PLNT - Planet Fitness, Inc.

NYSE - NYSE Delayed Price. Currency in USD
62.77
+0.53 (+0.85%)
At close: 4:02PM EDT
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Previous Close62.24
Open62.46
Bid0.00 x 900
Ask67.00 x 800
Day's Range61.71 - 63.35
52 Week Range44.97 - 81.90
Volume675,578
Avg. Volume1,541,551
Market Cap5.812B
Beta (3Y Monthly)0.55
PE Ratio (TTM)51.62
EPS (TTM)1.22
Earnings DateAug 9, 2017 - Aug 14, 2017
Forward Dividend & YieldN/A (N/A)
Ex-Dividend Date2016-11-18
1y Target Est81.82
Trade prices are not sourced from all markets
  • $30 for a Single SoulCycle Class? Not When a Recession Hits
    Bloomberg

    $30 for a Single SoulCycle Class? Not When a Recession Hits

    (Bloomberg Opinion) -- What do you get when you combine an earnest quest to get healthier with a vain desire to look fabulous on Instagram? A growing number of Americans spending an increasing amount of money at boutique fitness centers.But the boutique-fitness market — which includes not just old-standby yoga studios and CrossFit “boxes” but also newer exercise meccas such as SoulCycle, Pure Barre, Orangetheory Fitness and Club Pilates — may be getting irrational. It’s not just that the workouts are becoming comically niche, though they certainly are. (Would you prefer a so-called “prison-style” workout, or a hybrid of boxing and ballet? How about a studio designed around cold-temperature workouts?) It’s that the explosive growth of boutique fitness centers masks some harsh realities about their chances of long-term survival.The rise of small, specialized workout centers is not unlike the “unbundling” trend seen in television in the streaming era. Big-box gyms, like cable companies, offered a staid experience and frustrated consumers with long-term contracts that were notoriously hard to escape. Then insurgents in both industries offered more novel programming and more flexibility — and consumers showed up. But just as the streaming category now includes a seemingly unsustainable number of entrants, the boutique-fitness industry looks to be headed for a shakeout.The general backdrop for the fitness center industry is plenty favorable. Annual revenue grew 7.8% in 2018 to $32.3 billion, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. Annual visits to U.S. fitness centers are up 42% since 2008, the trade group reports.At the same time, there is a limit to this market — especially for the smaller, boutique players. First, they can be astronomically expensive: SoulCycle is $32 for a single class in Washington; Barry’s Boot Camp is $34. According to IHRSA, the average monthly fee paid by a boutique studio user in 2017 was $92, compared to $52 for health club members overall.The unit economics of small workout studios also make it hard to see how prices will come down as the businesses scale. There are only so many hours in a day — no one wants to attend a barre session at midnight — and only so many exercise bikes that can fit in a studio. So there’s limited opportunity to make that real estate more productive. Sweetgreen can serve salads to far more Lululemon-clad millennials than Flywheel can easily accommodate.Plus, the competition is ramping up. In Washington, for example, researchers at real estate firm CBRE found that the number of fitness outposts in the city has increased more than fivefold since 2009 — in part, to be sure, a natural accommodation of the influx of young residents to the city. But studios, rather than traditional gyms, account for more than 4 out of 5 of the current lineup, highlighting the tug-of-war these concepts face in getting devoted customers.Markets such as Washington’s are getting more crowded just as Peloton Interactive Inc. and the Mirror are giving people trendy options for workouts at home. Peloton’s recent IPO filing showed it had 511,000 subscribers as of June 30. It’s safe to assume at least some of them defected from a cycling studio.New wellness trends threaten to encroach on the dollars that are going to the bumper crop of boutiques dedicated to burning calories. There are studios now for meditation, napping, stretching and recovery from workouts.It’s probably not a coincidence that the boutique-fitness craze has flourished during a long stretch of economic prosperity. If there’s a downturn, you can bet decadent workout packages will be one of the first things people ditch.And if there is a boutique-fitness shakeout, it won’t just be studio operators that feel the burn. Commercial landlords have been eager to sign these newcomers as tenants for shopping centers and mixed-use developments as traditional retail tenants disappear. If these exercise emporiums fail, properties could face yet another wave of vacancies.Of course, not every small-box fitness idea is doomed. Millennial cliché that I am, I’ve dabbled in barre and HIIT classes; I have a yearslong loyalty to a yoga studio and a cardio dance boutique. I prefer a class format to a solitary workout, and I like the idea of paying only for the classes that I take.But it’s costing me a small fortune, and getting wait-listed for a class at a peak time is a drag. In some ways it is — gasp — making me long for the simplicity and value of an all-in-one gym membership.Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised, then, to learn that shares of no-frills gym Planet Fitness Inc. have surged nearly 300% since it went public in 2015, as it has delivered strong comparable sales growth and racked up millions more members.Planet Fitness’s success is a stark reminder that “boutique” workout studios are called that for a reason: They aren’t for everyone. As the market gets closer to saturation, established chains and upstarts may find there are things besides a hard workout that can bring on a serious sweat.To contact the author of this story: Sarah Halzack at shalzack@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Newman at mnewman43@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Sarah Halzack is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the consumer and retail industries. She was previously a national retail reporter for the Washington Post.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

  • Moody's

    Excel Fitness Holdings, Inc. -- Moody's assigns first time ratings to Excel Fitness; CFR at B3

    Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") assigned first time ratings to Excel Fitness Holdings, Inc. ("Excel Fitness") including a Corporate Family Rating (CFR) at B3, a Probability of Default Rating at B3-PD and first lien bank credit facilities ratings at B3. At the same time, Excel Fitness is raising a $10 million five year revolving credit facility.

  • When To Buy Growth Stocks: Why The Double-Bottom Base Still Fuels Strong Breakouts
    Investor's Business Daily

    When To Buy Growth Stocks: Why The Double-Bottom Base Still Fuels Strong Breakouts

    Bullish stock chart patterns will persist in the best growth stocks. They will keep offering big profit opportunities thanks to human emotions at play.

  • 7 Stocks to Buy Benefiting From Millennial Money
    InvestorPlace

    7 Stocks to Buy Benefiting From Millennial Money

    Millennials are one of the largest generations in history, and yet they continue to get a bad rap for either being fiscally irresponsible or for failing to keep certain industries alive as their parents did. However, according to CB Insights, Generation Y are expected to receive $30 trillion in wealth over the next couple of decades, and this transfer of wealth is going to transform many industries that will benefit from their increased spending power. While many tend to point to millennials' focus on experiences, it's also true that they like many of the same things that baby boomers and Gen X's before them do. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThe companies that will win in the next 10-20 years are those that reprioritize around Generation Y. By embracing new technology to provide affordable products in a customized manner, companies can benefit from the spending habits of millennials. * 10 Battered Tech Stocks to Buy Now CB Insights has identified 12 industries that should benefit from Gen Y. Here are seven stocks to buy from seven of those industries identified as winners. Camping Stocks, Thor Industries (THO)Source: Shutterstock Millennials are driving the growth in camping, literally and figuratively. In 2018, almost 80 million Americans went camping, many of them millennials. "Last year, 56% of all new campers were millennials (up from 51% in 2017), and 41% of total reported campers were millennials," CB Insights report on millennials stated. "Part of millennials' enthusiasm for camping springs from the fact that many of them are entering their prime spending years and starting families of their own."Millennials are looking for relatively inexpensive forms of relaxation. Many are opting for recreational vehicles rather than good old fashioned camping in a tent. One company that continues to benefit from the millennials attraction to camping is Thor Industries (NYSE:THO), who manufactures trailers and motor coaches under many different brand names including Air Stream, the classic silver trailer that Americans know and love. In 2018, RV shipments were 483,672, the second-largest number since the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association's been tracking sales. Only 2017 was better. To meet the demand of younger campers, Airstream offers the Nest, a compact trailer that costs just $46,000 to buy, making the open road a more cost-effective alternative to buying a cabin or staying at a five-year hotel on every vacation. Stocks to Buy: Fitness Stocks, Lululemon (LULU)Source: Richard Frazier / Shutterstock.com You can call millennials a lot of things but don't call them lazy. According to CB Insights' report, 76% of millennials exercise at least once a week, more than Gen Xers at 70% and boomers at 64%. Millennials are dropping close to $7 billion each year on gym memberships, double what Gen Xers and boomers do. Naturally, you'd think I'd recommend a fitness club chain such as Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT), whose stock's done well since going public in 2015. However, the capital requirements of fitness facilities make them terrible investments when the economy sours. So, I'd rather bet on a company like Lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU), that's making sure millennials not only are dressed to perform while exercising, but they look good doing it. Lululemon reported Q2 2019 results September 5 that were off-the-charts good. "Exceptional" 2Q results further demonstrate that Lulu is the "premiere retailer in our (and likely any) coverage universe and is deserved of a premium valuation," wrote Susquehanna analyst Sam Poser. "Best-in-class" execution and customer engagement, including a new loyalty program which has so far only launched in four North American cities, and innovative product offerings should continue to drive "top-tier results." * 10 Healthcare Stocks to Buy Despite the Headlines With the company expecting double-digit earnings gains each year until at least 2023, the sky is the limit for LULU stock. Travel Stocks, Booking Holdings (BKNG)Source: Shutterstock While it can be stereotyping to say all millennials thrive on experiences rather than buying stuff, they do indeed like to travel. "An Airbnb study from 2016 showed that many millennials prioritize saving for their next trip over paying off debts or saving to purchase their first home," CB Insights report stated. "Another found that 21% of millennials would accept a lower salary if it meant they could travel more frequently." However, just because they want to travel, doesn't mean they want to do it in the same manner as their parents. Therefore, for travel companies to be successful, they've got to provide a combination of unique experiences, budget prices, and excellent customer service; three things that aren't easy to deliver.Booking Holdings (NASDAQ:BKNG), which used to be known as Priceline, increased its roster of available homes and apartments on its Booking.com website in 2018 by 47% to 1.75 million. At the same time, Booking.com's hotel portfolio increased by just 10% to 436,000. The push toward a pre-pay business model where alternative accommodations are paid for ahead of time as opposed to at the time of hotel stay, is in large part being driven by the millennials desire to stay somewhere more authentic or local.While it makes Booking's business a little trickier, it's the wave of the future, and much better for cash flow. Fast Casual Dining, Shake Shack (SHAK)Source: JHENG YAO / Shutterstock.com If you want to please millennials and you operate in the restaurant industry, you've got to be fast because Gen Y is always on the go. According to the CB Insights report, 40% of millennials eat on the go, significantly higher than either Gen Xers at 26% and boomers at 19%. Not only that, but millennials want a good deal with that tasty burger to go. One of the biggest trends in the restaurant industry at the moment is plant-based meat, also known as Meat 2.0. Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK), whose stock is up 114% year to date through September 10, is one of the fast-casual dining establishments to jump on meatless burgers. It's sold the Shroom Burger for years, a fried portobello mushroom stuffed with cheese and served on a bun. That said, it still hasn't embraced the Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) movement as other concepts have. But it's working on it. "I think we're going to keep an eye on that, but the meat substitute is not as interesting to us right now," Shake Shack CMO Jay Livingston told Ad Age in August. "We're really interested in creating, like a veggie experience that people are super excited about. We're kind of figuring out what that might look like right now.Business is good at Shake Shack. * 10 Stocks to Sell in Market-Cursed September It is the 90th largest restaurant chain in the U.S. Its same-store sales rose 3.6% in the second quarter with overall revenues growing by 31% due to more store openings. It plans to open as many as 60 locations in 2019, which should help keep SHAK stock moving higher in 2020. Coffee Stocks, Starbucks (SBUX)Source: monticello / Shutterstock.com On the one hand, the fact that millennials love coffee is excellent news for Starbucks (Nasdaq:SBUX), whose U.S. stores had seen several quarters of slower than average same-store sales growth before breaking out in the third quarter with a 7% increase in U.S. comps. On the other hand, millennials are predisposed to try boutique coffee roasters, which Starbucks is not. To make matters worse, Starbucks released revised 2020 guidance September 4, that suggests its earnings growth next year won't meet its "ongoing growth model of 10%."However, much of the slowdown has to do with one-time tax benefits in 2019. The company itself continues to do just fine. "I would say that we're firing on all cylinders from an operating performance perspective with the focus and discipline necessary to drive growth at scale for a company like Starbucks and our long-term double-digit EPS growth model is fully intact," CFO Pat Grismer stated recently while speaking at the Goldman Sachs' Global Retailing Conference. Furthermore, as a result of its stock generating a year to date total return of 42% through September 10, Starbucks has made $2 billion in share repurchases this fiscal year instead of next year so that it can deliver on its promise of share repurchases delivering 2% EPS growth in 2019. While SBUX stock might get knocked around from time to time, it's operationally one of the best companies in America. Oh, and millennials love their cold drinks. Frozen Foods, Kellogg (K)Source: DenisMArt / Shutterstock.com The global frozen food market is projected to grow to $290 billion by 2021. Two stats suggest that millennials are driving a frozen food renaissance: First, millennials spent 9% more on frozen foods per trip to the grocery store in 2017 than other demographics. Furthermore, frozen food sales in the U.S. in 2018 grew for the first time in five years, thanks in large part to millennials. Frozen foods meet the millennials desire to eat healthy, fast, and relatively inexpensively. One company that's benefiting from the resurgence in both frozen foods and plant-based meats is Kellogg (NYSE:K), the company better known for Special K and Frosted Flakes. However, between its Eggo and Morningstar Farms brands, Kellogg's managed to increase frozen sales by 3.2% in the second quarter ended June 29, only 50 basis points less than its snacks division, which counts Pringles and Pop-Tarts amongst its brands. On September 4, the company introduced Incogmeato by MorningStar brands, a portfolio of products that are both ready-to-cook and frozen including a plant-based burger and Chik'n tenders and nuggets. "We know that about three-fourths of Americans are open to plant-based eating, yet only 1 in 4 actually purchase a plant-based alternative," said Sara Young, General Manager, MorningStar Farms, Plant-Based Proteins. "We know the number one barrier to trying plant-based protein is taste. These consumers are still seeking the amazing taste, texture, and sizzling qualities of meat but want a better alternative for themselves and the planet." * Take Buffett's Advice: 5 Vanguard Funds to Buy They're expected to be available early in 2020. Personal Finance Stocks, Intuit (INTU)Source: dennizn / Shutterstock.com Millennials have the highest student loan debt of any previous generation. Combine this with the fact the cost of living is rising faster than it has in the past decade, and it's no wonder millennials are willing to try personal finance apps that help them save money that they can use to pay down debt."One of the most popular verticals for personal finance tech is banking. In one survey, 71% of millennials said that they would rather go to the dentist than listen to what a bank has to tell them -- a sentiment driven largely by poor customer service and poor technological integration," stated the CB Insights report on millennials.However, rather than recommend a bank that uses technology, I'm going to suggest Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU), the granddaddy of fintech companies. Most investors are probably familiar with Intuit's main products: QuickBooks and TurboTax. The former focused on small businesses and the latter on taxpayers of all sizes. In fiscal 2019, it generated $2.2 billion in free cash flow from $6.8 billion in revenue. I love companies that grow their free cash flow each year by double digits. Intuit does this by investing in R&D. In fiscal 2019, it spent $1.2 billion on new products and innovation, approximately 18% of its annual revenue. It plans to spend most of this money improving its existing products. One free Intuit product that millennials use quite frequently is Mint, and while other apps get higher ratings, the fact that a $69 billion company develops it ought to be comforting to most.Long term you can't go wrong with INTU.At the time of this writing Will Ashworth did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 10 Battered Tech Stocks to Buy Now * 7 Strong-Buy Stocks Hedge Funds Are Buying Now * The 7 Best Penny Stocks to Buy The post 7 Stocks to Buy Benefiting From Millennial Money appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Benzinga

    Jim Cramer Weighs In On Heico, Schlumberger And More

    On CNBC's "Mad Money Lightning Round," Jim Cramer said we're nearing a bottom in Planet Fitness Inc (NYSE: PLNT ). He would be careful and buy it slowly. Paysign Inc (NASDAQ: PAYS ) is a nice ...

  • Planet Fitness Shares May Shed Some Big Weight
    TheStreet.com

    Planet Fitness Shares May Shed Some Big Weight

    In the past three years, PLNT bulked up from $20 to $80 and now a major correction to the $50 area -- a 50% correction -- would not be a surprise.

  • Join Planet Fitness For Only 25 Cents, Then $10 A Month With No Commitment
    PR Newswire

    Join Planet Fitness For Only 25 Cents, Then $10 A Month With No Commitment

    HAMPTON, N.H., Sept. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Planet Fitness, Inc., one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the U.S. and home of the Judgement Free Zone®, invites everyone to get back into their routine this fall with a limited time offer where new members can sign up for just 25 cents to start, then $10 a month with absolutely no commitment. "We know that finding the right gym can sometimes be intimidating, but Planet Fitness wants to make fitness accessible, affordable, and Judgement Free for everyone," said Jamie Medeiros, Vice President of Marketing at Planet Fitness. "On any given day in any Planet Fitness location, you'll find our welcoming staff high-fiving gym goers and chatting with members on a first name basis — all with the intent to foster an environment where everyone can feel comfortable and encouraged during their workout.

  • 4 Stocks to Play After Trade Talks Are Set to Resume
    Zacks

    4 Stocks to Play After Trade Talks Are Set to Resume

    The stock market picked up today after the US and China agreed to resume trade talks next month.

  • Why Is Planet Fitness (PLNT) Down 7.1% Since Last Earnings Report?
    Zacks

    Why Is Planet Fitness (PLNT) Down 7.1% Since Last Earnings Report?

    Planet Fitness (PLNT) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.

  • Planet Fitness News: Why PLNT Stock Is Looking Weak Today
    InvestorPlace

    Planet Fitness News: Why PLNT Stock Is Looking Weak Today

    Planet Fitness news for Tuesday about a downgrade has PLNT stock down.Source: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com The downgrade for Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT) comes from Berenberg analyst Alex Maroccia. This has the firm taking PLNT stock from its previous rating of "Buy" and giving it a new rating of "Hold." The majority of analysts still maintain a "Buy" rating for the stock.The Planet Fitness news for today doesn't stock with just a downgrade for PLNT stock. Maroccia is also dropping Berenberg's price target for the stock as well. This has the firm giving PLNT stock a new price target of $69.00, reports Schaeffer's Investment Research.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsHow does that new price target compare to the old one? It's a major drop. The previous price target from Berenberg for Planet Fitness stock was $80.00. That means this new price target is almost 14% lower than the previous one.The Planet Fitness news also doesn't have the new price target comparing well to its closing price on Friday, which was the last day of trading before the downgrade. The stock closed at $70.61 on Friday. That has the new price target coming in at roughly 2% lower than the previous closing price. * 7 Best Tech Stocks to Buy Right Now So what exactly is the reason for the negative Planet Fitness news? The concern that Berenberg has about the company include not having enough near-term catalyst.PLNT stock was down 4% as of Tuesday afternoon. However, the stock is up 31% since the start of the year. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 7 Best Tech Stocks to Buy Right Now * 10 Mid-Cap Stocks to Buy * 8 Precious Metals Stocks to Mine For As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.The post Planet Fitness News: Why PLNT Stock Is Looking Weak Today appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • TheStreet.com

    [video]Planet Fitness Stock Falls on Berenberg Downgrade to Hold

    One week after Fortune magazine ranked Planet Fitness 58 out of 100 of the world's fastest-growing companies in 2019, the stock was downgraded from buy to hold by analysts at Berenberg Capital Markets.

  • 5 things to know, including some Natomas fitness news
    American City Business Journals

    5 things to know, including some Natomas fitness news

    Let's start with fitness Planet Fitness Inc., which is rapidly expanding in the Sacramento area and beyond, has opened a new location at 4750 Natomas Blvd. in Natomas. The new site is operated by Taymax Group LP, a Planet Fitness (NYSE: PLNT) franchise group based in Salem, New Hampshire.  “The response from the greater Natomas community was overwhelming. It further confirms our commitment to expand our footprint within the greater Sacramento area in the near future,” said Brian Boucher, chief operating officer of Taymax Group, in a written statement. Planet Fitness was founded in Dover, New Hampshire, in 1992.

  • 5 Recession Resistant Stocks to Buy for Protection
    InvestorPlace

    5 Recession Resistant Stocks to Buy for Protection

    Seemingly everywhere you look, there are signs of a recession. The yield curve is inverted. There are negative interest rates everywhere across the globe. The 30-Year Treasury yield is at an all-time low. The U.S.-China trade war is escalating. Manufacturing activity globally is slowing. Corporate insiders are selling stock in bulk. Business confidence is eroding.To be sure, I think a lot of this recession chatter is noise, and that most -- if not all -- of those "indicators" are red herrings. My base case scenario today remains for the U.S. economy to stay in expansion mode for the next 12 months, and for the S&P 500 to grind higher.Still, one cannot ignore all those dour signs, and it may be smart to at least start preparing for the worst. As the old saying goes: prepare for the worst, hope for the best.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsIn the investment world, how does one prepare for a recession? It's simple. Buy safe stocks with a track record of recession resistance.Those stocks are tough to find. Most stocks don't make the cut. Instead, most stocks plunge alongside the market during recessions. But, a few don't, and the few that don't are the ones that should be on your "prepare for the worst" radar. * 10 Stocks to Buy for September Which stocks make the cut? Let's take a look at five safe stocks to buy with recession resistance. Safe Stocks to Buy With Recession Resistance: Walmart (WMT)Alpha Generated in Last Recession: 58%Why: Consumers migrate to discount retailers when money becomes tight.The Thesis: The bull thesis on Walmart (NYSE:WMT) as a safe stock to buy in a recession is pretty simple.Recessions hurt the U.S. consumer -- they don't outright kill U.S. consumption. As such, consumers still shop during recessions because they still need things like food, clothes and other essentials. The only difference in a recession is that they are doing this "essentials" shopping at discount retailers. Walmart is the king of the discount retail segment. Thus, when times get tough, consumers flock to Walmart to save money on their "essentials" shopping.The result? Walmart's numbers can actually improve during a recession, and WMT stock can actually move higher. Just look at the last recession. The S&P 500 peaked in October 2007, and bottomed in November 2009. During that stretch, the index lost about 56.5%. WMT stock gained 1.5% over that same stretch, thereby generating 58 percentage points of alpha over the market during the last recession.Could the same thing happen during the next recession? Yes. And it probably will, given that Walmart has only extended its dominance in the discount retail game. McDonald's (MCD)Alpha Generated in Last Recession: 50%Why: Consumers buy cheap food when money becomes tight.The Thesis: Much like the bull thesis on Walmart, the recession-proof bull thesis on McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) is similarly simple.During recessions, most people keep their jobs -- the unemployment rate jumped to just 10% in the last recession. Wage gains fall flat, but consumers are still making incomes. Thus, in a recession, consumers don't all become unemployed and broke -- instead, most actually remain income-earners. That income just becomes tighter. When it becomes tighter, consumers start to look to cut down their expenses wherever they can.One place to do so is on food. Consumers still have to eat. But, they don't have to eat as expensively. The real world translation? During a recession, McDonald's dollar menu starts to look a lot tastier.That's why McDonald's can actually get a boost during a recession, and why MCD stock can generate tremendous alpha. While the market plunged more than 56% from late 2007 to early 2009, MCD stock fell just 7%. That represents an impressive near 50 percentage points of alpha during the last recession. * 7 Best Tech Stocks to Buy Right Now Will such out-performance happen again? Yes. McDonald's has widened its lead in the discount QSR segment since 2007, and in so doing, it has become an even safer bet during a recession than a decade ago. Planet Fitness (PLNT)Alpha Generated in Last Recession: N/AWhy: Consumers still want to work out, but don't want to spend as much on gym memberships.The Thesis: Although there is no stock performance data to back the recession-proof thesis on Planet Fitness (NASDAQ:PLNT) -- the stock wasn't public during the last recession -- the bull thesis on why this stock should generate big alpha during an economic slowdown is nonetheless compelling.Now, more-so than ever before, consumers want to workout, look good and live a healthy lifestyle. Doing so comes with added costs, such as gym memberships. Those aren't cheap. Gym memberships can cost anywhere from $40 a month, to several hundred dollars per month. But, Planet Fitness offers gym memberships for as low as $10 per month.In an economic slowdown, consumers still want to workout, look good and live a healthy lifestyle. They just want to do it for less. How do they accomplish that? By canceling their 24 Hour or LA Fitness gym memberships and signing up for Planet Fitness.How many people will do this? Not a lot. But, enough to where Planet Fitness' numbers could actually improve during a recession, meaning that PLNT stock could actually move higher against a plunging market. Flowers Foods (FLO)Alpha Generated in Last Recession: 55%Why: Consumers always need to eat, regardless of the economic backdrop.The Thesis: When it comes to Flower Foods (NYSE:FLO), the bull thesis behind why to buy this stock in a recession is very straightforward.Consumers always need to eat. But, during a recession, they become more selective about what they eat. That is, they cut back on the filet mignon, and bulk up on low-cost baked goods. Flower Foods is the second largest producer of packaged baked goods in the country, owning popular brands such as Nature's Own and Wonder Bread. As such, this company actually gets a tailwind when the economy slows, because more consumers pivot into buying their low-cost baked goods.The proof is in the numbers. During the last recession, the market plunged more than 56%. Over the same stretch that the market lost more than half of its value, FLO stock dropped less than a percent. That's right -- less than a percent. At the same time, FLO stock paid shareholders a 2% dividend yield. * 7 Mega-Cap Tech Stocks on a Rebound Now Can this huge out-performance repeat itself during the next recession? I don't see why not. All the fundamentals are the same, and FLO stock has a 3%-plus dividend yield now. Ross Stores (ROST)Alpha Generated in Last Recession: 58%Why: When money becomes tight, consumers stop shopping at full-price retail stores and start shopping at off-price retail stores.The Thesis: When it comes to Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST), the bull thesis on why to buy ROST stock during a recession is a slight iteration of the WMT recession-proof bull thesis.That is, during tough economic times, money becomes tight. But, consumers still need to live, so they still need to buy things like food, clothes, so on and so forth. In a recession, they just migrate all that shopping from full-price stores to off-price stores. Ross Stores owns two of those off-price stores -- Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts.Those stores did quite well during the last recession. Comparable store sales at Ross Stores rose 1% in 2007, then accelerated to 2% growth in 2008 and 6% growth in 2009. So, not only did Ross Stores hold up during the last recession, the company's growth trajectory actually accelerated -- likely thanks to the aforementioned consumption shift from full-price to off-price.ROST stock reflected this out-performance. From late 2007 to early 2009, while the market shed more than half of its value, ROST stock rose nearly 2%.This same out-performance should repeat come the next recession, mostly because Ross Stores remains one of the very few big brand names in the discount retail segment, and thus, will benefit from the broad full-price to off-price consumption shift.As of this writing, Luke Lango was long WMT, MCD and ROST. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * The 8 Worst Stocks to Buy Before the Trade Turmoil Cools Off * 7 'Strong Buy' Stocks to Beat Volatility * 7 Mega-Cap Tech Stocks on a Rebound Now The post 5 Recession Resistant Stocks to Buy for Protection appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Why Peloton will be an explosive stock after the fitness startup goes public
    Yahoo Finance

    Why Peloton will be an explosive stock after the fitness startup goes public

    Don't be so bearish on Peloton just yet.

  • Peloton Is Another Semi-Private Money Loser
    InvestorPlace

    Peloton Is Another Semi-Private Money Loser

    Peloton Interactive has filed papers to hold a public offering, one that follows trends familiar to anyone invested in Uber (NYSE:UBER). Like many tech IPOs, or IPOs that claim to be tech, Peloton's Securities and Exchange Commission Form S-1 shows a dual-share strategy. There are closely held "B" shares with 20 times the voting power as the "A" shares being offered to a gullible public. You're not buying "the company." No one will buy "the company" unless its real owners, including CEO John Foley, decide they want to sell it.Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com Which they're not doing.More important Peloton is, like Uber before it, going public before its business model is proven. The fiscal 2019 revenue of $719 million is twice 2018's $348 million. But the net loss attributable to common shareholders, $245 million, is five times last year's $48 million.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsNow how much would you pay? Here's the Peloton Stock PitchPeloton's pitch is that it's taking its interactive exercise classes to a global audience -- and once that's complete, profits will rain down.At the time the S-1 was filed, Peloton had 564,000 connected products in the field and 1.4 million individuals had Peloton accounts. This number includes me, since there are two Peloton bikes at my local YMCA and I have tried one. * The 8 Worst Stocks to Buy Before the Trade Turmoil Cools Off But in the same room with the Peloton bikes there are also two Expresso bikes, part of a similar system with silly rides you can do off a screen. There are also several dozen elliptical machines, recumbent bikes and treadmills with cable television for distraction. I like Expresso, but I'm more often found on one of the ellipticals, watching an old movie.Since Peloton's 2012 Kickstarter campaign, which raised a little over $300,000, the company has drawn almost $1 billion in private market financing from some of the biggest venture capitalists in the business. The most recent raise was $550 million, with a claimed valuation of $4.15 billion.What makes Peloton different is that it has both pre-loaded and live online classes, with young, buff trainers who encourage you to ride like they do from a music-filled studio. (The music licenses are "complex and impose numerous obligations upon us that may make it difficult to operate our business," the S-1 says.) Services delivered from its $2,245 bike or $4,295 treadmill can cost up to $39 per month.Peloton also has an app from which it sells "digital memberships" at $19.49 per month to support a variety of disciplines including yoga and walking. The ProblemThere's a lot of money in exercise but it's a tough business. My family pays $85 per month for our YMCA membership. This includes all its exercise equipment, a gym, a walking track, a pool, personal coaches and even a towel service. The Y is also a non-profit that serves non-members.Then there are gym companies like Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT), up 36% this year with a market cap of $6.6 billion, privately held LA Fitness, and the newly controversial SoulCycle. All these operators have the same opportunity Peloton has. They're part of a fast-changing market that still doesn't reach over one quarter of U.S. residents who remain sedentary. The Bottom Line on PelotonPeloton is Uber, it's Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT), and it's WeWork.Peloton applies cheap technology to a non-technology business, gains some traction then claims it's part of the revolution. I saw this movie 20 years ago. Peloton is Webvan, it's Pets.com, it's CMGI. It's the 1990s.Fast wireless internet connections are great for a lot of things. They are going to change the world. But the people who will get us there will have business models that work. They won't lose money on every customer and try to make it up on volume.The Peloton IPO is further evidence, as if we needed any, that the current economic cycle is nearing its end.Dana Blankenhorn is a financial and technology journalist. He is the author of the mystery thriller, The Reluctant Detective Finds Her Family, available at the Amazon Kindle store. Write him at danablankenhorn@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @danablankenhorn. As of this writing he owned no shares in companies mentioned in this article. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * The 8 Worst Stocks to Buy Before the Trade Turmoil Cools Off * 7 'Strong Buy' Stocks to Beat Volatility * 7 Mega-Cap Tech Stocks on a Rebound Now The post Peloton Is Another Semi-Private Money Loser appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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