Minority shareholders of Grifols have submitted a formal request to the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) seeking full access to all available information about the company. People familiar with the matter say the aim is to ensure that every shareholder is informed, especially regarding assets and disclosures connected to Scranton, a Netherlands-based entity linked to Grifols through Gotham, the fund in question. Scranton has come under scrutiny amid questions about its role and the transparency of the accounts used to represent the Spanish group in certain filings.
These minority holders argue that the CNMV must either issue the complete file or announce the investigations publicly. Their position centers on transparency: if the commission withholds information, the majority shareholders may gain more insight into Scranton’s activities in Spain, which some perceive as lacking openness.
action in court
Law firms located in the United States and several Spanish firms are weighing legal action against Grifols executives who represent minority investors. The plan involves applying provisions from minority shareholder protection statutes and pursuing social responsibility claims. Reports from the market press indicate that American firms, noting Grifols is listed in the United States via American depositary receipts, may pursue litigation against the Catalan pharmaceutical company for allegedly providing misleading information to the market. These firms have submitted investor action forms and are seeking cooperation to assemble evidence that could demonstrate violations of U.S. securities laws. Some Spanish minority shareholders are considering joining the U.S. based actions, with the intent to direct civil claims aimed at securing compensation. The prevailing argument is that damages were incurred by the company and that executives should compensate the company, which would ultimately benefit the minority investors. This reflects an American approach that emphasizes direct compensation to shareholders in such scenarios. (attribution: industry sources and market coverage)
Grifols’ stock has fallen markedly, with a decline reaching about forty-six percent for the year, translating into a volatile adjustment of roughly four billion euros in market capitalization.
Independent media reports indicate that Grifols has engaged the law firm Proskauer to pursue action against Gotham in the United States. (attribution: major market reporting)