GET DAILY SIGNALSPlanet Fitness (PLNT) Reports +9% Revenue Growth in Q3 Despite Slowing Sales
Key Takeaways
- Planet Fitness reported third quarter 2026 revenue of $360 million, up 9.0% year over year and ahead of Wall Street's consensus estimate of about $347.7 million.
- Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) came in at $0.83, slightly above the analyst consensus of $0.80 to $0.81, while GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) net income was $52 million, or $0.70 per share.
- System-wide same-club sales rose 1.5%, a sharp deceleration from 6.9% a year earlier but still well above the consensus forecast of roughly 0.3%.
- Management raised its full-year outlook for revenue growth (to about 8%) and same-club sales (to about 1.5% to 2%), while reiterating adjusted EPS growth of roughly 6%.
- The company announced a strategic review of re-franchising its U.S. corporate-owned clubs, a new $500 million share repurchase authorization, and the acquisition of Be-Fit in Portugal, its sixth international market.
Putting the Results in Context
Planet Fitness's third quarter results arrived at an interesting time for the low-cost gym operator. The company has been navigating a stretch of moderating same-club sales growth following periods of stronger gains, all while working to support member additions and expand beyond the U.S. I think investors were particularly focused on whether the brand's value proposition could hold up member counts and whether pricing adjustments might help offset softer traffic. Because much of the business runs through franchisees, these numbers also offer a useful read on franchisee sentiment, equipment needs, and the overall health of the value-oriented fitness segment.
The Quarter's Numbers in Detail
For the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, Planet Fitness reported total revenue of approximately $360 million, a 9.0% increase from $330.3 million in the prior-year period and above the consensus estimate of about $347.7 million. Adjusted EPS came in at $0.83, edging past analyst expectations of roughly $0.80 to $0.81. On a GAAP basis, net income was $52 million, or $0.70 per share, compared with $58.8 million, or $0.70 per share, a year earlier.
System-wide same-club sales increased 1.5%, ahead of the consensus forecast of about 0.3% but a substantial slowdown from 6.9% in the third quarter of 2025. The company finished the quarter with approximately 21.5 million members, up roughly 4% year over year, and an average monthly attrition rate of 3.6%. Adjusted EBITDA rose 3.9%, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of approximately 41%. Planet Fitness opened 33 new clubs during the quarter, bringing its year-to-date total to 71. I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how the stock compares to others in the industry.
Market Reaction and Sentiment
The initial market reaction was modestly positive, with shares ticking up roughly 1.3% to about $58.10 in pre-market trading following the report. Investors appeared to weigh the revenue and EPS beats against the meaningful slowdown in same-club sales growth. The company's decision to raise its full-year revenue and comparable-sales guidance, while reiterating adjusted EPS growth, helped reinforce confidence that profitability remains intact even as top-line growth normalizes. The announcement of a $500 million buyback and a strategic review of re-franchising corporate-owned clubs was also seen as supportive of shareholder returns and capital efficiency.
Looking Ahead and Key Items to Watch
Looking ahead, Planet Fitness raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth expectation to approximately 8%, up from a prior outlook of about 7%, and now projects system-wide same-club sales growth of about 1.5% to 2%, versus a prior outlook of around 1%. The company reiterated its expectation for adjusted diluted EPS to rise approximately 6%, and raised its full-year new club opening target to roughly 190 to 195 locations, up from 180 to 190.
Several factors will be important to watch. First, the company is testing new amenities and has signaled a potential price increase for its higher-tier Black Card membership after the 2026 peak joining season, which could support future revenue per member. Second, the announced strategic review of re-franchising U.S. corporate-owned clubs may reshape the company's asset-light model and capital allocation.
Investors should also monitor attrition trends and net membership growth, given that same-club sales have decelerated considerably. Finally, international expansion remains a longer-term catalyst, with the Be-Fit acquisition in Portugal extending the company's presence to a sixth market. Any updates on these initiatives in the coming quarters will be central to how the market evaluates Planet Fitness's growth trajectory. From what I see, the re-franchising review stands out as particularly worth following.
Exploring AI Tools for Stock Research
I often rely on Tickeron’s AI Screener when digging into names like this one. It lets me quickly filter stocks by technical patterns, fundamentals, and industry trends, which helps me compare PLNT against peers without spending hours on manual work. The tool surfaces ideas and breakout candidates efficiently, making it a practical part of my routine when building or refining a watchlist.
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Contributor
Sergey Savastiouk, Ph.D. has a degree in Applied Mathematics from Moscow University and has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, investor, manager, and mathematician. His professional expertise is in applied mathematics, mathematical modeling, system and pattern analysis, and software and hardware system integration. He has served as the CEO of several hi-tech start-up companies and nonprofit organizations, which has given him proven capabilities in business strategy for high-tech start-up companies, market assessment, company formation, team building, product development, marketing, and sales. He has published numerous articles in journals and magazines on related fields. As a retail investor, he spent 15 years developing his proprietary trading and quantitative algorithms (now Tickeron’s A.I.), which brought him significant returns in trading the stock market. His current work and goal in founding Tickeron is to bring professional, sophisticated stock market analysis capabilities to retail investors via an easy-to-use interface.
PLNT's MACD Histogram just turned positive
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for PLNT turned positive on October 07, 2026. Looking at past instances where PLNT's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 28 of 39 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 72%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on October 07, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on PLNT as a result. In 55 of 85 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 65%.
PLNT moved above its 50-day moving average on October 15, 2026 date and that indicates a change from a downward trend to an upward trend.
The 10-day moving average for PLNT crossed bullishly above the 50-day moving average on October 21, 2026. This indicates that the trend has shifted higher and could be considered a buy signal. In 5 of 12 past instances when the 10-day crossed above the 50-day, the stock continued to move higher over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 42%.
Following a +2.79% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where PLNT advanced for three days, in 172 of 287 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 60%.
The Aroon Indicator entered an Uptrend today. In 168 of 245 cases where PLNT Aroon's Indicator entered an Uptrend, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued Uptrend are 69%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator has been in the overbought zone for 2 days. Expect a price pull-back in the near future.
The Stochastic Oscillator demonstrated that the ticker has stayed in the overbought zone for 19 days. The longer the ticker stays in the overbought zone, the sooner a price pull-back is expected.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where PLNT declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 70%.
PLNT broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 04, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 11 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 41 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. PLNT’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: PLNT's P/B Ratio (-7.068) is slightly lower than the industry average of (1.792). P/E Ratio (19.437) is within average values for comparable stocks, (1.385). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.917) is also within normal values, averaging (1.411). PLNT's Dividend Yield (0.194) is considerably higher than the industry average of (0.032). P/S Ratio (2.869) is also within normal values, averaging (4.604).
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 85 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 91 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. PLNT’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 87, placing this stock worse than average.
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General Information
an operator of gym and fitness centers
Industry RecreationalProducts
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