There were 80 securities class action settlements approved in 2015, the highest number since 2010, according to a new report from Cornerstone Research. The report, Securities Class Action Settlements—2015 Review and Analysis, shows that total settlement dollars rose to more than $3 billion, an increase of 184 percent over the historic low in 2014.
The surge in securities class action settlements in 2015 can be attributed in part to three consecutive year-over-year increases in the number of case filings. The increases in case filings may suggest that higher numbers of settlements will persist in the near future. While settlement volume fluctuates from year to year, the size of the typical settlement tends to remain fairly consistent. (more…)