
Badger Meter's CEO and CFO Face Personal Liability Claims After Shareholders Lost Over $36 Per Share When Alleged Order Pull-Forward Scheme Unraveled
NEW YORK, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP alerts investors in Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE: BMI) of a pending securities class action naming senior executives as individual defendants. Class Period: April 18, 2024 through April 16, 2026. Find out if you qualify to recover losses or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at [email protected] | (212) 363-7500.
BMI shares fell more than 24%, losing $36.75 per share in a single session after the Company disclosed that weakening short-cycle municipal orders had reduced revenue by $15 million to $20 million versus internal expectations. The Court has set August 3, 2026 as the deadline to apply for lead plaintiff appointment.
The Named Individual Defendants
Three senior officers are named as defendants in the action filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York:
- Kenneth C. Bockhorst, Chief Executive Officer throughout the Class Period, who signed SEC filings and made public statements attributing record results to "ongoing favorable industry fundamentals" and "robust customer demand"
- Robert A. Wrocklage, Chief Financial Officer until January 1, 2026, then Executive Vice President, who certified quarterly and annual financial reports and discussed demand drivers with analysts
- Daniel R. Weltzien, Chief Financial Officer since January 1, 2026, who certified subsequent financial reports and made statements regarding revenue variability
Section 20(a) Control Person Framework
The lawsuit asserts claims under Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which imposes liability on individuals who "controlled" an entity that violated securities laws. The complaint contends each Individual Defendant possessed the power and authority to control the contents of Badger Meter's SEC reports, press releases, and presentations to analysts and institutional investors. Each was allegedly provided with copies of the Company's public statements prior to issuance and had the ability to prevent their release or cause corrections.
Sarbanes-Oxley Certification Obligations
Under Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the CEO and CFO personally certify the accuracy of each quarterly and annual report filed with the SEC. The action alleges that:
- Bockhorst and the serving CFO certified filings that presented pulled-forward revenue as evidence of durable demand
- These certifications accompanied financial results later revealed to have been inflated by order acceleration that depleted future-period revenue
- The certifying officers knew or recklessly disregarded that short-cycle demand variability "has always existed" but was concealed by backlog conditions
- When analysts directly asked whether customers were pulling forward orders, the CEO denied it, stating 75% of revenue goes to end users who "really, in many ways, cannot pull forward"
Scienter Allegations
The pleading asserts that the Individual Defendants' own end-of-Class-Period admissions support an inference of scienter. Management acknowledged that short-cycle ordering variability existed throughout 2023 to 2025 but was "less visible in the revenue outcomes because of the backlog condition combined with projects in flight." This admission, as averred, suggests the defendants understood the true demand picture while publicly attributing results to secular growth drivers.
"Corporate officers have a duty to ensure their companies' public statements are accurate and complete. When executives personally certify financial results that are later shown to have been materially misleading, the securities laws provide a framework for holding those individuals accountable." -- Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Submit your information to join the recovery or call Joseph E. Levi, Esq. at (212) 363-7500.
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP -- Top 50 securities litigation firm (ISS, seven consecutive years). Over 70 professionals. Hundreds of millions recovered.
Frequently Asked Questions About the BMI Lawsuit
Q: Who are the defendants named in the BMI lawsuit? A: The complaint names Badger Meter, Inc. and individual defendants including CEO Kenneth C. Bockhorst, former CFO Robert A. Wrocklage, and current CFO Daniel R. Weltzien, each of whom signed SEC filings, made public statements, or certified financial disclosures under Sarbanes-Oxley.
Q: What specific misstatements does the BMI lawsuit allege? A: The complaint alleges Badger Meter made materially false or misleading statements regarding the drivers of its record financial results, attributing them to durable demand and secular growth trends while concealing that revenue was being pulled forward from future periods. When the true state was revealed, the stock price declined sharply.
Q: What is a lead plaintiff and why does it matter? A: A lead plaintiff is the investor appointed by the court to represent the entire class. Lead plaintiffs are typically investors with the largest documented losses. Being appointed does not increase individual recovery but gives direct oversight of how the case is run.
Q: How do I know if I lost enough money to be the lead plaintiff? A: There is no minimum loss threshold. Courts appoint the investor with the largest provable loss who is willing and able to represent the class adequately. Contact Levi & Korsinsky before August 3, 2026 to evaluate.
Q: What does it cost me to participate? A: Nothing. Securities class actions are handled on a pure contingency basis. No upfront fees, no retainer, no out-of-pocket costs.
Q: What if I already sold my BMI shares -- can I still recover losses? A: Yes. Eligibility is based on when you purchased, not whether you still hold them. Investors who bought during the class period and sold at a loss may still participate.
CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
Ed Korsinsky, Esq.
33 Whitehall Street, 27th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
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