Ryan & Maniskas, LLP Announces Class Action Lawsuit Against Pilgrim's Pride Corporation

WAYNE, Pa., Oct. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryan & Maniskas, LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed in United States District Court for the District of Colorado behalf of all persons or entities that purchased the common stock of Pilgrim's Pride Corporation ("Pilgrim's Pride" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: PPC) between February 21, 2014  and October 6, 2016, inclusive (the "Class Period").

Pilgrim's Pride shareholders may, no later than December 19, 2016, move the Court for appointment as a lead plaintiff of the Class.  If you purchased shares of Pilgrim's Pride 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 (877) 316-3218 or to sign up online, visit: www.rmclasslaw.com/cases/ppc.

Pilgrim's Pride engages in the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of fresh, frozen, and value-added chicken products to retailers, distributors, and foodservice operators in the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects.  Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:  (i) Pilgrim's Pride systematically colluded with several of its industry peers to fix prices in the market for broiler chickens (i.e., chickens raised specifically for meat production); (ii) the foregoing conduct constituted a violation of federal antitrust laws; (iii) consequently, Pilgrim's Pride's revenues during the class period were the result of illegal conduct; and (iv) as a result of the foregoing, Pilgrim's Pride's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On September 2, 2016, the market had its first inkling of Defendants' fraud, when food distributor Maplevale Farms, Inc. ("Maplevale") filed an antitrust class action complaint in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Pilgrim's Pride and several other poultry producers, including Tyson Foods, Inc. ("Tyson"), alleging that Pilgrim's Pride and the other companies named in the complaint had conspired since 2008 to manipulate the prices of broiler chicken in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Between September 7, 2016 and October 7, 2016, seven more class action complaints were filed against Pilgrim's Pride and other poultry companies in the Northern District of Illinois, on behalf of individual consumers and indirect purchasers of broiler chickens, all alleging that Pilgrim's Pride and its industry peers had engaged in the price-manipulation scheme described in Maplevale's complaint.

On October 7, 2016, Pivotal Research downgraded Tyson from "Hold" to "Sell."  Explaining the downgrade, analyst Timothy Ramey directed investors' attention to the allegations of price manipulation by Pilgrim's Pride, Tyson, and their industry peers and described the Maplevale complaint as "powerfully convincing."

On news that Pivotal had downgraded Tyson on the strength of the price-manipulation allegations against Tyson, Pilgrim's Pride, and the other poultry companies named in the Maplevale complaint, Pilgrim's Pride's share price fell $0.95, or 4.5%, to close at $20.16 on October 7, 2016.

If you are a member of the class, you may, no later than December 19, 2016, 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 Ryan & Maniskas, LLP or other counsel of your choice, to serve as your counsel in this action.

For more information regarding this, please contact Ryan & Maniskas, LLP (Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire) toll-free at (877) 316-3218 or by email at [email protected] or visit: www.rmclasslaw.com/cases/ppc.   For more information about class action cases in general or to learn more about Ryan & Maniskas, LLP, please visit our website: www.rmclasslaw.com.

Ryan & Maniskas, LLP is a national shareholder litigation firm.  Ryan & Maniskas, LLP is devoted to protecting the interests of individual and institutional investors in shareholder actions in state and federal courts nationwide.

CONTACT: Ryan & Maniskas, LLP
Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire
995 Old Eagle School Rd., Suite 311
Wayne, PA 19087
484-588-5516
877-316-3218
www.rmclasslaw.com/cases/ppc
[email protected]

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SOURCE Ryan & Maniskas, LLP