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Basic-fit Swings Back To Profit, Revenue Tops €800m

Europe’s largest fitness operator posted a €23.6 million profit in the first six months of the year, a sharp turnaround from a loss over the same period in 2025

Basic-Fit, Europe’s largest fitness operator and franchisor, reported a net profit of €23.6 million ($27.2 million) for the first half of 2026, reversing a €7.9 million net loss in the same period last year.

The turnaround came alongside broad gains across the business. Revenue rose 18% year-over-year to €800.3 million, underlying EBITDA less rent climbed 36% to €204.2 million and operating profit jumped 67% to €95.8 million. Free cash flow swung to a positive €24.6 million, compared to negative €57.4 million in the first half of 2025.

On the strength of those results, Basic-Fit raised its full-year underlying EBITDA less rent guidance to a range of €430 million to €460 million, up from its previous outlook of €415 million to €455 million. The company’s leverage ratio also improved, falling to 2.3 times from 2.7 times a year earlier, and it now expects to end 2026 at just over 2.0 times.

“The new era of high-quality growth that we entered, as announced at our Capital Markets Day in April, is already showing results,” said Basic-Fit CEO René Moos. “Due to sound cost control and continued operating leverage, the 18% top-line growth translated into a 36% increase in underlying EBITDA less rent and a 67% increase in EBIT, demonstrating the operational strength of the Basic-Fit model.”

Membership growth continued to drive the business. The company’s total footprint grew to 2,192 clubs, up from 1,628 a year earlier, while group-wide memberships rose to 6.1 million from 4.5 million. Average memberships per Basic-Fit branded club increased to 2,999, up from 2,770 in the first half of 2025, which the company pointed to as a sign of its existing club base maturing and becoming more profitable.

Moos credited longer opening hours, up to 24/7 in some locations, along with refreshed club designs and added member services.

Much of that club growth stems from Basic-Fit’s acquisition strategy, including its purchase of Clever Fit in late 2025 and its planned acquisition of German operator wellyou, which will add 41 clubs to the network. Regulatory approval for the wellyou deal has been received, and Basic-Fit expects the transaction to close in the third quarter of 2026.

Basic-Fit also said its capex-light franchise business will gain momentum in the second half of the year as it prepares to launch a Basic-Fit-branded franchise proposition, building on the Clever Fit franchise network it acquired last year. The company had flagged its franchise ambitions as far back as 2024, when it said the model would open up opportunities to expand into new countries.

Basic-Fit reiterated its full-year revenue guidance of €1.64 billion to €1.69 billion and said it expects approximately 50 net owned club openings in 2026, along with a significant improvement in positive free cash flow for the year.

Basic-fit Swings Back To Profit, Revenue Tops €800m

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