Canadian Shareholders Launch Class Action Today Against BlackBerry Limited (TSX: BB.TO)

MONTREAL, Oct. 15, 2013 /CNW/ - Shareholders launched class action litigation today before the Québec Superior Court today against BlackBerry Limited (TSX: BB.TO) on behalf of Canadian shareholders who purchased BlackBerry stock between September 27, 2012 and September 20, 2013.

"For almost a full year, BlackBerry management made market statements based on prophecy rather than fact. Thousands of Canadians who invested in BlackBerry Limited in the past year have lost hundreds of millions of dollars." said Tony Merchant, Q.C., referencing the class action litigation launched in Québec today seeking compensation for current and former BlackBerry Limited shareholders.

The class action lawsuit alleges that BlackBerry Limited and its senior management knowingly or negligently misrepresented that the BlackBerry 10 line of smartphones were being received well by international consumers and the public at large, and that BlackBerry Limited was in a strong financial position.

Only with the announcement of BlackBerry Limited's preliminary quarterly results (for the three months ending August 31, 2013) on September 20, 2013, did a realistic picture of BlackBerry Limited's situation get revealed to the public, which included the announcement an almost $1 billion write-down and BlackBerry's plan to layoff 4,500 staff or approximately 40% of BlackBerry's workforce.

BlackBerry Limited's TSX share price immediately slid from a previous closing price of $10.82 per share on September 19, 2013 to a closing price of $8.26 by September 25, 2013.

BlackBerry Limited 52-week high on the TSX was $17.80 in January, 2013.

The class action lawsuit commenced today in Québec is similar to a lawsuit filed in Ontario late last week. Like many Canadian investors who relied on the previous public statements made by BlackBerry Limited and its management, the Ontario representative plaintiff lost over $55,000 due to purchasing BlackBerry Limited shares in the last year. Together, these class actions are the only litigation seeking compensation on behalf of TSX BlackBerry Limited investors.

People seeking further information about the 2013 BlackBerry Limited Class Action should provide their contact information at https://www.merchantlaw.com/classactions/blackberry.php

Merchant Law Group LLP is a leading Canadian class action firm with 12 offices across Canada from Montreal to Victoria.  Merchant Law Group LLP is well known for its involvement in mass tort and class action cases in Canada including Residential Schools, Cellular System Access Fees, Hollinger, Maple Leaf Foods, Toyota, Vioxx, and many other cases.

A copy of the BlackBerry Limited class action lawsuit (as filed today with the Court) can be provided to the media, upon request, by e-mailing [email protected]

SOURCE: Merchant Law Group

For media inquiries, please contact Tony Merchant, Q.C. at 866-653-7777 (who is in Ontario today).