Allegations
The filed complaint alleges that Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) rising interest rates, inflation, and trends in returning to work away from home were in fact quickly eroding then-heightened demand for Stanley’s tools and outdoor products; (ii) the heightened, extraordinary demand Stanley had enjoyed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 into 2022 was returning to 2019 pre-pandemic levels; (iii) Stanley’s operations were already showing signs of slowing demand; (iv) as a result of reorganization, share repurchasing, and dividend growth, Stanley lacked the cash to react with agility to changes in demand; and (v) as a result of Stanley’s inability to react to a sharp decline in demand, the Company’s results and metrics, particularly sales volume, were severely negatively impacted. As a result of the foregoing, Stanley’s public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.