Bath and Body Works Lawsuit: Securities, Candle, and Consumer Cases

The biggest Bath and Body Works lawsuit currently on the docket is a securities fraud class action filed in January 2026, which accuses the retailer and three of its executives of misleading investors about a growth strategy built on new product categories like men’s grooming, hair care, and laundry. The company is also defending a product liability suit over a candle that allegedly exploded in a customer’s face, and has faced several consumer class actions in recent years over receipts, product claims, and leaky air fresheners.

The Securities Fraud Class Action

The case, Lingam v. Bath & Body Works, Inc. et al., was filed on January 12, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.¹ The class period runs from June 4, 2024, through November 19, 2025, covering investors who bought Bath & Body Works stock in that window.²

Three executives are named alongside the company: former CEO Gina Boswell, current CEO Daniel Heaf, and CFO Eva C. Boratto.³ Boswell was terminated without cause on May 16, 2025, and Heaf, previously of Nike, replaced her the same day.⁴

The complaint centers on what the company called its “adjacencies” strategy. Beginning in mid-2024, management described expansion into men’s grooming, lip products, hair care, and laundry as a key growth engine, telling investors these categories were performing well. On a February 27, 2025, earnings call, Boswell said “our strategy is working,” and a May 2025 investor presentation identified the adjacent categories as a source of momentum.³

According to the suit, those statements were misleading. The adjacency categories were not actually growing the company’s total customer base, and the focus on them pulled investment away from core body care and home fragrance lines. The complaint also alleges management leaned on brand collaborations and aggressive discounting to prop up sales figures.¹

The lead plaintiff deadline was March 16, 2026.⁵ The court appointed lead plaintiff and lead counsel on May 14, 2026, and defendants have been relieved from responding to the complaint until the court issues further orders. No motion to dismiss has been filed.⁶

The Stock Drops Behind the Case

The complaint points to two disclosures that allegedly moved the stock.

On August 28, 2025, Bath & Body Works reported second-quarter earnings of $0.30 per share, down from $0.68 a year earlier, and cut its full-year guidance. Shares fell $2.18, or 6.9%, to close at $29.36.¹

The heavier drop came on November 20, 2025. Third-quarter revenue slipped 1% year over year to $1.594 billion, missing the company’s own guidance of 1% to 3% growth, and net income fell 26% to $77 million.² Full-year EPS guidance was cut from $3.28–$3.53 to “at least $2.83.”⁷ The company acknowledged that its adjacencies strategy had “not grown our total customer base.” Shares fell $5.22, or 24.8%, closing at $15.82.¹

Candle Explosion Product Liability Suit

In July 2025, Renita Francois and her husband McEvans Francois filed a product liability lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (Case No. 25-3725) after a “Sweater Weather” three-wick candle allegedly exploded in Renita Francois’s face. She suffered severe second-degree burns, permanent scarring, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Her husband alleged emotional distress, PTSD, and loss of consortium.⁸

The suit names Bath & Body Works, LLC and Canadian manufacturer The Premier Candle Corporation. It alleges negligence, failure to warn, product defect, and breach of warranty, claiming both companies failed to recall or redesign the candles despite knowledge of prior explosions. The plaintiffs are seeking damages exceeding $75,000.⁹

Consumer Class Actions

FACTA Credit Card Receipt Settlement

Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret settled a class action (Smidga et al. v. Bath & Body Works, LLC et al., Case No. GD-21-009142) alleging violations of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. The complaint claimed that store receipts printed the first six and last four digits of payment card numbers, more than the last five digits FACTA allows. The settlement, valued at up to $15 million, gave eligible class members vouchers worth up to $15 for a single purchase. The claim deadline has passed; it was July 16, 2024.¹⁰

Hyaluronic Acid False Advertising Case

Two California consumers filed a class action in 2021 (Perez et al. v. Bath & Body Works LLC et al., Case No. 5:21-cv-05606, Northern District of California) alleging the company falsely advertised its hyaluronic acid body cream as capable of attracting and retaining “up to 1,000x its weight in water.” In July 2022, a federal judge denied Bath & Body Works’ motion to dismiss in part, allowing two claims to proceed.¹¹

Scentportable Air Freshener Suit

In 2016, Florida resident Kira Zander filed a class action (Zander v. L Brands Inc., Case No. 3:16-cv-1328, Middle District of Florida) alleging that Scentportable car air fresheners leaked fluid that damaged vehicle interiors, stripping material from consoles and dashboards. The complaint claimed Bath & Body Works failed to list ingredients or warn that the product could destroy personal property.¹²

1
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP. Bath & Body Works Securities Class Action Lawsuit Filed
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Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. Bath & Body Works Class Action Lawsuit
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Levi & Korsinsky, LLP. Bath & Body Works, Inc. Class Action Lawsuit
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Retail Dive. Bath & Body Works Names Nike Vet CEO Daniel Heaf
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BusinessWire. Rosen Law Firm Urges Bath & Body Works Stockholders to Contact the Firm
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CourtListener. Lingam v. Bath & Body Works, Inc.
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Robbins LLP. Bath & Body Works, Inc.
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National Post. Bath & Body Works Lawsuit
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South Shore Press. Bath & Body Works Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Exploding Candle
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ClassAction.org. Bath and Body Works Victoria’s Secret Settlement
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Gutride Safier LLP. Class Action Against Bath & Body Works for False Hyaluronic Claims Continues
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Top Class Actions. Scentportable Class Action Says Leaky Air Fresheners Ruin Car Interiors