Coty outlines pay for ex-CFO Mercier’s advisor role

Coty outlines pay, bonus, equity and non-compete terms for former CFO Laurent Mercier’s transition to Strategic CEO Advisor.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Coty Inc. (COTY) reported leadership transition arrangements for former Chief Financial Officer Laurent Mercier in connection with the previously announced appointment of Soraya Benchikh as CFO. Mercier ceased serving as CFO on September 1, 2026 and will serve as Strategic CEO Advisor through June 30, 2027, subject to an earlier date at his option.

Under a Transition Agreement, Mercier will continue to receive an annual base salary of €825,000 for advisory services and a fixed one-time bonus of €290,000, but will not receive other annual bonus or variable compensation for fiscal years 2026 or 2027. Equity awards vesting in October 2026 remain eligible to vest, while unvested awards after the Transition End Date will be forfeited. After the Transition End Date he will be subject to a 12‑month non-competition covenant with related non-competition payments and will receive applicable contractual and collective bargaining severance benefits.

Filing Explained

Mercier can accelerate the transition end date, potentially converting salary through June 30, 2027 into a lump-sum payment.

At Mr. Mercier’s option, the transition may end as early as December 20, 2026; if it does, Coty would owe a lump-sum payment equal to the salary otherwise payable through June 30, 2027.

Beginning November 1, 2026, he will be released from active duties but remain available for transition-related advisory services, narrowing his ongoing role while the arrangement remains in effect.

The detailed Transition Agreement is scheduled to be filed as an exhibit to Coty’s Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2026, which should provide the governing terms referenced in this 8-K.

8-K Event Classification

2 items: 5.02, 9.01

2 items

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers Governance

Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits Exhibits

Financial statements, pro forma financial information, or exhibit attachments filed with this report.

Key Figures

Annual base salary during transition: €825,000 One-time fixed bonus: €290,000 Transition End Date: June 30, 2027 +3 more

6 metrics

Annual base salary during transition €825,000 Paid to Laurent Mercier through June 30, 2027 for advisory services

One-time fixed bonus €290,000 Bonus to Laurent Mercier in lieu of other variable compensation for fiscal 2026 and 2027

Transition End Date June 30, 2027 Scheduled end of Laurent Mercier’s service as Strategic CEO Advisor

Earliest possible accelerated end date December 20, 2026 Earliest date Mercier may accelerate the Transition End Date in exchange for lump-sum salary payment

Non-competition period 12 months Duration of non-competition covenant following the Transition End Date for Laurent Mercier

CFO role change date September 1, 2026 Date Laurent Mercier ceased serving as Chief Financial Officer

Key Terms

Transition Agreement, Strategic CEO Advisor, non-competition covenant, collective bargaining severance benefits, +1 more

5 terms

Transition Agreement regulatory

"the Company and Mr. Mercier entered into an agreement governing the terms of his employment"

Strategic CEO Advisor other

"commenced service as Strategic CEO Advisor through June 30, 2027"

non-competition covenant regulatory

"Following the Transition End Date, Mr. Mercier will be subject to a twelve-month non-competition covenant"

collective bargaining severance benefits regulatory

"Mr. Mercier also will be entitled to receive applicable contractual and collective bargaining severance benefits"

annual base salary financial

"Mr. Mercier will continue to receive his annual base salary of €825,000"

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What leadership change did COTY announce in this Form 8-K?

Coty announced that Laurent Mercier ceased serving as Chief Financial Officer on September 1, 2026 and began serving as Strategic CEO Advisor, in connection with the previously announced appointment of Soraya Benchikh as Chief Financial Officer.

How much will former CFO Laurent Mercier be paid during his transition at COTY?

Laurent Mercier will continue to receive his annual base salary of €825,000 through June 30, 2027 (the Transition End Date) for advisory services, unless he accelerates the end date and instead receives a lump-sum payment equal to the salary otherwise payable through that date.

Is Laurent Mercier eligible for bonuses from COTY during fiscal 2026 and 2027?

Laurent Mercier will not be eligible for any annual bonus or variable compensation for fiscal years 2026 or 2027, other than a fixed one-time bonus of €290,000 provided for in his Transition Agreement with Coty.

What happens to Laurent Mercier’s COTY equity awards under the Transition Agreement?

Equity awards scheduled to vest in October 2026 will remain eligible to vest in accordance with their terms. Any of Mercier’s equity awards that remain unvested after the Transition End Date will be forfeited under the Transition Agreement.

What non-compete obligations apply to Laurent Mercier after leaving COTY?

Following the Transition End Date, Laurent Mercier will be subject to a twelve‑month non-competition covenant and will be entitled to receive related contractual non-competition payments, in addition to applicable contractual and collective bargaining severance benefits.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Available on EDGAR 09/11/2026 - 05:10 PM Accepted by SEC EDGAR 09/11/2026 - 05:10 PM Learn about SEC filing dates

FALSE000102430500010243052026-09-092026-09-09

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 11, 2026 (September 9, 2026)

Coty Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Delaware

001-35964

13-3823358

(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

350 Fifth Avenue
New York,			NY						10118
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)									(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 389-7300

(Former name or former address, if changed from last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐			Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐			Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐			Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Title of each class

Trading symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value

COTY

New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company    ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.o

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Leadership Transition Arrangements

In connection with the Company’s previously announced appointment of Soraya Benchikh as Chief Financial Officer, Laurent Mercier ceased serving as Chief Financial Officer on September 1, 2026 and commenced service as Strategic CEO Advisor through June 30, 2027 (the “Transition End Date”). In connection with his transition, the Company and Mr. Mercier entered into an agreement governing the terms of his employment through the Transition End Date (the “Transition Agreement”).

Pursuant to the Transition Agreement, Mr. Mercier will continue to receive his annual base salary of €825,000 through the Transition End Date for his advisory services. During September and October 2026, Mr. Mercier will assist with the transition of his responsibilities and, beginning November 1, 2026, will be released from active duties while remaining available to provide transition-related advisory services. At Mr. Mercier’s option, the Transition End Date may be accelerated to a date no earlier than December 20, 2026, in which case he would receive a lump-sum payment equal to the salary otherwise payable through June 30, 2027.

Mr. Mercier will not be eligible for any annual bonus or variable compensation with respect to fiscal years 2026 or 2027 other than a fixed one-time bonus of €290,000. Equity awards scheduled to vest in October 2026 will remain eligible to vest in accordance with their terms, and any equity awards that remain unvested after the Transition End Date will be forfeited. Following the Transition End Date, Mr. Mercier will be subject to a twelve-month non-competition covenant and will be entitled to receive the related contractual non-competition payments. Mr. Mercier also will be entitled to receive applicable contractual and collective bargaining severance benefits.

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Transition Agreement, which will be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2026.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)Exhibits:

Exhibit No.						Description
104						Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

			Coty Inc.
			(Registrant)
Date: September 11, 2026			By:			/s/ Kristin Blazewicz
						Kristin Blazewicz
						Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Secretary

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

3 documents

Other Documents

• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION SCHEMA DOCUMENT 1.7 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION LABEL LINKBASE DOCUMENT 21.1 KB
• EX-101 XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT 12.2 KB