Bausch + Lomb CEO Brent Saunders Exits With $75.5M Severance; Company Raises 2026 Guidance
BLCO sits 17% above its 52-week low of $13.765 on elevated volume (6.9× avg).
Summary
Bausch + Lomb CEO Brent Saunders departed with a $75.5M severance package and all equity awards forfeited. Chairman Thomas Appio becomes interim CEO, and the company expects to raise full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance.
Key Events · Executive and Board Changes · BLCO
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CEO Departure and $75.5M Severance
CEO Brent Saunders departed effective October 12, 2026, under a separation agreement providing a $75.5 million lump-sum cash payment plus up to $50,000 in attorneys' fees.
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All Equity Awards Forfeited
All of Saunders' outstanding equity and equity-based incentive awards, whether vested or unvested, were forfeited and cancelled effective upon entering into the separation agreement.
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Interim CEO Appointed
Chairman Thomas J. Appio, who also serves as CEO of controlling shareholder Bausch Health, was appointed interim CEO effective October 12, 2026.
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Full-Year 2026 Guidance Raise Expected
Based on preliminary Q3 results, the company expects to raise full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA excluding Acquired IPR&D guidance, with details to be provided at Q3 earnings on October 28.
Analysis · BLCO · Industrial Applications And Services
Bausch + Lomb's CEO Brent Saunders departed effective October 12, 2026, under a separation agreement that pays him $75.5 million in cash and cancels all of his outstanding equity awards. Chairman Thomas Appio, who also runs controlling shareholder Bausch Health, steps in as interim CEO. The company also said it expects to raise full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA guidance, with details coming at Q3 earnings on October 28. The $75.5M payout is a significant cash outflow for a company with a $5.7B market cap, and the forfeiture of all equity awards removes a large potential overhang. The guidance raise is a positive signal, but the CEO change and large severance payment introduce uncertainty about leadership continuity and capital allocation.
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In the 30 days to Oct 27, 2026, 36.2% of the 898 measured filings Wiseek scored 8 moved their stock by 5% or more by the next session's close. The median move was -0.75%. These are measured outcomes after filings of this importance, not a forecast for this one.
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At the time of this filing, BLCO was trading at $16.07 on NYSE in the Industrial Applications And Services sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $5.7B. The 52-week trading range was $13.77 to $18.92. This filing was assessed with neutral market sentiment and an importance score of 8 out of 10.