Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE:BLCO) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

Blink is not going to be a material impact for us this year. But if you look at the data that’s available, will suggest that Blink’s run rate is anywhere between $30 million to $40 million top line. So as we start getting that portfolio – that brand folded in our portfolio and put it in our consumer team’s hand, which I’m confident they will do great things with, we expect that to continue to start growing from there. XIIDRA, we talked about sort of our expectations around, I’ll call it, mid-single digits, starting from the point once we own the brand and the franchise. So we’ll be able to work through that. So that’s all on the positive side in terms of how we will think building the portfolio as we go forward. I have to balance that with the supply chain elements that we’ve been talking about, because we’ve seen the surgical supply chain.

I talked about it from putting pressure on the margin because of the spot buy and qualifying different vendors, and we’re seeing the work that’s happened within the lens business. I believe that’s all fixable. It was not going to be fixable in one quarter it will take some time to be able to get to a steady state at a consistent supply. So just that also being factored into the thinking here as we go forward. So when you look at those components and put them together, that’s how I would sort of break your model or think about 2024 at this point based on what we know today.

Larry Biegelsen: Thanks so much.

Operator: Your next question is coming from Matt Miksic at Barclays.

Matt Miksic: Hi Brent. Thank you for taking the questions. And congrats on a really impressive feat here on top line. I wanted to – Sam or Brett wanted to talk a little bit about if you could maybe provide some color around the level of investment that you’re making behind some of the new product launches that you talked about? So maybe where in the slate of new launches, do you find sort of the heaviest spend initially, in the next six months to 12 months or so? And then which of those products do you think you’ll be in a position to say, early to mid-next year to start driving leverage out of those launches, if that’s the right timing? And I have one follow-up.

BrentSaunders: Sure. So maybe I’ll start and turn it over to Sam. Clearly, the two biggest investments we’ll be making are in MIEBO and in our Daily SiHy INFUSE launch globally. So clearly, MIEBO, we intend to launch the product in this quarter, the third quarter. So we’re very excited about that. Clearly, in any significant pharmaceutical launch, you’re in an investment cycle for, let’s call it, 18 months, 24 months, something in that order of magnitude. And then INFUSE has been globally launching, and now we’re launching the multifocal here in the United States. We’re seeing really good response from optometrists and patients. So very encouraged there. And that generally follows the same kind of investment cycle as a pharmaceutical product. So those are the two big ones. Sam, any other color or commentary on launches?

SamEldessouky: No, I think you covered it. I think definitely, MIEBO will be a very important one. And now I would sort of refer you back to Slide 14 that we included in the deck, because it nicely outlined all the product launches as we see for ’22 and ’24. And we’ll see the sort of the – those launches, we will be investing behind those launches in there across all three segments. And just as I referenced in my prepared remarks and I’ve said it before is that, when you think about the launch, it takes probably anywhere between 18 to 24 months until that launch started getting its potential. So that’s where the investment period, as we think about it for any of those launches.

Matt Miksic: Great. And so just the read-through I’m hearing and other folks I’m sure have also picked up on this, is that leverage next year, we shouldn’t be looking for any sort of significant leverage in the middle of the P&L just because these costs growth may be terrific, continue to outperform, but leverage is something that we should expect to be a bit more muted. Is that a fair way to think about ’24, even though you’re not guiding obviously for ’24 right now?

BrentSaunders: Yes. So great point. Look, we’re very focused on leverage or margin expansion. Clearly, a goal is – a significant goal, a primary goal of ours is to have sustainable margin expansion in the business. And we think that is achievable in time. And so maybe, Sam, do you want to provide some color around our thinking there?