Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LTH) Sees Significant Growth in Short Interest

Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LTH) was the target of a significant growth in short interest during the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 11,371,231 shares, a growth of 45.6% from the March 15th total of 7,810,521 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 4,618,999 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.5 days. Approximately 5.9% of the company’s shares are short sold.

Life Time Group Trading Down 0.2%

Shares of NYSE LTH traded down $0.05 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $27.71. The stock had a trading volume of 1,357,661 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,373,719. The company has a quick ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48. Life Time Group has a 1-year low of $24.14 and a 1-year high of $34.99. The company has a market capitalization of $6.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.70, a PEG ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $27.36 and a 200 day moving average price of $26.93.

Life Time Group (NYSE:LTH) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $745.10 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $740.09 million. Life Time Group had a net margin of 12.51% and a return on equity of 10.20%. The company’s revenue was up 12.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.27 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Life Time Group will post 0.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on LTH shares. Northland Securities set a $42.00 price objective on shares of Life Time Group in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of Life Time Group from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, February 23rd. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $43.00 price target on shares of Life Time Group in a research report on Thursday, March 12th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Life Time Group in a research note on Wednesday, March 11th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $37.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Life Time Group in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Life Time Group has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $40.13.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Erik Weaver sold 1,329 shares of Life Time Group stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.73, for a total value of $34,195.17. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 136,166 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,503,551.18. The trade was a 0.97% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Parham Javaheri sold 11,060 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.46, for a total value of $292,647.60. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 315,175 shares in the company, valued at $8,339,530.50. This trade represents a 3.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 31,850 shares of company stock valued at $909,324 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 13.30% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Life Time Group

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in Life Time Group by 144.5% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,220 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 721 shares in the last quarter. Wexford Capital LP acquired a new position in shares of Life Time Group during the third quarter worth about $40,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Life Time Group by 201.6% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,499 shares of the company’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 1,002 shares in the last quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Life Time Group in the third quarter worth about $69,000. Finally, Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Life Time Group in the fourth quarter worth about $73,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.40% of the company’s stock.

Life Time Group Company Profile

Life Time Group (NYSE: LTH) is a premier operator of health, fitness and lifestyle centers across North America. The company’s core business encompasses the development, ownership and management of premium athletic resorts that integrate state-of-the-art fitness facilities, group exercise studios, indoor and outdoor pools, running tracks, and spa and salon services. In addition to its brick-and-mortar clubs, Life Time offers a digital platform featuring on-demand and live-streamed workouts, personalized training programs and nutrition guidance, enabling members to pursue their wellness goals both at home and on the go.

Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Chanhassen, Minnesota, Life Time has grown from a single Minnesota health club into a network of more than 160 locations across the United States and Canada.