Country for PR: United States
Contributor: PR Newswire New York
Monday, May 06 2019 - 22:00
AsiaNet
KPS Capital Partners To Acquire Brunswick Corporation's Fitness Business, Including Life Fitness Brand
NEW YORK, May 6, 2019 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

-- Global Leader in Commercial Fitness Equipment 

KPS Capital Partners, LP ("KPS") announced today that, through a newly formed 
affiliate, it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the fitness business 
of Brunswick Corporation, including the Life Fitness brand ("Life Fitness" or 
the "Company"), for approximately $490 million in cash. 

Life Fitness is the global leader in commercial fitness equipment and game 
tables.  The Company manufactures and sells its strength and cardiovascular 
equipment and billiards tables and accessories under the brand names Life 
Fitness, Hammer Strength, Cybex, Indoor Cycling Group, SCIFIT and Brunswick 
Billiards.  The Company's products are sold in more than 160 countries. 

Jay Bernstein, a Partner of KPS, said, "We are very excited to invest in Life 
Fitness, the leading global brand in fitness equipment.  Life Fitness has the 
largest global installed base of equipment, with approximately two million 
pieces of cardiovascular and strength equipment used regularly by over 60 
million people worldwide.  We look forward to working with President Jason 
Worthy, his management team and Life Fitness employees globally to build on 
this great platform and the Company's strong design, innovation and product 
development heritage.  KPS' track record of leveraging its capital, global 
platform and commitment to investing in technology, innovation, growth and 
customer service presents a tremendous opportunity for Life Fitness.  We are 
exceedingly confident that Life Fitness will thrive as an independent company."

Jason Worthy, President of Life Fitness, said, "We look forward to this 
incredible opportunity to collaborate with a firm with a tremendous track 
record of working with similar companies.  KPS recognizes our world-class brand 
positioning, the value of our customer relationships, our iconic standing 
within the fitness industry, and our long-term earning potential.  We will work 
closely with KPS to develop and execute a focused strategic plan centered on 
our mission to inspire healthier lives.  We will build upon our long and 
successful history of product development and technology leadership with the 
goal of providing the highest-quality solutions and services for a broad range 
of fitness facilities and fitness consumers." 

Completion of the transaction is expected in the second quarter of 2019 and is 
subject to customary closing conditions and approvals.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel to KPS and 
its affiliates.

About Life Fitness
Life Fitness is the global leader in commercial fitness equipment and game 
tables.  The Company manufactures and sells strength and cardiovascular 
equipment and billiards tables and accessories under the brand names Life 
Fitness, Hammer Strength, Cybex, Indoor Cycling Group, SCIFIT and Brunswick 
Billiards.  Its equipment is sold in over 160 countries.  Headquartered outside 
Chicago in Rosemont, Illinois, Life Fitness is a division of Brunswick 
Corporation (NYSE: BC).  For more information about Life Fitness products and 
services, visit www.lifefitness.com.

About KPS Capital Partners, LP
KPS is the manager of the KPS Special Situations Funds, a family of investment 
funds with approximately $5.1 billion of assets under management (as of 
December 31, 2018).  For over two decades, the Partners of KPS have worked 
exclusively to realize significant capital appreciation by making controlling 
equity investments in manufacturing and industrial companies across a diverse 
array of industries, including basic materials, branded consumer, healthcare 
and luxury products, automotive parts, capital equipment and general 
manufacturing.  KPS creates value for its investors by working constructively 
with talented management teams to make businesses better, and generates 
investment returns by structurally improving the strategic position, 
competitiveness and profitability of its portfolio companies, rather than 
primarily relying on financial leverage.  The KPS Funds portfolio companies 
currently have aggregate annual revenues of approximately $5.8 billion, operate 
99 manufacturing facilities in 27 countries, and have nearly 21,000 employees, 
directly and through joint ventures worldwide.  The KPS investment strategy and 
portfolio companies are described in detail at www.kpsfund.com.

SOURCE: KPS Capital Partners, LP

CONTACT: Business Inquiries, KPS, +1 212.338.5100; Media Relations, Mark Semer 
or Daniel Yunger, +1 212.521.4800

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