Well-being enhancement company Healthways (HWAY) recently revealed an agreement with Anytime Fitness to provide, from August 1, 2012, its Prime Fitness Program and SilverSneakers Fitness Program at about 1,700 Anytime Fitness centers across the U.S.
Anytime Fitness is reputedly the planet’s largest and fastest growing fitness chain. Since its inception in 2002, it has grown to almost 2,000 centers across the globe with 1.4 million or so members. Anytime Fitness provides enrollees with top-class exercise gear at economical prices. The fitness club has operationalised facilities in 49 states as well as overseas locations such as the United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia and Qatar. Members of Anytime Fitness can avail of any of its facilities.
The SilverSneakers Fitness Program encourages positive changes in behavior by promoting a physical regimen. The program is open to Medicare beneficiaries through various Medicare plans. Prime Fitness is Healthways’ commercially-oriented fitness plan. Both fitness programs are scientific in nature and outcome based. They promote active lifestyles among participants.
The Healthways model encourages people to make favorable lifestyle changes that lead to enhanced well-being, reduced healthcare costs, improved performance and economic value. The company has invested in technology platforms that provide scalable support with large populations. It has tie-ups with a large proportion of U.S. health plans and counts many millions of lives in its customer base.
Due to its unique scalable business model, Healthways shares present a long-term investment opportunity although it may face many challenges in the short to medium term. Healthways is the leader in a strategically critical and rapidly evolving part of the health care services market. Its fitness program (SilverSneakers) for seniors is available at 14,000 centers across the U.S. and caters to several million eligible enrollees.
Healthways competes with Express Scrips (ESRX) among others. We are currently Neutral on the stock, supported by a short-term Zacks #3 Rank (Hold).
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