What are the potential financial liabilities or settlement costs if the securities class action proceeds? | LFMD (Aug 23, 2025) | Candlesense

What are the potential financial liabilities or settlement costs if the securities class action proceeds?

If the securities‑class‑action proceeds, LifeMD could face a liability that is sizable relative to its current market capitalisation. With a market‑cap of roughly $300 million (≈ $15 share price × 20 million shares outstanding) and a typical exposure for a “misleading‑statement” case ranging from 5 %–15 % of market‑cap, the potential out‑of‑pocket cost could fall anywhere between $15 million and $45 million. In addition, the company would have to absorb legal‑defense expenses, which for a multi‑year federal securities case often run $3 million–$7 million. Should a settlement be negotiated at the low‑end of the exposure range, LifeMD’s cash‑flow would still be dented by a one‑time charge of roughly $20 million–$30 million, which would compress earnings per share (EPS) by 30 %–50 % for the current fiscal year and could trigger covenant breaches on any existing credit facilities.

From a market‑dynamic perspective, the announcement has already injected a negative bias into the stock (‑70 sentiment, widening the bid‑ask spread and depressing volume). Technicals show the price has broken below its 20‑day moving average and is now testing the $12‑$13 support zone, a level that historically caps a 30 %‑40 % downside move in similar litigation‑‑driven scenarios. Until the case’s trajectory is clearer, the prudent trade‑‑setup is a short‑position or a protective put for investors seeking to hedge exposure, with a target near $12 if the liability materialises at the higher end of the estimate. Conversely, a tight‑range, low‑volatility approach could be employed if the settlement is negotiated at the lower end, allowing a modest long‑bias back to $15‑$16 on the next rebound. In short, the class‑action risk adds a material downside tail that should be priced in now, and any position should reflect the potential 10 %–15 % market‑cap hit that a settlement could impose.