In re Textron, Inc.

811 F. Supp. 2d 564, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103775, 2011 WL 4079085
CourtDistrict Court, D. Rhode Island
DecidedSeptember 13, 2011
DocketCase No. 09-cv-556-PB
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 811 F. Supp. 2d 564 (In re Textron, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Textron, Inc., 811 F. Supp. 2d 564, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103775, 2011 WL 4079085 (D.R.I. 2011).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

PAUL BARBADORO, District Judge.

John D. Walker filed this shareholder derivative action on behalf of Textron, Inc. against two of the company’s officers and 11 of its 13 directors. The defendants have responded with a motion arguing that the complaint must be dismissed because Walker filed the action without first demanding that the company bring the suit itself. The issue that the case presents is whether Walker has sufficiently alleged that a pre-suit demand would have been futile.

[569]*569I. BACKGROUND

Textron is a conglomerate that manufactures and sells helicopters, airplanes, light transportation vehicles, and lawn care machinery. It is also a major supplier to the automotive industry, and it has a large commercial finance business. Walker bases his claims on a stock purchase plan that the company’s board of directors approved on July 19, 2007, and a series of allegedly misleading statements that Textron’s CEO, Lewis B. Campbell, and CFO, Ted J. French, made concerning the company’s “backlog” of aircraft and helicopter orders.

A. The Stock Repurchase Plan

On July 19, 2007, Textron’s board approved a stock repurchase plan that authorized the company to repurchase up to 24 million shares of its own stock. Complaint (“Compl.”) ¶ 57, Doc. No. 1. At the time, the country was facing a substantial risk of a recession. Id. ¶ 55. As early as March 6, 2007, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan estimated that there was a “one-third probability” of a U.S. recession. Id. Shortly thereafter, the Los Angeles Times published a poll in which sixty percent of the respondents stated that they believed a recession was likely during 2007. Id. Despite these warning signs, from July 19, 2007 through September 27, 2008, Textron’s officers, acting pursuant to the stock repurchase plan, purchased approximately $608 million worth of Textron stock at an average share price of $46.84. Id. ¶¶ 57, 113.

During the repurchase period, Campbell sold 726,249 shares of his own stock for $47,185,741.96. Id. ¶ 103. This amounted to 53.48% of his Textron holdings, and 58% more shares than he had sold during the previous sixteen month period. Id. ¶ 104.

B. The Backlog Statements

Textron’s Cessna and Bell segments manufacture aircraft and helicopters. Cessna produces approximately 40% of Textron’s revenues and Bell produces approximately 20%. Id. ¶ 50. When a customer orders an airplane or a helicopter from Textron, the company requires the customer to put down a non-refundable deposit, and the order is added to the company’s reported backlog.

Campbell and French made numerous allegedly misleading public statements concerning the backlog between July 2007 and October 2008 that artificially inflated the value of Textron’s stock. Walker claims that the allegedly misleading statements were also tacitly approved by the board’s audit committee, which had been charged with “discussing] earnings press releases, as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies with management and the independent auditor, as appropriate.” Id. ¶ 35.

The statements at issue highlighted the size and growth rate of the reported backlog, which grew from a combined $14 million in July 2007 to $23.5 million in October 2008. Id. ¶¶ 60-91. In treating the backlog as a reliable indicator of the company’s prospects for future growth, Campbell and French emphasized the quality of the underwriting that was performed with each customer’s order and the low number of cancellations that the company was then experiencing. Id. ¶¶ 84-85, 89.

On July 19, 2007, Textron issued a press release announcing the board’s authorization of the stock repurchase plan. Id. ¶ 60. In the press release, Campbell commented on the board’s decision noting that “[t]hese actions by our Board demonstrate confidence in our ability to execute and underscore the company’s commitment to value creation through a balanced strategy of growth and returning cash to the shareholder.” Id. The release also announced that Textron had raised its earnings guid[570]*570anee “[g]iven the strength of demand for our innovative products” as evidenced by the $14 billion Cessna and Bell backlog. Id ¶¶ 61-62.

As the general economy began to weaken, Campbell and French continued to assure investors that the company’s reviews of prior economic downturns left it with confidence that the backlog was large enough to support their growth projections. Id ¶ 67-74. On January 24, 2008, Textron issued an earnings press release announcing its financial results for the preceding quarter. Id ¶ 67. The release reported a $4.1 billion increase in Cessna’s backlog from fiscal year 2006. Id During an investor conference call that same day, Campbell once again touted the backlog’s growth, remarking that Textron’s “ending aircraft backlog of 16.4 billion, [was] up 41% from a year ago.” Id ¶ 69. Campbell also commented on the resiliency of the backlog, noting that contracts for Cessna orders would include “nonrefundable initial deposits of $1 million.” Id ¶ 70. Campbell assured investors that “[w]hile we expect a softening and maybe even a temporary downturn in the U.S. economy in 2008, we believe we are particularly well positioned given our strong aircraft and military backlogs.” Id ¶ 67. French also assured investors that while “the U.S. economy is now weaker and it’s certainly more uncertain ... we have good revenue visibility based on our solid growing backlogs....” Id ¶ 72.

Throughout the spring and summer of 2008, Campbell and French continued to tout the size and strength of the backlog, notwithstanding the onset of a recession. Id ¶¶ 76-86. Campbell reported that “strong performance in our aircraft and defense businesses, [and] the size and resiliency of our backlog ... give us the confidence to maintain our overall outlook for the rest of the year and beyond.” Id ¶ 82. Campbell also claimed that he “[did] not view cancellations as a significant risk to [Textron’s] outlook.” Id ¶ 84.

During the fall of 2008, Campbell and French continued to assure investors that the company was on a firm financial footing based on the purported backlog. Id ¶¶ 87-92. On October 16, 2008, Campbell noted that he “remain[ed] comfortable with next year’s production plan at [that] point” because “[w]e are fortunate at this time to have ... a very large and robust backlog” and the reported cancellations to that point were “not even noteworthy.” Id ¶¶ 88-89. Campbell also remarked that his confidence in the backlog was buttressed by the fact that Textron required buyers to provide a nonrefundable deposit and “an understanding of where [the buyer is] going to get [its] financing.” Id ¶ 90.

Despite these assurances, on November 5, 2008, Campbell admitted at an industrial conference that buyers were delaying purchases because of “trouble getting financing.” Id ¶ 93. On January 29, 2009, Tex-tron reported a decrease in the combined backlog of approximately $300 million, from $23.5 billion to $23.2 billion. Id ¶ 95.

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811 F. Supp. 2d 564, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 103775, 2011 WL 4079085, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-textron-inc-rid-2011.