Perion’s most significant search partner and largest source of revenue is Microsoft. The company’s agreement with Microsoft accounted for more than one third of Perion’s revenue in the each of the last three years. On April 8, 2024, Perion announced preliminary financial results for Q1 2024 and updated full year 2024 guidance, revealing that in Q1 Perion experienced a decline in search advertising activity due to changes in pricing implemented by Microsoft Bing. On this news, the price of Perion Network Ltd. common stock declined by $8.61 per share, or approximately 40%, on April 8, 2024.
The lawsuit alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material facts, including that: (1) Perion’s search advertising business was not a reliable and significant growth driver and was in fact in decline; (2) Perion’s long-term relationship with Microsoft and search services agreement would not provide stability for Perion’s search advertising business; (3) there was an increased risk of Microsoft acting to unilaterally change its advertising pricing and mechanisms to the detriment of Perion while the search services agreement was in place; (4) Perion’s AI technology and Microsoft’s investment in ChatGPT would not protect or grow Perion’s search advertising revenue; and (5) based on the foregoing, Defendants lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements about Perion’s search advertising business and related financial results, growth, and prospects.
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