Jeld-Wen, Masonite Deal Gets Tentative Nod From Skeptical Judge

The retailers and consumers who hit Jeld-Wen Inc. and Masonite Corp. with price-fixing claims won tentative approval for settlements worth $75 million with the top U.S. door makers, but a federal judge in Virginia said the deal will face additional “searching” scrutiny because it is “hard to stomach.”

The agreement “drastically” discounts damages stemming from “astounding” price increases, Judge John A. Gibney Jr. wrote. But “the parties may know of evidence or legal arguments that undercut the strength of the plaintiffs’ cases,” and the payments are more than “nominal,” he said.

The deal calls for each company to fund half ...