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Securities class-action settlements jump 48% to $2.1B in H1 2026

Gallagher said 21% of H1 2026 settlements exceeded $50 million, while SCA filings rose 10% to 113.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Liability Insurance

Gallagher reported that total securities class-action settlement dollars in the first half of 2026 rose sharply to $2.1 billion, up 48% from the same period last year. The firm said there were 48 settlements in H1 2026 versus 41 in H1 2025, as directors and officers lawsuits continued to drive large payouts.

Of the H1 2026 settlements, Gallagher said 21% were greater than $50 million. It cited two of the biggest deals, including Goldman Sachs’ $500 million settlement over allegations of oversight and misappropriations, and Estee Lauder’s $210 million settlement tied to claims about misrepresenting revenue growth.

Gallagher also noted that nearly half of securities class-action cases during H1 2026 targeted technology and biotechnology industries, matching those sectors’ prominence from a year earlier. The report pointed to increasing attention on artificial intelligence, saying AI was involved in 13% of securities class-action cases, double last year’s share.

Plaintiffs filed 113 securities class-action lawsuits in the first half, a 10% increase year over year. Gallagher said filings remain on pace to be near the 10-year annual average, and it is monitoring older, still unresolved cases that involve sizable companies.

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