LT
Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. (LTH)·Q3 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q3 delivered broad-based strength: revenue $782.6M (+12.9% YoY), adjusted EBITDA $220.0M (+22.0%), adjusted diluted EPS $0.41; both revenue and EPS exceeded Wall Street consensus, with revenue +$10.9M (+1.4%) and EPS +$0.0525 (+14.7%) versus estimates. The quarter benefited from robust dues and in-center growth, including Dynamic Personal Training (DPT) . Results vs estimates from S&P Global: revenue $782.6M vs $771.7M; EPS $0.41 vs $0.3575.*
- GAAP net income rose to $102.4M (+147.3% YoY), aided by ~$16.2M tax-adjusted employee retention credits and ~$5.7M tax-adjusted sale-leaseback gains; adjusted net income was $93.0M (+65.2% YoY), isolating ongoing performance .
- 2025 guidance raised: revenue to $2.978–$2.988B (prior $2.955–$2.985B), net income to $304–$306M (prior $290–$293M), adjusted EBITDA to $820–$824M (prior $805–$815M), and comparable center revenue growth to 10.8–11.0% (prior 9.5–10.0%) .
- Strategic drivers and pipeline: management reinforced membership optimization (mix shift to couples/families), strong DPT momentum, the AI health companion (L•AI•C) rollout, and visibility to 12–14 large-format club openings in 2026 (13 under construction) .
- Balance sheet and liquidity improved: net debt leverage ratio is 1.6x; Q3 free cash flow was $62.5M and the company plans $55–$65M of additional sale-leasebacks in Q4, supporting growth while preserving leverage below 2x .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- “Our third quarter results reflect strong execution and continued momentum… Membership engagement continues to rise, and in-center performance remains robust.” — CEO Bahram Akradi .
- DPT continues to set records club by club; “results are incredible… many clubs setting new records month after month” — CEO Bahram Akradi .
- Engagement KPIs strong: average monthly visits per membership reached 12.5 (+5.9% YoY), total visits up 7% YoY; revenue per center membership up 11.3% YoY .
What Went Wrong
- Seasonal membership downtick: center memberships decreased by 9,021 (-1.1%) sequentially from Q2, consistent with seasonality; management anticipates further seasonal decline in Q4 as mix shifts to higher-value memberships .
- Free cash flow moderated sequentially: Q3 free cash flow $62.5M vs Q2 $112.5M, reflecting higher growth capex and fewer sale-leaseback proceeds in Q3 .
- Elevated capex intensity: total capex $222.5M (+155.5% YoY) to fund new centers and modernization, a near-term cash outflow headwind even as leverage improves .
Financial Results
Segment and Mix
KPIs
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- “Membership optimization is increasingly important as clubs are busier than ever… improving the mix with more couples and families, and limiting qualified memberships in certain clubs.” — CEO Bahram Akradi .
- “Adjusted EBITDA was $220 million… margin improved by 210 bps to 28.1%. Free cash flow was $63 million for the third quarter.” — CFO Erik Weaver .
- “We expect to deliver 12-14 new clubs in 2026… 13 clubs are under construction… 11 are large format.” — CEO Bahram Akradi .
- “We are very excited to release new features… offered by L•AI•C, our AI health companion… by the end of this year.” — CEO Bahram Akradi .
Q&A Highlights
- DPT capacity and pricing: Some trainers fully booked; potential to adjust price; strong pipeline of high-quality trainers; DPT revenues setting records in many clubs .
- Membership optimization vs unit growth: Emphasis on full-price family memberships; restricting third-party discounted programs; business planning new clubs at 3,500–4,000 units .
- Macro resilience: Management reports no geographic/cohort weakness; spas revenue/technician up; group fitness classes up 7.6% .
- Capital allocation: Potential buybacks discussed at board level; priority remains growth with sale-leasebacks for capital efficiency; flexibility emphasized .
- New builds/margins: Larger clubs expected to deliver higher average revenue; early-stage openings carry negative margins initially—investors guided not to model higher margins indiscriminately .
Estimates Context
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Strong beat on revenue and EPS alongside raised FY guidance signals durable demand and operating leverage; the narrative focuses on optimizing revenue per membership and scaling high-margin in-center services (DPT) .
- Expect near-term seasonal membership unit declines while revenue/mix improves; management proactively limiting discounted channels to preserve experience and pricing power .
- Larger 2026 club format and accelerated pipeline (12–14 openings; 13 under construction) are a medium-term growth catalyst, though early-stage openings may temper consolidated margins initially .
- Free cash flow remains positive with leverage at 1.6x; continued sale-leasebacks ($55–$65M in Q4) should fund growth while maintaining balance-sheet flexibility .
- AI and digital ecosystem (L•AI•C) plus longevity (MURA) and nutrition (LTH) initiatives expand TAM and engagement, potentially unlocking ancillary revenue streams into 2026 .
- Adjusted results best reflect core performance given ERC and sale-leaseback impacts on GAAP; investors should anchor valuation on adjusted EBITDA and cash flow trends .
- Monitoring items: capex cadence and returns, sale-leaseback cap rates as interest rates evolve, pricing/mix execution, and potential capital returns (buybacks) subject to board decisions .
Notes on Non-GAAP Adjustments
- Q3 GAAP net income includes ~$16.2M tax-adjusted ERC proceeds and ~$5.7M tax-adjusted sale-leaseback gain; adjusted net income ($93.0M) and adjusted EBITDA ($220.0M) exclude these and other non-recurring items .