NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2021 (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 CarLotz, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOTZ), Ardelyx, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARDX), and Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI). 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.

CarLotz, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOTZ)

Class Period: December 30, 2020 to May 25, 2021

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: September 7, 2021

On March 15, 2021, CarLotz announced its fourth quarter and full year 2020 financial results. During a related conference call, the Company stated that gross profit and gross profit per unit (“GPU”) “were softer than . . . expected” due to “the surge in inventory during the quarter and the resulting lower retail unit profitability.” CarLotz also reported that the additional inventory “created a logjam that resulted in slower processing and higher days to sell.”

On this news, the Company’s stock price fell $0.79, or 8.5%, to close at $8.45 per share on March 16, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume. The stock price continued to decline over the next two consecutive trading sessions by $0.62, or 7.3%, to close at $7.83 per share on March 18, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

Then, on May 10, 2021, after the market closed, CarLotz announced its first quarter 2021 financial results revealing that gross profit per unit fell below expectations. In particular, the Company had expected retail GPU between $1,300 and $1,500 but reported $1,182.

On this news, the Company’s stock price fell $0.94, or 14%, to close at $5.57 per share on May 11, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume. The stock price continued to decline $0.45, or 8%, to close at $4.12 per share on May 12, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

Then, on May 26, 2021, before the market opened, CarLotz announced an update to its profit-sharing sourcing partner arrangement. Specifically, CarLotz stated that its "profit-sharing corporate vehicle sourcing partner informed the Company that, in light of current wholesale market conditions, it has paused consignments to the Company." Moreover, this partner "accounted for more than 60% of the cars sold and sourced" during first quarter 2021 and "less than 50% of the cars sold and approximately 25% of cars sourced" during second quarter 2021 to date.

On this news, the Company’s stock price fell $0.70, or 13.4%, to close at $4.51 per share on May 26, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume.

The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants made material misrepresentations concerning the following: (1) that, due to a surge in inventory during the second half of fiscal 2020, CarLotz was experiencing a "logjam" resulting in slower processing and higher days to sell; (2) that, as a result, the Company’s gross profit per unit would be negatively impacted; (3) that, to minimize returns to the corporate vehicle sourcing partner responsible for more than 60% of CarLotz’s inventory, the Company was offering aggressive pricing; (4) that, as a result, CarLotz’s gross profit per unit forecast was likely inflated; (5) that this Company’s corporate vehicle sourcing partner would likely pause consignments to the Company due to market conditions, including increasing wholesale prices; and (6) as a result, Defendants’ statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked reasonable basis at all relevant times.

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

Ardelyx, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARDX)

Class Period: August 6, 2020 to July 19, 2021

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: September 28, 2021

Ardelyx is a specialized biopharmaceutical company focused on developing medicine to improve treatment for people with cardiorenal disease, including patients with chronic kidney disease (“CKD”) on dialysis suffering from elevated serum phosphorus, or hyperphosphatemia.

In June 2020, Ardelyx submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) for its lead product candidate, tenapanor, a supposedly first-in-class medicine for the control of serum phosphorus in adult patients with CKD on dialysis. Ardelyx’s NDA was purportedly supported by successful Phase 3 studies, which, according to the complaint, showed “improvements” over current treatments and supported tenapanor’s “clinical safety and efficacy,” reinforcing its “potential” to be a “transformative” treatment.

After the market closed on July 19, 2021, however, Ardelyx revealed that it had received a letter from the FDA stating that it had detected issues with both the size and clinical relevance of the drug’s treatment effect.

On this news, the Company’s share price declined, falling $9.71 per share, or nearly 74%, to close at $2.01 per share on July 20, 2021.

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

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI)

Class Period: August 4, 2016 to July 27, 2021

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: October 4, 2021
According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Activision Blizzard discriminated against women and minority employees; (2) Activision Blizzard fostered a pervasive “frat boy” workplace culture that continues to thrive; (3) numerous complaints about unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation were made to human resources personnel and executives which went unaddressed; (4) the pervasive culture of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation would result in serious impairments to Activision Blizzard’s operations; (5) as a result as a result of the foregoing, the Company was at greater risk of regulatory and legal scrutiny and enforcement, including that which would have a material adverse effect; (6) Activision Blizzard failed to inform shareholders that the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing ("DFEH") had been investigating Activision Blizzard for harassment and discrimination; and (7) as a result, Defendants’ statements about Activision Blizzard’s business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

On this news, the price of Activision Blizzard shares traded at unusually high volumes and fell $5.89, or over 6%, to close at $84.05 on July 27, 2021.

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

About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.:
Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. 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
investigations@bespc.com
www.bespc.com