Bloomin' Brands, Inc. 8-K

What Happened
Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (BLMN) announced that on February 11, 2026 the Board increased its size from 10 to 11 directors and appointed Colleen Keating, age 57, as a director, effective the same date. Ms. Keating was also named to the Board’s Compensation Committee and will stand for re-election at the Company’s 2026 annual meeting. The company filed a press release under Regulation FD disclosing the appointment.

Key Details

• Appointment effective February 11, 2026; Board size increased from 10 to 11.
• Ms. Keating’s background: CEO of Planet Fitness since 2024; former CEO of FirstKey Homes; COO, Americas at InterContinental Hotels Group (Mar 2018–Feb 2020); ~16 years at Starwood.
• Director compensation (pro-rated): $95,000 annual board retainer; $12,500 annual retainer for Compensation Committee service; and a one-time RSU award with a fair market value of $155,000 that vests at the next annual meeting. Travel expenses reimbursed.
• The Board determined Ms. Keating meets Nasdaq’s independence standards; she signed the Company’s standard indemnification agreement and no related-party transactions were reported.

Why It Matters
The appointment changes board composition and adds a director with extensive consumer, operations and franchising experience—areas relevant to Bloomin’ Brands’ restaurant business. Investors should note the timing (will stand for re-election in 2026) and the standard, pro-rated non-employee director compensation and independence determination; no special arrangements or related-party issues were disclosed.