Techtronic May Proceed With One Libel Claim Against Short Seller

One libel claim by Techtronic Industries Co. may proceed against a short seller who wrote two critical reports about the company, but a second claim was dismissed by a Florida federal district court.

After Victor Bonilla’s first report was published, Techtonic’s shares lost about 20%, or $4 billion in market value.

But the crux of the first report on Bonilla’s website, Jehoshaphat Research, contained nonactionable opinions and colorful rhetoric, Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell said Sept. 19 for the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida, granting him summary judgment on that claim.

On the other hand, a ...