Bausch + Lomb Director Steven Collis Buys Shares Below Market—Insider Confidence Signals Upside Potential

Insider Buying at Bausch + Lomb Signals Confidence in a High‑Growth Segment The latest Form 4 filing shows Steven H. Collis, a long‑standing director of Bausch + Lomb, purchased 15,000 shares of the company’s common stock on February 23, 2026, at an average price of $17.81. The transaction was executed just a day after the company’s stock closed at $24.55, meaning Collis was willing to pay roughly 27 % below the recent closing price. While the absolute dollar amount is modest, the trade is notable because it accompanies a matching restricted share unit grant—4,491 units—under the company’s matching share program. The grant ties Collis’ future compensation to the long‑term performance of the share price, suggesting he expects Bausch + Lomb’s valuation to rise over the next few years.

What This Means for Investors From a market‑watching perspective, insider purchases are often interpreted as a signal of confidence. Collis, who has a track record of buying during periods of incremental upside, has historically increased his holdings when the company’s product pipeline—particularly its ophthalmic surgical devices—was in development. His recent purchase, coupled with the matching share units, indicates that the company’s strategic focus on expanding its eye‑care portfolio, especially in the contact‑lens and surgical device segments, is gaining traction. For shareholders, this can be read as a bullish endorsement: insiders are aligning their interests with shareholders and betting on future earnings growth. However, the price paid is below the current market level, which could suggest that Collis views the shares as undervalued given the company’s 52‑week low of $14.56 and the current 52‑week high of $24.73.

Historical Insider Activity: Collis’ Pattern Collis’ prior insider trades show a consistent pattern of buying at or near the company’s lower price swings. On February 19, 2026, he purchased 5,255 shares at $0.00, a placeholder price that indicates a bulk purchase in a single transaction—likely part of a broader re‑allocation of holdings. This move increased his stake to 5,255 shares, the same number he holds after the February 23 transaction. Across the past two years, Collis has made only a handful of trades, all of which were purchases rather than sales. This disciplined buying habit underscores a long‑term view of Bausch + Lomb’s prospects and suggests he is not reacting to short‑term market volatility.

Company‑Wide Insider Momentum While Collis’ activity is the headline, it is part of a broader wave of insider buying at Bausch + Lomb. Other senior executives—such as Robert Russel C., Ling Karen, and Paul John—have also made sizeable purchases in the last week, each adding several thousand shares to their positions. The cumulative effect is a noticeable uptick in insider equity ownership that could translate into increased shareholder alignment and potentially a smoother path for future capital‑raising initiatives.

Strategic Outlook for Bausch + Lomb Bausch + Lomb’s current fundamentals—an earnings‑to‑price ratio of –17.59 and a market cap of roughly C$8.7 billion—point to a company that is undervalued relative to its growth prospects. With a robust product pipeline in eye‑care pharmaceuticals and surgical devices, and an expanding presence in the global market, the firm is positioned to capitalize on rising demand for ocular health solutions. Insider buying, particularly by someone as senior as Collis, adds credibility to the company’s strategic narrative. For investors, the key question will be whether the market absorbs this insider confidence and adjusts the stock price upward, or whether macro‑economic headwinds keep the shares near their current valuation. In either case, the insider activity signals a belief in the company’s long‑term trajectory and offers a timely signal for those monitoring insider sentiment.