Cornerstone Research has released an updated report on post-PSLRA settlements of securities class actions through December 2005. The findings include:
(1) Excluding the Enron and WorldCom settlements, the value of securities class action settlements was $3.5 billion in 2005, up from $2.9 billion in 2004.
(2) The settlement value increase is attributable to a 10% increase in the number of settlements (124 in 2005 vs. 113 in 2004), a $2.1 million increase in average settlement value ($28.5 million in 2005 vs. $26.4 million in 2004), and an increase in the number of settlements over $100 million (9 in 2005 vs. 7 in 2004).
(3) The median value of settlements increased 19% to $7.5 million in 2005.
Quote of Note (press release): “[W]hile the Cornerstone study finds a significant increase in settlement amounts in 2005, a report recently issued by the Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearinghouse in cooperation with Cornerstone Research found decreases in 2005 in both the number of case filings, as well as the amount of investor losses associated with case filings. Since there is a delay between case filings and case resolutions, these results suggest – along with the effects of the Dura decision – potential lower settlement values in the future.”
The 10b-5 Daily 