SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates

The accompanying unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared by the Company in U.S. dollars and in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial reporting, which do not conform in all respects to the requirements of U.S. GAAP for annual financial statements. Accordingly, these notes to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP that are contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the Canadian Securities Administrators on February 24, 2021. The unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared using accounting policies that are consistent with the policies used in preparing the Company’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2020, except for the new accounting guidance adopted during the period. The unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the interim periods. The operating results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year.

Separation of the Bausch + Lomb Eye-Health Business

On August 6, 2020, the Company announced that it intends to separate its eye-health business into an independent publicly traded entity from the remainder of Bausch Health Companies Inc. (the “Separation”). The Separation will establish two separate companies that include: (i) a fully integrated eye-health company which will consist of the Company’s Bausch + Lomb Global Vision Care, Global Surgical, Global Consumer and Global Ophthalmology Rx businesses and (ii) a diversified pharmaceutical company which will include the Company’s Salix, International Rx, Solta, neurology and medical dermatology pharmaceutical businesses. The anticipated Separation is subject to regulatory approvals and certain conditions, including final approval by the Company’s Board of Directors and any shareholder vote requirements that may be applicable. These unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements do not include any adjustments to give effect to the Separation.

As of the date of the issuance of these financial statements, the Company continues to make progress toward internal objectives necessary for the Separation and has been actively addressing the internal organizational design and structure of the new entity which it anticipates having completed by the end of its third quarter of 2021. Management is also exploring various capitalization structures and the form of the Separation transaction in order to properly capitalize both entities post-separation.

Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic

The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the global economy. The COVID-19 pandemic and the rapidly evolving reactions of governments, private sector participants and the public in an effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus and/or address its impacts have intensified and have had significant direct and indirect effects on businesses and commerce. This includes, but is not limited to, disruption to supply chains, employee base and transactional activity, facilities closures and production suspensions. The COVID-19 pandemic has also significantly increased demand for certain goods and services, such as pandemic-related medical services and supplies, alongside decreased demand for others, such as retail, hospitality, elective medical procedures and travel.

The extent to which these events may continue to impact the Company's business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations, in particular, will depend on future developments which are highly uncertain and many of which are outside the Company's control. Such developments include the availability and effectiveness of vaccines for the COVID-19 virus, the ultimate geographic spread and duration of the pandemic, the extent and duration of a resurgence of the COVID-19 virus and variant strains thereof, new information concerning the severity of the COVID-19 virus, the effectiveness and intensity of measures to contain the COVID-19 virus and the economic impact of the pandemic and the reactions to it. Such

developments, among others, depending on their nature, duration and intensity, could have a significant adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

To date, the Company has been able to continue its operations with limited disruptions in supply and manufacturing. Although it is difficult to predict the broad macroeconomic effects that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on industries or individual companies, the Company has assessed the possible effects and outcomes of the pandemic on, among other things, its supply chain, customers and distributors, discounts and rebates, employee base, product sustainability, research and development efforts, product pipeline and consumer demand and currently believes that its estimates are reasonable.

Use of Estimates

In preparing the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions. This includes estimates and assumptions regarding the nature, timing and extent of the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its operations and cash flows. The estimates and assumptions used by the Company affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from these estimates and the differences could be material.

On an ongoing basis, management reviews its estimates to ensure that these estimates appropriately reflect changes in the Company’s business and new information as it becomes available. If historical experience and other factors used by management to make these estimates do not reasonably reflect future activity, the Company’s results of operations and financial position could be materially impacted.

Principles of Consolidation

The unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and those of its subsidiaries and any variable interest entities for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts to conform to the current year presentation.

Changes in Reportable Segments

Commencing in the first quarter of 2021, the Company operates in the following reportable segments: (i) Bausch + Lomb, (ii) Salix, (iii) International Rx, (iv) Ortho Dermatologics and (v) Diversified Products. Prior to the first quarter of 2021, the Company operated in the following reportable segments: (i) Bausch + Lomb/International, (ii) Salix, (iii) Ortho Dermatologics and (iv) Diversified Products. Prior period presentations have been recast to conform to the current segment reporting structure. See Note 19, "SEGMENT INFORMATION" for additional information.

Adoption of New Accounting Guidance

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued guidance that simplifies the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions to the guidance related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The new guidance also simplifies aspects of the accounting for franchise taxes and enacted changes in tax laws or rates and clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill.  The guidance was effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2021. The application of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows.