevant litigation. However, you may terminate this Agreement at any time. Upon termination, BESPC’s files and papers compiled in connection with its investigation and prosecution of this matter constitute the work product and property of BESPC over which it has complete control with respect to its use and/or disclosure.
This agreement sets forth the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all other oral or written communications.
Please feel free to contact us at any time should you have any questions or comments in this regard.