Securities class action lawsuit filings have been going crazy. Securities suit filings during the first quarter 2017 set a pace that if continued would mean an unprecedented number of securities lawsuit by year end. But even more significant than the sheer number of lawsuits is the rate of litigation. The percentage of listed companies sued in the first quarter, if annualized, would mean that U.S. public companies are being sued at four times the long-term historical rate. As discussed below, three factors account for much of the upsurge in securities suit filings.
