BALA CYNWYD, Pa., Aug. 29, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The following statement was issued today by the law firm of Schiffrin & Barroway, LLP:
Notice is hereby given that a class action lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all purchasers of the common stock of Alstom, SA ("Alstom" or the "Company") (NYSE:ALS) from May 26, 1999 through June 29, 2003, inclusive (the "Class Period").
If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Schiffrin & Barroway, LLP (Marc A. Topaz, Esq. or Stuart L. Berman, Esq.) toll free at 1-888-299-7706 or 1-610-667-7706, or via e-mail at info@sbclasslaw.com.
The complaint alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. Throughout the Class Period, as alleged in the complaint, defendants issued numerous positive statements concerning the growth and financial performance of its transportation subsidiary. The complaint alleges that these statements were materially false and misleading because they failed to disclose and/or misrepresented the following adverse facts, among others: (a) that the Company had failed to recognize costs incurred in a rolling-stock supply railcar contract at its transportation unit in anticipation of shifting the costs to other contracts; (b) that the Company lacked adequate internal controls and was therefore unable to ascertain the true financial condition of the Company; and (c) as a result of the foregoing, the value of the Company's losses was materially understated at all relevant times and the value of the Company's margins was materially overstated at all relevant times.
On June 30, 2003, before the U.S. market opened for trading, Alstom announced that it is "conducting an internal review assisted by external accountants and lawyers following receipt of letters earlier this month alleging accounting improprieties on a railcar contract being executed at the Hornell, New York facility of ALSTOM Transportation Inc. (ATI), a US subsidiary of the Company." As part of the review, the Company "identified that losses have been significantly understated in ATI's accounts, in substantial part due to accounting improprieties by the understatement of actual costs incurred, including by the non-recognition of costs incurred in anticipation of shifting them to other contracts, and by the understatement of forecast costs to completion." As a result, the Company announced that it would record an additional net after tax charge of 51 million euros ($58 million) for the year ended 31 March 2003.
Plaintiff seeks to recover damages on behalf of class members and is represented by the law firm of Schiffrin & Barroway, which prosecutes class actions in both state and federal courts throughout the country. Schiffrin & Barroway is a driving force behind corporate governance reform, and has recovered in excess of a billion dollars on behalf of institutional and high net worth individual investors. For more information about Schiffrin & Barroway, or to sign up to participate in this action online, please visit http://www.sbclasslaw.com/currentcases.cfm.
If you are a member of the class described above, you may, not later than October 28, 2003, move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff of the class, if you so choose. In order to serve as lead plaintiff, however, you must meet certain legal requirements.
More information on this and other class actions can be found on the Class Action Newsline at www.primezone.com/ca