Bausch + Lomb (NYSE:BLCO) Sets New 12-Month High After Strong Earnings

Key Points

• Bausch + Lomb shares reached a new 52-week high of $21.22 after the company reported adjusted EPS of $0.34, exceeding the $0.21 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 7.3% year over year to approximately $1.38 billion.
• Management raised its 2026 guidance, projecting revenue of $5.450 billion-$5.550 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $1.090 billion-$1.140 billion, supported by momentum from its Vision ’27 strategy.
• Despite strong adjusted results, the company still has a negative net margin; analysts’ consensus rating remains “Hold,” with an average price target of $19.54, below the current share price.

Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE:BLCO - Get Free Report)'s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as high as $21.22 and last traded at $21.2090, with a volume of 297,501 shares. The stock had previously closed at $20.40.

The company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.13. Bausch + Lomb had a positive return on equity of 4.14% and a negative net margin of 3.21%. The firm had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.37 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.18 earnings per share. Bausch + Lomb's quarterly revenue was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year.

Key Bausch + Lomb News

Here are the key news stories impacting Bausch + Lomb this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Raised 2026 guidance: Bausch + Lomb increased its revenue outlook to $5.450 billion-$5.550 billion and adjusted EBITDA guidance to $1.090 billion-$1.140 billion, citing continued momentum from Vision ’27. Bausch + Lomb raises 2026 guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Beat earnings expectations: Third-quarter adjusted EPS was $0.34, well above the $0.21 consensus estimate and up from $0.18 in the year-earlier quarter. The earnings upside was a key driver of the bullish reaction. Bausch + Lomb surpasses Q3 earnings and revenue estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Revenue exceeded forecasts: Quarterly revenue reached approximately $1.375 billion-$1.38 billion, ahead of the $1.37 billion consensus and approximately 7.3% higher year over year. Strong eye-care growth supported the performance. Bausch + Lomb third-quarter earnings results
• Positive Sentiment: Improved profitability: The company swung to a third-quarter profit on an adjusted basis, with earnings substantially ahead of expectations. Management’s earnings call emphasized ongoing operating momentum and the Vision ’27 plan. Bausch + Lomb Q3 2026 earnings call transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Despite the strong adjusted results, Bausch + Lomb continues to report a negative net margin, so investors will monitor whether revenue growth and the Vision ’27 initiatives translate into sustained GAAP profitability.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on BLCO. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of Bausch + Lomb in a research report on Tuesday, September 15th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Bausch + Lomb from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating and set a $21.00 price target on shares of Bausch + Lomb in a research note on Friday, August 28th. Barclays raised Bausch + Lomb to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. Finally, Citigroup reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Bausch + Lomb in a research note on Thursday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $19.54.

Insider Transactions at Bausch + Lomb

In related news, Director Eschenbach Andrew C. Von sold 6,059 shares of Bausch + Lomb stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.58, for a total transaction of $100,458.22. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 63,733 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,056,693.14. This trade represents a 8.68% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Frederick Munsch sold 52,900 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.78, for a total transaction of $887,662.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 45,831 shares in the company, valued at approximately $769,044.18. This trade represents a 53.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 71,459 shares of company stock valued at $1,194,370 in the last quarter. 1.45% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Beach Point Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Bausch + Lomb in the 3rd quarter valued at $5,882,000. Whitebox Advisors LLC increased its position in Bausch + Lomb by 15.8% during the 1st quarter. Whitebox Advisors LLC now owns 1,101,854 shares of the company's stock worth $17,519,000 after buying an additional 150,641 shares during the period. Engineers Gate Manager LP acquired a new stake in shares of Bausch + Lomb during the second quarter worth $1,479,000. Sei Investments Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Bausch + Lomb by 100.0% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 139,266 shares of the company's stock worth $2,214,000 after buying an additional 69,633 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC bought a new stake in shares of Bausch + Lomb in the third quarter valued at about $670,000. Institutional investors own 11.07% of the company's stock.

Bausch + Lomb Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $17.24 and its 200-day moving average price is $16.66. The company has a market cap of $7.39 billion, a P/E ratio of -43.54, a PEG ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 0.56.

About Bausch + Lomb

Bausch + Lomb Corporation NYSE: BLCO is a global eye-health company that develops, manufactures and markets products for vision care, ophthalmic pharmaceuticals and eye surgery. The company serves consumers, eye-care professionals, hospitals and surgical centers through a portfolio spanning contact lenses, contact-lens care products, prescription medicines, over-the-counter eye-care products and surgical equipment.

Its vision-care portfolio includes the Biotrue and INFUSE contact-lens brands, as well as solutions and other products used to clean and maintain contact lenses.

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