What are the chances of the lawsuit being dismissed or settled quickly versus a prolonged legal battle?
Legalâtimeline outlook
A securitiesâclassâaction against a midâcap biotech like Biohaven (NYSE:âŻBHâVN) typically moves at a measured pace. Most of these cases first go through a âmotion to dismissâ stage, where the plaintiff must prove that the complaint alleges âfactsâtoâproveâ a material misstatement. Because the filing is recent (midâAugust) and the complaint still needs to survive the early 12âmonth âmotionâtoâdismissâ deadline, the probability of a quick dismissal is modestâhistorically, only aboutâŻ30â35âŻ% of similar biotech suits are thrown out within the first 3â4âŻmonths.
Conversely, the settlementâorâprolongedâbattle path is more common. If the plaintiff can point to a specific disclosure failure (e.g., a missed safetyâdata update or a misleading press release), the case often proceeds to discovery, which can extend 12â18âŻmonths or longer. Given the negative sentiment (â70) and the fact that the class definition is already broad (âinvestors who wereâŠâ), the likelihood of a settlement or extended litigation is roughlyâŻ65â70âŻ%.
Trading implications
- Shortâterm: Expect the stock to stay under pressure as the market prices in the legal risk. The current technical pictureâtrading below the 20âday SMA, with the 10âday EMA still below the 50âday SMAâsupports a nearâterm downside bias.
- If the case is dismissed early (withinâŻ3âŻmonths): The catalyst could trigger a shortâcover rally, pushing BHVN back toward its 50âday SMA (~$6.80) and possibly testing the $7.00 resistance level.
- If the case drags on or heads toward settlement: The downside pressure will likely persist, keeping the stock in the $5.50â$6.30 range and inviting shortâposition accumulation.
Actionable takeâaway: Until a motionâtoâdismiss ruling is issued, keep a modest short position or hedge long exposure. A rapid dismissal would be a bullish surprise; a drawnâout battle remains the more probable scenario and should be reflected in a continued bearish tilt on BHVN.