Meet the Growth Stock Up 61% in the Past 1 Year

Core Insights - The S&P 500 index has generated a total return of 13% over the past 12 months, with significant volatility due to trade policy and economic uncertainty [1] - Planet Fitness has outperformed the broader index, with a 61% increase in stock price over the past year [1] Financial Performance - Planet Fitness reported Q1 2025 revenue of $277 million, an increase of 11.5% driven by the opening of 19 new locations, totaling 2,741 [3] - Same-store sales (SSS) grew by 6.1%, indicating increased productivity from existing locations [4] - Management expects SSS to rise between 5% and 6% in 2025, with revenue projected to increase by 10% [4] Membership Growth - Planet Fitness added 900,000 new members in Q1, bringing the total membership to 20.6 million [6] - The company believes it can expand to 5,000 fitness clubs in the U.S., significantly increasing revenue and earnings [7] Business Model - The franchise model allows Planet Fitness to operate with only 10% of locations owned directly, reducing capital requirements and fueling growth [8] - The company has maintained an average operating margin of 26% over the past decade, indicating strong profitability [9] Valuation and Investment Considerations - Shares of Planet Fitness have performed well, but the forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 35.6, which may be considered expensive [10][11] - Consensus forecasts suggest earnings per share will rise at an annualized pace of about 15% from 2024 to 2027 [11] - While the stock may not be a straightforward buy due to valuation concerns, it could be a viable option for exposure to the fitness industry [12]