Lumen Technologies, Inc.

On May 25, 2023, United States Magistrate Judge Kayla D. McClusky of the Western District of Louisiana appointed Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP as co-lead counsel in In re: Lumen Technologies, Inc. Securities Litigation, 3:23-cv-00286-TAD-KDM (W.D. La.). The suit centers on false and misleading statements made by Lumen Technologies, Inc. related to the rollout of its new Quantum Fiber brand. 

Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) various headwinds were impeding the Company’s ability to invest in and grow its Quantum Fiber brand; (ii) Quantum Fiber was not progressing as was represented to the investing public; (iii) Lumen’s management was reassessing its strategic priorities and had placed a hold on the plans to quickly scale up the Quantum Fiber brand; and (iv) as a result of Lumen’s decision to delay expansion of Quantum Fiber, the Company’s results and metrics were negatively impacted and the scaling up of Quantum Fiber would not occur until, at the earliest, the end of 2023. As a result of the foregoing, Lumen’s public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

Beginning on February 9, 2022, Defendants began to admit that Lumen’s expansion into SMB and residential fiber services was occurring slower than previously represented. On this news, Lumen’s stock price declined $1.99, from a close of $12.82 per share on February 9, 2022, to a close of $10.83 on February 10, 2022.

On November 2, 2022, Defendants continued to partially disclose the truth when Lumen’s Chief Executive Officer admitted, “let me be clear, we are not yet at the pace of build we expect or want” with respect to the Company’s development of its Quantum Fiber brand. On this news, Lumen’s stock price declined $1.25, from a close of $7.05 per share on November 2, 2022, to a close of $5.80 on November 3, 2022.

By February 7, 2023, Defendants would admit, contrary to what was previously represented, that they had pressed “more of a stop button than a pause button” on Lumen’s investment into the Quantum Fiber network and expansion into the SMB and residential markets while the Company re-evaluated its strategic priorities. The price of Lumen’s common stock had been artificially inflated by Defendants’ misrepresentations about the Company’s progress expanding into SMB and residential markets. Upon the news that Lumen’s progress was slower than represented and that Lumen had stopped investing in the expansion of its Quantum Fiber network, the price of Lumen’s common stock plummeted as the artificial inflation was removed from the price. On this news, Lumen’s stock price declined $1.04, from a close of $4.99 per share on February 7, 2023, to a close of $3.95 on February 8, 2023.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. 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. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.