RM LAW Announces Class Action Lawsuit Against EQT Corporation

BERWYN, Pa., July 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- RM LAW, P.C. announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT) ("EQT" or the "Company") on behalf of purchasers of the Company's securities between June 19, 2017 and October 24, 2018, inclusive (the "Class Period").

EQT shareholders may, no later than August 26, 2019, move the Court for appointment as a lead plaintiff of the Class.  If you purchased shares of EQT and would like to learn more about these claims or if you wish to discuss these matters and have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights, contact Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or to sign up online, click here.

On June 19, 2017, EQT announced entry into an agreement to acquire Rice Energy Inc. ("Rice") for total consideration of $6.7 billion (the "Acquisition").  EQT touted the purported benefits of the proposed merger, telling its shareholders that the Acquisition would result in $2.5 billion in synergies, including $100 million in cost savings in 2018 alone.  On July 3, 2017, activist investor JANA Partners LLC ("JANA"), in several letters citing detailed evidence, asserted that the Rice merger synergies were "grossly exaggerated" and that according to JANA's expert analysis, "it would be impossible for EQT to support its claimed synergy drilling plan."  Nonetheless, EQT repeatedly denied JANA's assertions and reassured investors of the merits of the Acquisition.  EQT and Rice shareholders thereafter approved the Acquisition.  After the Acquisition closed in November 2017, EQT continued to tout the "significant operational synergies" or the merger that would purportedly allow EQT to become "one of the lowest-cost operators in the United States."  On March 15, 2018, just five months after the Acquisition closed, EQT announced the sudden and unexpected resignation of Steven T. Schlotterbeck as the Company's Chief Executive Officer.  Then, on October 25, 2018, EQT reported surprisingly bad third-quarter financial results caused by a significant increase in total costs, which were $586.2 million higher than in the same period of the prior year.  Moreover, EQT disclosed that its estimated capital expenditures for well development in 2018 would increase by $300 million, to $2.5 billion, as a result of "inefficiencies from higher activity levels, the learning curve on ultra-long horizontal wells, and service cost increases."  As a result, EQT reduced its full-year forecast for 2018.  These disclosures were at odds with EQT's prior representations concerning the purported synergies of the Acquisition.

On this news, EQT's stock price fell $2.79 per share, or 12.65%, to close at $19.24 per share on October 25, 2018.

If you are a member of the class, you may, no later than August 26, 2019, request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff of the class.  A lead plaintiff is a representative party that acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.  In order to be appointed lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class.  Under certain circumstances, one or more class members may together serve as "lead plaintiff."  Your ability to share in any recovery is not, however, affected by the decision whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.  You may retain RM LAW, P.C. or other counsel of your choice, to serve as your counsel in this action.

For more information regarding this, please contact RM LAW, P.C.  (Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire) toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or by email at [email protected] or click here.   For more information about class action cases in general or to learn more about RM LAW, P.C. please visit our website by clicking here. 

RM LAW, P.C. is a national shareholder litigation firm.  RM LAW, P.C. is devoted to protecting the interests of individual and institutional investors in shareholder actions in state and federal courts nationwide.

SOURCE RM LAW, P.C.

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