Investor lawsuits pile up against Blue Rhino Corp.

WINSTON-SALEM - Blue Rhino Corp. is facing a string of lawsuits claiming that managers of the Winston-Salem company misled investors about a November acquisition, causing a steep - if brief - fall in the firm's stock price.

Analysts who follow the company, however, tend to view the suits as a minor distraction.

Law firms from around the country began filing the suits May 20. As of midweek, 11 different firms had filed complaints with similar allegations. Some of the firms have cited in press releases their involvement in suits facing Enron, ImClone and HealthSouth, among other recent corporate scandals.

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