08-04-2011, 07:19 AM
Maybe one day True Fitness and California Fitness will seek listings too? 
Apr 8, 2011
Fitness First 'seeking S'pore IPO'
By Jonathan Kwok
BRITISH fitness club operator Fitness First is planning to mount an initial public offering (IPO) in Singapore, with a listing set for the third quarter of this year.
It wants to raise $600 million to $700 million through the offering of its shares here, Dow Jones Newswires reported yesterday.
The IPO would be a coup for Singapore Exchange (SGX), in the increasingly competitive global market to attract large listings.
Dow Jones added that Fitness First is likely to apply for listing approval from the SGX this month, and that a team from the company was in Singapore to discuss the proposed deal.
Fitness First is owned by European private equity group BC Partners. BC Partners had bought the company from Cinven, another private equity firm, for £835 million (S$1.7 billion) in 2005.
In 2003, Cinven had taken the company private from London's lightly regulated AIM board for £404 million.
Fitness First started out in 1993 as a single health and fitness club in Bournemouth, Britain.
There are now more than 480 Fitness First clubs in 17 countries, reaching more than 1.4 million members, its website says.
Fitness First posted an operating loss of £98.4 million for the year ended Oct 31, 2009 - the latest figures available on its website - as it was hit by goodwill impairment charges against the European business segment.
But sales grew 9.9 per cent from the previous year to £670.3 million and pre-tax profits were up 7.5 per cent to £145 million.
Reports surfaced last year that BC Partners was seeking an Asian listing venue for Fitness First. The reasons include the chain's strong growth in Asia and the high interest from regional investors in leisure and consumer firms, The Straits Times understands.
In Singapore, Fitness First has 11 fitness clubs, including two that opened this year.
The centre at Mapletree Business City in Alexandra opened at the end of January; one at the CPF Building in Tampines opened at the start of this month.
Hong Kong, Asia's other main listing destination, has seven Fitness First outlets.
When contacted by The Straits Times yesterday, Fitness First declined to comment.
Overseas firms make up more than 40 per cent of those listed on the SGX.
Apr 8, 2011
Fitness First 'seeking S'pore IPO'
By Jonathan Kwok
BRITISH fitness club operator Fitness First is planning to mount an initial public offering (IPO) in Singapore, with a listing set for the third quarter of this year.
It wants to raise $600 million to $700 million through the offering of its shares here, Dow Jones Newswires reported yesterday.
The IPO would be a coup for Singapore Exchange (SGX), in the increasingly competitive global market to attract large listings.
Dow Jones added that Fitness First is likely to apply for listing approval from the SGX this month, and that a team from the company was in Singapore to discuss the proposed deal.
Fitness First is owned by European private equity group BC Partners. BC Partners had bought the company from Cinven, another private equity firm, for £835 million (S$1.7 billion) in 2005.
In 2003, Cinven had taken the company private from London's lightly regulated AIM board for £404 million.
Fitness First started out in 1993 as a single health and fitness club in Bournemouth, Britain.
There are now more than 480 Fitness First clubs in 17 countries, reaching more than 1.4 million members, its website says.
Fitness First posted an operating loss of £98.4 million for the year ended Oct 31, 2009 - the latest figures available on its website - as it was hit by goodwill impairment charges against the European business segment.
But sales grew 9.9 per cent from the previous year to £670.3 million and pre-tax profits were up 7.5 per cent to £145 million.
Reports surfaced last year that BC Partners was seeking an Asian listing venue for Fitness First. The reasons include the chain's strong growth in Asia and the high interest from regional investors in leisure and consumer firms, The Straits Times understands.
In Singapore, Fitness First has 11 fitness clubs, including two that opened this year.
The centre at Mapletree Business City in Alexandra opened at the end of January; one at the CPF Building in Tampines opened at the start of this month.
Hong Kong, Asia's other main listing destination, has seven Fitness First outlets.
When contacted by The Straits Times yesterday, Fitness First declined to comment.
Overseas firms make up more than 40 per cent of those listed on the SGX.