BENSALEM, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased Velocity Financial, Inc. ("Velocity" or the "Company") (NYSE: VEL) securities pursuant and/or traceable to the Registration Statement issued in connection with the Company’s January 2020 initial public offering (“IPO”). Velocity investors have until September 28, 2020 to file a lead plaintiff motion.
Investors suffering losses on their Velocity investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in this class action at 888-638-4847 or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com.
In January 2020, Velocity completed its initial public offering ("IPO"), selling 7,250,000 shares at $13 per share and raising approximately $94 million.
On May 13, 2020, the Company announced its financial results for first quarter 2020, the same quarter in which the IPO was conducted. Velocity reported a 50% decrease in net income and disclosed that its loan originations would remain suspended indefinitely, effectively halting potential growth in the Company’s loan portfolio. Moreover, the Company stated that its proportion of non-performing loans had accelerated to $174 million, nearly double the unpaid principal amount year over year.
Since the IPO, the Company’s shares have traded as low as $2.47 per share, or 80% below the $13 IPO price.
The complaint filed in this class action 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 failed to disclose to investors: (1) that at the time of Velocity's initial public offering (the "IPO"), the Company's non-performing loans had dramatically increased in size from the figures provided in the Registration Statement and Prospectus that Velocity had issued in connection with the IPO; (2) that defendants failed to provide any information to investors regarding the potential impact of the novel coronavirus on Velocity's business and operations, despite the fact that the international spread of the virus had already been confirmed at the time of the IPO; (3) as a result, the failure to disclose the substantial and growing proportion of the Company's loans that were non-performing and/or on non-accrual status as of the IPO rendered the statements contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus regarding the quality of the Company's loan portfolio and underwriting practices materially misleading.
If you purchased Velocity securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com, or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com.
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