Bridgestone is target of stock class action

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 8)—A Philadelphia law firm has filed a class action suit against Bridgestone Corp. in the federal district court in Nashville, accusing the Japanese tire maker of stock fraud. According to the class action filed by Barrack, Rodos & Bacine, Bridgestone deliberately misrepresented its fiscal health to stockholders by concealing "thousands of claims for and complaints concerning ATX tire failures." The firm also failed to disclose the prospective cost of the tire failures, according to the suit. Barrack, Rodos & Bacine is soliciting the participation of all persons who bought Bridgestone stock between March 31, 1998 and Aug. 31, 2000. Officials for the law firm were unavailable for comment, and a spokesman for Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. was unaware of the class action.