Key Takeaways:
Bernstein Liebhard LLP has filed a securities class action lawsuit against Gartner Inc. on behalf of investors who acquired stock between February 4, 2025, and February 2, 2026, following a nearly 48% collapse in the company's share price.
The complaint alleges that Gartner and its top executives failed to disclose that the company could not meet its consulting revenue targets or maintain its contract value (CV) growth rate, making positive statements about business prospects "materially misleading."
The lawsuit follows two major stock declines. On August 5, 2025, Gartner shares fell over 27% after the company revealed that CV growth had slowed from 7% to 5%. On February 3, 2026, the stock dropped nearly 21% after Gartner announced a further 2% decline in CV growth and a significant shortfall in its Consulting segment.
Investors who suffered substantial losses have until May 18, 2026, to file for lead plaintiff status. The action, captioned Schmidt v. Gartner, Inc., is one of several similar lawsuits filed by firms including Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP, Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC, and The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz.
The lawsuits center on allegations that Gartner created a false impression of its financial health. The complaints claim defendants misleadingly suggested that an improving environment for "tariff impacted companies" would drive continued CV growth. However, court filings allege that as these impacts eased, Gartner's non-federal CV growth and Consulting segment revenue fell below the company's own long-held projections.
The initial disclosure on August 5, 2025, saw Gartner's stock price fall from $336.71 to $243.93 per share. The subsequent announcement on February 3, 2026, pushed the price down from $202.40 to $160.16 per share, compounding investor losses and prompting the wave of legal action.
The multiple lawsuits signal a significant legal challenge for Gartner, potentially leading to substantial financial penalties and reputational damage. Investors will be closely watching the proceedings leading up to the May 18, 2026, lead plaintiff deadline to see how the case develops.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
