Meyer, Helen, Acting Justice
At issue in this case is (1) whether Minn. Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4 (2012) creates a private cause of action in favor of respondents, two health and welfare funds, against appellant pharmacies for failing to pass on the difference between the acquisition cost of brand name drugs and substituted generic prescription drugs; and (2) whether the funds pleaded a claim for relief under Minn.Stat. § 325F.69, subd. 1 (2012), Minnesota's Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss under Rule 12.
In their amended complaint, the funds allege, among other things, that the pharmacies engaged in fraudulent, misleading, or deceptive practices in connection with the sale of merchandise by failing to pass on to the funds the entire difference between the acquisition cost of the generic prescription drug dispensed and its brand name equivalent as required by Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4. The district court granted the pharmacies' Rule 12 motion to dismiss the complaint, concluding that Minn. Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, does not create a private cause of action in favor of the funds, and that the funds failed to plead a claim for relief under the CFA. The court of appeals unanimously affirmed the dismissal of the claim brought under Minn. Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, but in a divided decision, the court of appeals reversed the dismissal of the claim brought under the CFA, concluding that the funds pleaded a legally sufficient claim. Because we conclude that Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, does not create a private cause of action, and that the funds failed to plead a legally sufficient claim under the CFA, we affirm in part and reverse in part.
Respondents/cross-appellants, Graphic Communications Local 1B Health & Welfare Fund "A" and The Twin Cities Bakery Drivers Health and Welfare Fund (the Funds), are jointly administered Taft-Hartley Funds under section 302(c)(5) of the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 186(c) (2012), and are authorized to administer employee welfare benefit plans as defined in section 3(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, 29 U.S.C. § 1002(1) (2012).
This case involves the sale and pricing of generic prescription drugs. When a patent on a drug developed by a pharmaceutical company expires, other drug manufacturers may obtain government approval to manufacture and sell generic versions of the drug.
Minnesota law requires that when a consumer is prescribed a brand name drug, a Minnesota-licensed pharmacist must substitute a generic equivalent unless the prescription states "dispense as written." Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 3 (2012). Further, the pharmacist must pass on to the purchaser of the generic prescription drug any cost savings realized by the lower acquisition costs of the generic drug as compared to its brand name equivalent. Id., subd. 4 ("Any difference between acquisition cost to the pharmacist of the drug dispensed and the brand name drug prescribed shall be passed on to the purchaser.").
The Funds have purchased prescription drugs and/or reimbursed their plan participants and beneficiaries for the purchase of generic prescription drugs. According to the Funds, they have engaged in over 200,000 prescription-drug transactions with the Pharmacies since July 28, 2003. The Funds allege that during the relevant time period the Pharmacies concealed from the Funds their acquisition costs for prescription drugs and routinely overcharged the Funds for the purchases of generic prescription drugs in violation of Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4.
The amended complaint sets forth specific examples of the alleged generic prescription drug overcharges. For example, the Funds allege that in 2008, the Pharmacies' acquisition cost for a four-tablet supply of the brand name drug Fosamax was
In July 2009, the Funds filed suit against the Pharmacies in state district court, alleged various generic drug pricing claims based on violations of Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, and also requested class certification. Graphic Commc'ns Local 1B Health & Welfare Fund "A" v. CVS Caremark Corp., Civil No. 09-2203 (MJD/JSM), 2011 WL 5826687, at *1 (D.Minn. Oct. 13, 2011). The Pharmacies removed the case to federal court in August 2009, and the parties litigated the jurisdiction of the federal court to hear the case. Id. at *1-3. In November 2011, the federal district court granted the Funds' motion to remand the case to state court. Graphic Commc'ns Local 1B Health & Welfare Fund "A" v. CVS Caremark Corp., Civil No. 09-2203 (MJD/JSM), 2011 WL 5827182, at *1 (D.Minn. Nov. 18, 2011).
On remand to state district court, the Funds filed an amended complaint asserting causes of action for (1) violations of the Pharmacy Practice Act, Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4; (2) violations of Minnesota's Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), Minn. Stat. § 325F.69, subd. 1; and (3) unjust enrichment. In July 2012, the district court dismissed the Funds' complaint with prejudice, concluding that no private cause of action exists under Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, and that the Funds failed to plead an actionable claim under the CFA because the Pharmacies did not have a duty to disclose their prescription-drug acquisition costs. The court also concluded that without a private cause of action under Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, the Funds' unjust enrichment claim necessarily failed.
In a divided opinion, the court of appeals affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. Graphic Commc'ns Local 1B Health & Welfare Fund "A" v. CVS Caremark Corp., 833 N.W.2d 403, 414 (Minn. App.2013). The court unanimously affirmed the dismissal of the claim brought under Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, concluding that the Legislature did not intend to create a private cause of action based on a violation of the statute. Graphic Commc'ns Local 1B Health & Welfare Fund "A", 833 N.W.2d at 409. But in a divided decision, the court reversed the dismissal of the claim brought under the CFA, with the majority concluding that the Funds pleaded a legally sufficient claim that the Pharmacies' failure to disclose acquisition costs and subsequent overcharges were material omissions in violation of the CFA that injured the Funds. Id. at 409-13.
Subsequently, the Pharmacies sought review of the court of appeals' determination that the Funds pleaded a legally sufficient claim under the CFA, and the Funds sought review of the court of appeals' decision that they did not have a private cause of action under Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4. We granted review. Because we conclude that Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, does not create a private cause of action, and the Funds failed to plead an actionable claim under the CFA, we affirm in part and reverse in part.
On appeal the parties raise two issues. First, the Funds argue that the court of appeals erred in concluding that Minn. Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, does not create a private cause of action in their favor against the Pharmacies for failing to pass on the difference between the acquisition cost of brand name drugs and substituted generic prescription drugs. Second, the Pharmacies argue that the court of appeals erred in concluding that the Funds pleaded an actionable claim for relief under the CFA, Minn.Stat. § 325F.69, subd. 1, sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss under Rule 12.
Statutory interpretation is a question of law that we review de novo. In re Welfare of J.J.P., 831 N.W.2d 260, 264 (Minn.2013). The goal of all statutory interpretation is to ascertain and effectuate the intent of the Legislature. Minn. Stat. § 645.16 (2012). When interpreting a statute, we give words and phrases their plain and ordinary meaning. Staab v. Diocese of St. Cloud, 813 N.W.2d 68, 72 (Minn. 2012). Further, we read the statute as a whole and give effect to all of its provisions. In re Welfare of J.J.P., 831 N.W.2d at 264.
We first address whether Minn. Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, creates a private cause of action in favor of a union-sponsored health and welfare benefit plan. To answer that question, we will review the relevant case law regarding when a statute creates a private cause of action, then examine the statutory framework of the Pharmacy Practice Act to provide context, and last examine the relevant statute, Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4.
We have addressed the question of when a statute creates a private cause of action to enforce its terms in two recent cases. Krueger v. Zeman Constr. Co., 781 N.W.2d 858, 863 (Minn.2010); Becker v. Mayo Found., 737 N.W.2d 200, 207 (Minn.2007). In Becker, we considered, among other issues, whether the Child Abuse Reporting Act (CARA), Minn.Stat. § 626.556 (2012), creates a private cause of action against a mandatory reporter who fails to report suspected child abuse. 737 N.W.2d at 207-09. We observed that "[a] statute does not give rise to a civil cause of action unless the language of the statute is explicit or it can be determined by clear implication." Id. at 207 (citing Larson v. Dunn, 460 N.W.2d 39, 47 n. 4 (Minn.1990)). We concluded that CARA does not expressly or by clear implication create a private cause of action against a mandatory reporter who fails to report suspected child abuse. Id. at 207-08. We reasoned that the Legislature expressly created criminal, but not civil, penalties for failure to report and also expressly created two private causes of action for violations of statutory provisions near the section at issue, indicating that the Legislature did not intend to create an implied private cause of action against a mandatory reporter. Id. at 208-09.
In Krueger, we considered whether the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minn.Stat. § 363A.17 (2012), creates a private cause of action in favor of a person not a party to a contract for discrimination in the performance of the contract. 781 N.W.2d at 863. We observed that when interpreting a statute to determine if it creates a cause of action, we "determine whether the statute actually provides a cause of action to a particular class of persons." Id. We also observed that we have been reluctant to recognize causes of action under a statute where they do not clearly exist. Id.
We next examine the relevant portions of the Pharmacy Practice Act of 1988, Minn.Stat. §§ 151.01-.40 (2012), to provide context. The Act establishes the State Board of Pharmacy and gives it broad powers to regulate the practice of pharmacy, including the licensure and discipline of pharmacists and pharmacies, and to regulate the manufacture and wholesale and retail sale of drugs, within the state. Minn. Stat. §§ 151.02, 151.06. Section 151.21 regulates, among other things, when a pharmacist may substitute prescription drugs and medicines different from the one prescribed, the pricing of prescription drugs, and signage at the pharmacy. Subdivision 3 provides:
Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 3. Thus, when the statutory criteria are satisfied, a pharmacist "shall, after disclosing the substitution to the purchaser, dispense the generic drug, unless the purchaser objects." Id.
With the relevant case law and statutory framework in mind, we turn to Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, which describes the pricing requirements at issue in this case. It provides:
Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4 (emphasis added).
The Funds concede that Minn. Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, does not expressly set forth a private cause of action but contend that the statute provides for a private cause of action by clear implication.
Section 151.21, subdivision 4, does impose upon pharmacists a duty to pass on any acquisition cost savings of generic prescription drugs, but the text does not address the topic of a private cause of action in favor of purchasers of generic drugs. As a result, we cannot say that such a cause of action is clearly implied. Indeed, to do so would require us to add words to the statute that the Legislature did not supply. See Krueger, 781 N.W.2d at 864 (concluding that we "cannot read into the statute any additional rights" beyond those expressly enumerated); Premier Bank v. Becker Dev., LLC, 785 N.W.2d 753, 760 (Minn.2010) ("If the legislature fails to address a particular topic, our rules of construction `forbid adding words or meaning to a statute' that are purposely omitted or inadvertently overlooked." (quoting Genin v. 1996 Mercury Marquis, 622 N.W.2d 114, 117 (Minn.2001))).
Other provisions of the Act and relevant statutes provide the State Board of Pharmacy with broad authority to enforce section 151.21, subdivision 4. Specifically, the Board has the authority to enforce Minn. Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, by suing a pharmacist for injunctive relief for violating the subdivision, see Minn.Stat. § 214.11 (2012); referring complaints regarding licensed pharmacists to the Attorney General for investigation, see Minn.Stat. § 214.103, subd. 5 (2012); taking action against the license of a pharmacist or the registration of a pharmacy for violating subdivision 4 of section 151.21, see Minn.Stat. § 151.06, subd. 1(a)(7)(ix); and imposing a civil penalty for each violation of subdivision 4, to "deprive a licensee or registrant of any economic advantage gained by reason of the violation," see Minn.Stat. § 151.06, subd. 5. Moreover, any person violating any portion of the Act "shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." Minn.Stat. § 151.29. These express criminal and civil penalties demonstrate that the Legislature did not intend to provide an implied private civil cause of action against a pharmacist or pharmacy that violates Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4. See Becker, 737 N.W.2d at 207 ("`[I]t is an elemental canon of statutory construction that where a statute expressly provides a particular remedy or
Additionally, the Legislature expressly created a private cause of action to enforce a different portion of the Act. Specifically, any person injured by unfair price discrimination may bring a private cause of action to enforce the Act. Minn.Stat. § 151.061, subd. 2 (providing that "[a]ny person injured by unfair discrimination as defined in subdivision 1 may bring a civil action and recover damages"). The presence of an express cause of action in a related section of the statute at issue "demonstrates that the [L]egislature expressly creates civil liability when it intends to do so." Becker, 737 N.W.2d at 208. Because Minn.Stat. § 151.061, subd. 2, expressly creates a private cause of action to enforce another provision of the Act, it logically follows that the Legislature did not intend to create a private cause of action to enforce Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4.
Based on this analysis, we conclude that Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4, does not create a private cause of action in favor of the purchaser of generic prescription drugs against a pharmacist or pharmacy. Specifically, the language of subdivision 4 does not expressly or by clear implication create a private cause of action. Moreover, the Legislature provided broad authority to the State Board of Pharmacy, as well as the provision of criminal penalties, to enforce the pharmacist's duty to pass on the acquisition cost savings of generic prescription drugs. Finally, Minn.Stat. § 151.061, subd. 2, expressly provides a private cause of action for a violation of the unfair price discrimination portion of the Act, which demonstrates that the Legislature did not intend to create an implied private cause of action under Minn.Stat. § 151.21, subd. 4. Consequently, we hold that the district court did not err when it dismissed the Funds' claim brought under the Pharmacy Practice Act.
The Pharmacies argue that the court of appeals erred in concluding that the Funds pleaded an actionable claim for a violation of Minnesota's Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), Minn.Stat. § 325F.69, subd. 1, sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss under Rule 12. When a case is dismissed pursuant to Minn. R. Civ. P. 12.02(e) for failure to state a claim for which relief can be granted, we review the legal sufficiency of the claim de novo to determine whether the complaint sets forth a legally sufficient claim for relief. Hebert v. City of Fifty Lakes, 744 N.W.2d 226, 229 (Minn.2008). Rule 8.01 provides that a complaint must "contain a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief and a demand for judgment for the relief sought." Minn. R. Civ. P. 8.01. We consider only those facts alleged in the complaint, accepting those facts as true and construing all reasonable inferences in favor of the nonmoving party. In re Individual 35W Bridge Litig., 806 N.W.2d 811, 815 (Minn.2011). A claim is sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss "if it is possible on any evidence which might be produced, consistent with the pleader's theory, to grant the relief demanded." N. States Power Co. v. Franklin, 265 Minn. 391, 395, 122 N.W.2d 26, 29 (1963); accord Bahr v. Capella Univ., 788 N.W.2d 76, 80 (Minn. 2010). But a legal conclusion in the complaint does not bind us, and a plaintiff must provide more than mere labels and conclusions. Bahr, 788 N.W.2d at 80.
The Funds' consumer fraud claim is brought pursuant to Minn.Stat. § 8.31, subd. 3a (2012) (the Private AG Statute),
We first address whether the Funds' consumer fraud claim brought pursuant to the Private AG Statute is actionable in light of our decision to affirm the dismissal of the Funds' claim under the Pharmacy Practice Act. The Private AG Statute provides that "any person injured by a violation of" several enumerated statutes, including Minn.Stat. § 325F.69, "may bring a civil action and recover damages, together with costs and disbursements, including costs of investigation and reasonable attorney's fees." Minn.Stat. § 8.31, subd. 3a. Thus, a private party may bring a claim under the Private AG Statute for a violation of section 325F.69, subdivision 1, which provides:
Minn.Stat. § 325F.69, subd. 1.
We have previously considered the elements necessary to plead a consumer fraud claim under the CFA. See Grp. Health Plan, Inc. v. Philip Morris, Inc., 621 N.W.2d 2 (Minn.2001). In Group Health Plan, we concluded that to state a claim that the CFA has been violated, "the plaintiff need only plead that the defendant engaged in conduct prohibited by the [CFA] and that the plaintiff was damaged thereby." Id. at 12. To recover damages under the Private AG Statute for a violation of the CFA, however, the plaintiff must plead and prove a causal relationship between the alleged injury and the wrongful conduct that violates the statute. Id. at 13.
We conclude that an injured party may bring a consumer fraud claim and recover damages under the Private AG Statute for conduct that violates section 151.21, subdivision 4, of the Pharmacy Practice Act provided that the plaintiff pleads and proves the required elements of a consumer fraud claim. The fact that the Pharmacy Practice Act does not provide a private cause of action does not bar a plaintiff from bringing a consumer fraud claim, provided that the alleged conduct is proscribed
We next examine whether the Funds adequately pleaded facts showing that the Pharmacies engaged in actionable conduct under the CFA. The Pharmacies contend that the Funds' omission-based consumer fraud claim is only actionable if the Pharmacies had a duty to disclose the omitted or concealed information. They argue that the Funds' consumer fraud claim fails as a matter of law because the amended complaint does not allege that the Pharmacies affirmatively misrepresented a material fact or concealed a material fact that they had a duty to disclose.
The Funds argue that the Pharmacies' practice of overcharging for generic prescription drugs, coupled with the Pharmacies' concealment of facts that would allow the Funds to know they were being overcharged, rendered the sales fraudulent, misleading, and deceptive in violation of the CFA. Amicus Attorney General contends that the CFA prohibits material omissions of fact but does not impose a common law duty to disclose for the omission to be actionable. The Attorney General further argues that the Legislature "clearly intended to make it easier to sue for consumer fraud than it had been to sue for fraud at common law." State ex rel. Humphrey v. Alpine Air Prods., Inc., 500 N.W.2d 788, 790 (Minn.1993).
The court of appeals concluded, among other things, that in order for the Funds' consumer fraud claim to survive a motion to dismiss, the Funds' complaint need only allege that the Pharmacies' failure to disclose acquisition costs and subsequent overcharges were material omissions, and that the Funds were not required to allege that the Pharmacies had a duty to disclose the omitted information. Graphic Commc'ns Local 1B Health & Welfare Fund "A" v. CVS Caremark Corp., 833 N.W.2d 403, 411 (Minn.App.2013).
Because the Funds' consumer fraud claim arises under section 325F.69, subdivision 1, we look to the language of the statute to answer the question of whether an omission-based claim is actionable and to determine what is required for the omission to be actionable. Our goal in interpreting the language of the statute is to effectuate the intent of the Legislature. Minn.Stat. § 645.16. In doing so, we give the words of the statute their plain and ordinary meaning. Staab, 813 N.W.2d at 72.
The relevant portion of the statute prohibits "any fraud, false pretense, false promise, misrepresentation, misleading statement or deceptive practice with the intent that others rely thereon in connection with the sale of any merchandise." Minn.Stat. § 325F.69, subd. 1. The conduct proscribed by the CFA is broad. The language of the statute indicates that the target of the CFA is deceitful conduct in connection with the sale of merchandise.
Many of the terms used in the CFA, including fraud and misrepresentation, have a well-defined meaning at common law. See Hardin Cnty. Sav. Bank v. Hous. & Redevelopment Auth. of City of Brainerd, 821 N.W.2d 184, 192 (Minn. 2012) (listing the elements of a negligent misrepresentation claim); Specialized Tours, Inc. v. Hagen, 392 N.W.2d 520, 532 (Minn.1986) (listing the elements of a fraud claim). We presume the Legislature was aware of the common law meaning of these terms when it enacted the CFA. See U.S. Bank N.A. v. Cold Spring Granite Co., 802 N.W.2d 363, 372 (Minn.2011). Under the common law, a party may be liable for fraud either by making an affirmative statement that is false or by concealing or not disclosing facts under certain circumstances. See M.H. v. Caritas Family Servs., 488 N.W.2d 282, 289 (Minn.1992); accord U.S. Bank N.A., 802 N.W.2d at 373. Our jurisprudence with respect to omission-based claims reflects the common law principle that for an omission to be actionable, it must be material to the transaction, U.S. Bank N.A., 802 N.W.2d at 373, and the party concealing the fact must have been under a legal or equitable obligation to communicate the fact to the other party, Witzman v. Lehrman, Lehrman & Flom, 601 N.W.2d 179, 190 (Minn.1999); Richfield Bank & Trust Co. v. Sjogren, 309 Minn. 362, 366, 244 N.W.2d 648, 650 (1976).
Under the common law, one party to a transaction has no duty to disclose material facts to the other party. Klein v. First Edina Nat'l Bank, 293 Minn. 418, 421, 196 N.W.2d 619, 622 (1972). But in Klein, we recognized that special circumstances may trigger a duty to disclose material facts and gave three examples of such special circumstances. First, a person who has a confidential or fiduciary relationship with the other party to the transaction must disclose material facts. Id. at 421, 196 N.W.2d at 622. Second, one who has special knowledge of material facts to which the other party does not have access may have a duty to disclose those facts to the other party. Id. at 421, 196 N.W.2d at 622. Third, a person who speaks must say enough to prevent the words communicated from misleading the other party. Id. at 421, 196 N.W.2d at 622. The examples in Klein are not intended to be exclusive. See Boubelik v. Liberty State Bank, 553 N.W.2d 393, 398 (Minn.1996).
We conclude that an omission-based consumer fraud claim is actionable under the CFA when special circumstances exist that trigger a legal or equitable duty to disclose the omitted facts.
Based upon our analysis set forth above, we conclude that a plaintiff bringing an action under the CFA must plead and prove not only an omission of material fact, but also special circumstances that trigger a duty to disclose. It is not enough that the plaintiff simply alleges that the defendant omitted material information in a transaction. Unlike other state consumer fraud statutes, Minnesota's CFA does not make material omissions actionable.
Having concluded that an omission of material fact is actionable under the CFA when there are special circumstances that trigger a legal or equitable duty to disclose the omitted facts, we next examine the amended complaint to determine whether it sets forth a legally sufficient claim for relief. The Funds argue that the Pharmacies had a duty to disclose their prescription-drug acquisition costs to inform the Funds that the Pharmacies were overcharging them and to prevent the Funds from being misled.
We conclude that the Funds' claim fails as a matter of law. The Funds failed to allege any facts that would trigger a duty for the Pharmacies to disclose additional facts. Specifically, there is nothing in the Pharmacy Practice Act that required the Pharmacies to disclose their prescription-drug acquisition costs. Indeed, section 151.21, subdivision 4, merely provides that whenever a pharmacist dispenses a generic prescription drug in lieu of a prescribed brand name drug, "[a]ny difference between acquisition cost to the pharmacist of the drug dispensed and the brand name drug prescribed shall be passed on to the purchaser." The Pharmacy Practice Act imposes upon pharmacists or pharmacies a duty to disclose information in other instances, but does not require disclosure of prescription-drug acquisition cost data.
Moreover, the complaint does not allege facts that would trigger a common law duty to disclose additional facts under any of the special circumstances set forth in Klein. The Funds do not allege that they have a confidential or fiduciary relationship with the Pharmacies, and therefore this special circumstance is not applicable. See Klein, 293 Minn., at 421, 196 N.W.2d at 622. The Funds argue, however, that the Pharmacies had special knowledge of their prescription-drug acquisition costs, and therefore had a duty to disclose these costs to the Funds. See id. at 421, 196 N.W.2d at 622. But the example regarding special knowledge of material facts is a fraud theory that we have rarely addressed. L & H Airco, Inc. v. Rapistan
Finally, we consider the third example in Klein, which is that a person who speaks must say enough to prevent the words spoken from misleading the other party. 293 Minn. at 421, 196 N.W.2d at 622. The Funds contend that this example is met here, pointing to the allegations in their amended complaint that the Pharmacies overcharged for generic prescription drugs. Notably, there is no allegation that the Pharmacies made any representation to the Funds other than to state the price of the dispensed generic prescription drug. But merely stating the purchase price of a product does not constitute a violation of the CFA unless the defendant omits material facts that render the words spoken false, deceptive, or misleading. Put differently, merely stating the purchase price is not deceptive and does not trigger a duty to disclose. At bottom, the Funds are attempting to recast their claim under the Pharmacy Practice Act as a CFA claim. But a violation of the Pharmacy Practice Act, without more, does not constitute a violation of the CFA.
We conclude that the Funds' amended complaint fails to state a claim under the Consumer Fraud Act, Minn.Stat. § 325F.69, subd. 1. An actionable omission occurs under the CFA when special circumstances exist that trigger a legal or equitable duty for the defendant to disclose the omitted facts. The Funds' complaint does not allege facts that would trigger a duty to disclose. Consequently, the Funds' complaint fails as a matter of law to state a claim for relief under the CFA, and we therefore reverse the court of appeals and reinstate the decision of the district court dismissing the Funds' complaint.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part.
PAGE, STRAS, and LILLEHAUG, JJ., took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.