Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Files Class Action Suit Against Freshpet, Inc.

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Apr 21, 2016, 07:27 ET

NEW YORK, April 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP ("Robbins Geller") (http://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases/freshpet/) today announced that a class action has been commenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey on behalf of purchasers of Freshpet, Inc. ("Freshpet" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:FRPT) common stock during the period between April 1, 2015 and November 11, 2015 (the "Class Period").

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than 60 days from today. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, please contact plaintiff's counsel, Samuel H. Rudman or Mario Alba Jr. of Robbins Geller at 800/449-4900 or 619/231-1058, or via e-mail at [email protected]. If you are a member of this Class, you can view a copy of the complaint as filed or join this class action online at http://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases/freshpet/. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member.

The complaint charges Freshpet and certain of its officers and directors with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Freshpet manufactures and markets natural fresh foods, refrigerated meals, and treats for dogs and cats in the United States and Canada. Freshpet's products are sold to consumers through a network of Company-owned branded refrigerators, known as Freshpet Fridges, which are located in grocery stores and other retail outlets.

The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, defendants failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's true financial condition, business and prospects. Specifically the complaint alleges that: (a) one of the Company's material customers, Target Corp., was undergoing a corporate reorganization and, accordingly, was delaying the installation of a significant number of Freshpet Fridges; (b) two of the Company's supermarket customers were experiencing financial hardships such that it was likely that any Freshpet Fridges located in their respective stores would soon have to be removed; and (c) due to the foregoing, the Company was not growing its overall number of installed Freshpet Fridges at the levels communicated to investors and was tracking well below internal forecasts for such placements.

On August 11, 2015 Freshpet announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2015, the period ending June 30, 2015, and revealed that the Company was experiencing weaker gross margins and slowing fridge growth. As a result, on August 12, 2015, the price of Freshpet common stock declined $0.87 per share, or 6%, to close at $13.73 per share, on heavy trading volume.

Then, on November 11, 2015 Freshpet announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2015, the period ending September 30, 2015. For the quarter, the Company reported net sales of $30.6 million, adjusted EBITDA of $2.3 million, and Freshpet Fridges of 14,670. In reaction to this announcement, on November 12, 2015, the price of Freshpet common stock fell $2.09 per share, or 25%, to close at $6.28 per share.

Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of all purchasers of Freshpet common stock during the Class Period (the "Class"). The plaintiff is represented by Robbins Geller, which has extensive experience in prosecuting investor class actions including actions involving financial fraud.

Robbins Geller, with 200 lawyers in ten offices, represents U.S. and international institutional investors in contingency-based securities and corporate litigation. The firm has obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history and was ranked first in both the amount and number of shareholder class action recoveries in ISS's SCAS Top 50 report for 2014. Please visit http://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases/freshpet/ for more information.

Contact:

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
Samuel H. Rudman, 800-449-4900
Mario Alba Jr.
[email protected]

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SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP