Life Time Fitness, Inc. has entered into a definitive merger agreement under which affiliates of Leonard Green & Partners and TPG will acquire Life Time. The transaction is valued at more than $4 billion.
Other key investors include LNK Partners and Life Time chairman, president and CEO, Bahram Akradi, who will remain in his role and has committed to make a rollover investment of $125 million in Life Time common stock.
Life Time’s board of directors unanimously approved the merger agreement and recommends that the company’s shareholders vote in favor of the transaction. The merger is subject to approval from Life Time’s shareholders and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2015.
“Following a comprehensive review by Life Time’s board of directors of strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value, we are pleased to have reached this agreement, which provides our shareholders with immediate and substantial cash value representing a significant premium to our unaffected share price,” said Akradi, in a press release. “There are no words to describe my gratitude for the confidence and significant commitment Leonard Green & Partners, TPG and LNK Partners have made to Life Time and our management team.”
“We look forward to working with Bahram Akradi, the Life Time management team and all of its talented and passionate employees,” said John Danhakl, the managing partner of Leonard Green & Partners. “We are confident that we will have a long and successful partnership as we continue to serve Life Time’s many loyal members and customers.”
Under the terms of the merger agreement the investors will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Life Time Fitness common stock for $72.10 per share in cash.
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Emily Harbourne is the former assistant editor of Club Solutions Magazine.
